JP2006046726A - Air conditioning control system, air conditioner, and remote monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform an energy-saved operation while regularly keeping the comfortableness in a room independently from a weather condition or load condition, whereas a conventional air conditioner control system cannot perform a control responding to a momentary change of weather condition or interior load condition. <P>SOLUTION: This air conditioner control system comprises a refrigeration cycle constituted by connecting an outdoor unit 2 to an indoor unit 1 through a refrigerant pipe 3, a built-in controller 6 controlling the operating state of the refrigeration cycle, and an external controller 8. An air conditioner 7 is regularly kept in an optimum operating state and controlled to keep the room temperature substantially constant while saving energy by performing a linkage control by the built-in controller 6 and the external controller 8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioning apparatus, an air conditioning control system that controls the air conditioning apparatus, and a remote monitoring device that remotely monitors the air conditioning control system.

  In the conventional air conditioning control system described in Patent Document 1, the weather forecast is used, and the target capacity of the air conditioner is set so as to set the capacity appropriately.

  Moreover, in the conventional air conditioning control system described in Patent Document 2, the set temperature of the indoor unit is shifted by 1 ° C., and the set temperature is controlled to return to the original value within 15 minutes.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-176728 (FIGS. 1 to 2 and 12) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-118225 (FIG. 3)

  In conventional air conditioning control systems, the air conditioning load can be predicted by the weather forecast and can be set almost appropriately. However, when the weather forecast goes off, there is a problem that it is impossible to supply an appropriate cooling capacity or heating capacity. It was.

  Further, since the control is based on the long-term weather forecast, there is a problem that the control corresponding to the changing weather conditions and the load conditions in the room cannot be performed.

  Further, since the set temperature shift time is constant, there is a problem in that indoor comfort may be impaired if the same algorithm is applied to different indoor load conditions.

  For this reason, there has been a problem that the algorithm cannot be generalized.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to obtain a system that can always supply optimum cooling capacity and heating capacity regardless of weather conditions and load conditions. .

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a system that can respond to the changing weather conditions and load conditions in the room and can perform energy-saving operation while maintaining indoor comfort.

  Another object of the present invention is to obtain a system that can perform energy-saving operation without impairing indoor comfort even when the same algorithm is applied to different indoor load conditions.

  Another object of the present invention is to obtain a general-purpose algorithm that can apply the same algorithm to anything.

  The air conditioning control system of the present invention includes an air conditioner having a built-in controller that controls an operating state of the refrigeration cycle in the outdoor unit or the indoor unit by configuring the refrigeration cycle by connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit through refrigerant piping. Installed outside the air conditioner, connected to the air conditioner by wire or wirelessly, sends the control range of the control actuator of the air conditioner to the built-in controller, and performs cooperative control with the built-in controller. It is equipped with an external controller that keeps the harmony device in an optimal operating state at all times.

  The present invention responds to changes in weather every moment and changes in indoor air conditioning load, and always supplies appropriate cooling and heating capabilities, so that the air conditioner can be operated in an energy-saving manner. Further, by taking a form independent of the control of the air conditioner main body, by giving complicated control to the outside, the control can have general versatility and the control can be stabilized.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
The configuration of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall concept of the present embodiment. From the figure, 1 is an indoor unit, 2 is an outdoor unit, 3 is a refrigerant pipe, 4 is a remote controller, 5 is a transmission line, 6 is a built-in controller, and these constitute an air conditioner 7 and 8 is an external unit It is a controller. In the air conditioner 7, one or a plurality of indoor units 1 and an outdoor unit 2 are connected by a refrigerant pipe 3 to form a refrigeration cycle. The indoor unit 1, the outdoor unit 2, a remote controller 4, a built-in controller 6, However, they are wired so that data can be transmitted and received via the transmission line 5.

  The external controller 8 is connected to any position on the connection path of the transmission line 5 and can transmit / receive data to / from the internal controller 6. The external controller 8 may be configured to transmit and receive data without being directly connected to the transmission line 5. For example, the external controller 8 may be connected wirelessly or installed remotely via a modem or the Internet. It does not matter. In addition, one external controller 8 may be configured to be connected to a plurality of air conditioners 7 for operation.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the air conditioner 7 according to the present embodiment. From the figure, 11 is a compressor, 12 is an outdoor heat exchanger, 13 is an expansion valve, 14 is an indoor heat exchanger, 15 is a flow path switching means such as a four-way valve, and 16 is an accumulator. It is connected, and a refrigerant is circulated inside to constitute a refrigeration cycle. Reference numeral 21 denotes an outdoor blower, and 22 an indoor blower, which blow air to the outdoor heat exchanger 12 and the indoor heat exchanger 14, respectively, and act to promote heat exchange between the refrigerant and ambient air. One or more compressors 11, expansion valves 13, and indoor heat exchangers 14 are installed. The outdoor unit 2 is installed outdoors, for example. The indoor unit 1 is installed, for example, on the ceiling of an office. . The compressor 11 or the fans 21 and 22 are control actuators.

  31 is a high pressure detecting means, 32 is a low pressure detecting means for detecting the pressure of the refrigerant on the outlet side and the inlet side of the compressor 11, 33 is a gas side refrigerant temperature detecting means, and 34 is a liquid side refrigerant temperature detecting means. For example, a thermistor is used, and the temperature of the refrigerant is detected by contacting the outside of the pipe. 35 is an intake air temperature measuring means, and 36 is an outside air temperature measuring means, which detects room temperature and outside air temperature, respectively. Again, for example, a thermistor is used. Each detection means and each control actuator of the compressor 11, the blowers 21 and 22, the expansion valve 13, and the four-way valve 15 are wired so as to be controllable from either the outdoor built-in controller 6a or the indoor built-in controller 6b. The outdoor built-in controller 6a and the indoor built-in controller 6b are connected by a transmission line 5 so that data can be transmitted and received.

  Next, the operation of the refrigeration cycle of the air conditioner will be described. In the cooling operation, the refrigerant is compressed by the compressor 11 to become a high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant, and flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 12 through the four-way valve 15. The outdoor heat exchanger 12 acts as a condenser, and by the action of the outdoor blower 21, it dissipates heat to the surrounding air, condenses and liquefies, becomes a high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant, leaves the outdoor unit 2, and is distributed to each indoor unit 1. . In each indoor unit 1, the pressure is reduced by the action of the expansion valve 13 to form a low-temperature and low-pressure two-phase refrigerant and flows into the indoor heat exchanger 14. The indoor heat exchanger 14 acts as an evaporator, and by the action of the indoor blower 22, it absorbs heat from the ambient air to cool the room, evaporates to become a low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant, exits the indoor unit 1, and the outdoor unit. Returning to 2, the air is again sucked into the compressor 11 through the four-way valve 15 and the accumulator 16.

  In the heating operation, the refrigerant that has been compressed by the compressor 11 to become a high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant leaves the outdoor unit 2 through the four-way valve 15 and is distributed to each indoor unit 1. 14 flows into. The indoor heat exchanger 14 acts as a condenser, and by the action of the indoor blower 22, heat is dissipated to the surrounding air and the room is heated, condensed and liquefied to become a high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant, and decompressed by the action of the expansion valve 13. Then, it becomes a low-temperature and low-pressure two-phase refrigerant, exits the indoor unit 1, returns to the outdoor unit 2, and flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 12. The outdoor heat exchanger 12 acts as an evaporator, and by the action of the outdoor blower 21, it absorbs heat from ambient air, evaporates to become a low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant, passes through the four-way valve 15 and the accumulator 16, and returns to the compressor 11. Inhaled.

  Next, a normal control operation of the air conditioner will be described. The outdoor built-in controller 6a, the indoor built-in controller 6b, and the remote controller 4 are each connected to the transmission line 5 and configured to transmit and receive data to and from each other. Each controller (including the remote controller) is set with a different address and recognizes each other. For example, the indoor built-in controller 6b is set to addresses 1 and 2, the outdoor built-in controller 6a is set to address 51, and the remote controller 4 is set to address 61. The address of the corresponding indoor controller 6b is set in the remote controller 4, the indoor controller 6b sets or automatically recognizes the addresses of the connected remote controller 4 and outdoor controller 6a, and the outdoor controller 6a The address of each connected indoor-side controller 6b is set or automatically recognized.

  When the user uses the remote controller 4 or the centralized controller sets the heating / cooling operation mode or set temperature, the information is transmitted via the transmission line 5 to the corresponding indoor-side controller 6b and outdoor-side controller 6a. Sent to. The outdoor built-in controller 6a switches the four-way valve 15 to the corresponding operation mode, and the indoor built-in controller 6b writes the input set temperature in the internal memory and starts the operation of the indoor unit 1. When even one of the indoor units 1 starts operation, the compressor 11 and the outdoor fan 21 start operation.

  In the indoor built-in controller 6b, a control algorithm of the control actuator in the indoor unit 1 is written in advance, and a predetermined control operation is performed based on the control algorithm. In the cooling operation, the expansion valve 13 causes the superheat obtained by the temperature difference between the temperature detected by the gas side refrigerant temperature detecting means 33 and the temperature detected by the liquid side refrigerant temperature detecting means 34 to approach the target value. Be controlled. In the heating operation, control is performed so that the subcool obtained by the temperature difference between the saturation temperature obtained from the pressure detected by the high-pressure detection means 31, that is, the condensation temperature, and the temperature detected by the liquid-side refrigerant temperature detection means 34 approaches the target value. Is done.

  The outdoor blower 21 and the compressor 11 target the condensation temperature, which is the saturation temperature obtained from the high pressure detected by the high pressure detection means 31, and the evaporation temperature, which is the saturation temperature obtained from the low pressure detected by the low pressure detection means 32. Controlled to approach the value. A control method in which the outdoor blower 21 and the compressor 11 are related to each other is also assumed. In general, the outdoor blower 21 sets the condensation temperature during cooling, the compressor 11 sets the evaporation temperature, and the heating uses the outdoor blower 21. The evaporation temperature is controlled by the compressor 11, and the condensation temperature is controlled by the compressor 11. That is, the compressor 11 adjusts the capacity by changing the frequency by, for example, an inverter and controls the evaporation temperature to a target value, and the outdoor blower 21 controls the condensing temperature to the target value by changing the rotational speed by, for example, phase control. To do. In general, the compressor 11 is an inverter, and the outdoor fan 21 is phase controlled so that the rotation speed is variable. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any rotation speed can be controlled. The method can control the condensation temperature and the evaporation temperature.

  Hereinafter, the case of cooling operation will be described as an example, but the same can be said for heating operation. The heat exchange amount Qe in the indoor heat exchanger 14 is expressed as follows: A is the heat transfer area of the indoor heat exchanger 14, K is the heat transfer rate, Ta is the intake air temperature, and Te is the evaporation temperature, which is the saturation temperature of the refrigerant flowing inside. Then, it is roughly expressed by the following formula.

  That is, the amount of heat exchange in the indoor heat exchanger 14 depends on the temperature difference between the suction temperature of the ambient air detected by the suction temperature detection means 35 and the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant flowing inside the indoor heat exchanger 14.

  As for the extension pipe connecting the outdoor unit 2 and the indoor unit 1, various forms are assumed from a long one to a short one depending on the installation form. When the length of the extension pipe is long, the pressure loss in the pipe is large, and the deviation between the actual pressure (saturation temperature) in the indoor unit 1 and the detection value by the high pressure detection means 31 or the low pressure detection means 32 becomes large. . Therefore, even if the low pressure detected by the low pressure detecting means 32 is kept at a constant value, the pressure loss varies depending on the length of the extension pipe, and the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 14 is kept at a constant value. Can not.

  In addition, the amount of heat to be supplied to the room varies depending on the heat load in the room. The indoor heat load is shown in FIG. The types of heat load include vertical solar radiation amount Qt through which sunlight passes through the window, wall body heat amount Qh which is heat intrusion through the wall due to outside air, Qa which is ventilation load due to opening and closing of gaps and doors, heating of lighting There are various factors such as the amount Qs, the calorific value Qm of the human body, the calorific value Qk of a device such as a personal computer. The room temperature can only be kept constant when the air conditioner capacity and these heat loads are balanced, but the heat load changes from moment to moment depending on the outside temperature, the amount of solar radiation, the number of people in the room, etc. It is difficult to uniquely determine the cooling capacity to be obtained, that is, the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant.

  Therefore, normally, the target evaporating temperature of the air conditioner 7 is set on the assumption of the maximum length of the extension pipe and the minimum set temperature in the room, and the control actuator is controlled based on the target evaporating temperature. However, the room temperature cannot be kept constant unless the cooling capacity supplied to the room is balanced with the heat load in the room. When the target evaporation temperature of the air conditioner 7 is determined assuming the maximum length of the extension pipe and the indoor minimum set temperature, a considerably low evaporation temperature such as 0 ° C. is set as the target value, for example (1 Therefore, the cooling capacity is superior to the heat load in the room, and the room temperature is lowered. Therefore, in order to keep the room temperature at a constant value, the indoor built-in controller 6b normally has the intake air temperature Ta detected by the intake air temperature detecting means 35, that is, the room temperature, and the set temperature To stored in the indoor internal controller 6b. Based on the temperature difference, the presence or absence of the refrigerant flow to the corresponding indoor unit 1 is switched based on the following equation.

  Note that the thermo-off means that only the indoor blower 22 is operating in a state where the flow of the refrigerant to the corresponding indoor unit 1 is interrupted, and the thermo-on means a state where cooling is performed with the refrigerant flowing through the indoor unit 1. Means. It is conceivable that the refrigerant flow is shut off when the expansion valve 13 is fully closed or close thereto, or when an on-off valve such as an electromagnetic valve is provided in front of or behind the expansion valve 13.

  In this way, by switching the presence or absence of the refrigerant flow to the indoor unit 1, the range defined by the equation (2), that is, the temperature difference between the intake air temperature Ta and the set temperature To is approximately 0 ° C. to 1 Can be controlled during ° C. However, in this case, the refrigeration cycle supplies excessive cooling capacity more than necessary during operation, and is not very efficient operation. In addition, since the total capacity of the indoor heat exchanger 14 changes each time the thermo is turned on and off, it is necessary to change the operating state of the refrigeration cycle each time. The refrigeration cycle is not in a steady state but is always in a transient state. This is also a factor that hinders efficiency. Further, the room temperature is constantly changing, which is not preferable in terms of comfort.

  As the refrigeration cycle, an optimum operating state, that is, an efficient state is to operate the compressor 11 at a frequency as low as possible to reduce the work amount of the compressor 11. Furthermore, if the compressor 11 is operated at a low frequency and the cooling capacity and the indoor heat load are balanced, the change in the room temperature is reduced, which is preferable from the viewpoint of comfort.

  However, as described above, the heat load in the room changes from moment to moment. Therefore, in the present embodiment, it has been considered to balance the cooling capacity and the thermal load by learning the amount of the thermal load and reflecting it in the evaporation temperature. That is, if the cooling capacity determined in (1) is smaller than the heat load, the room temperature (suction temperature) Ta increases, and if the cooling capacity is larger than the heat load, the room temperature Ta decreases. Therefore, by changing the evaporation temperature so that the temperature difference between the suction temperature Ta and the set temperature To approaches zero, it is possible to realize a state where the cooling capacity and the heat load are balanced. For that purpose, the target value Tem of the evaporation temperature may be changed in a direction in which the deviation between the suction temperature Ta and the set temperature To becomes smaller. For example, using a constant kp (evaporation temperature control gain), A method of sequentially learning the deviation between the suction temperature Ta and the set temperature To and correcting the evaporation temperature target Tem is conceivable.

  Here, ΔTem is a correction amount of the evaporation temperature target. In this way, when the deviation between the suction temperature Ta and the set temperature To is large, the temperature difference is reflected in the evaporation temperature, and the evaporation temperature can be lowered. Cooling capacity increases and room temperature (suction temperature) decreases. When the deviation between the suction temperature Ta and the set temperature To decreases, the evaporation temperature target correction amount ΔTem decreases, and the evaporation temperature at which the cooling capacity and the heat load are balanced can be controlled.

  However, in the control according to the equation (3), the deviation between the suction temperature Ta and the set temperature To is reflected in the evaporation temperature target Tem as it is, and it is easily affected by noise, and control hunting at the time of transient change is likely to occur. It lacks stability. Therefore, as a method for improving the stability of control, consider using the following equation instead of equation (3).

Here, Δt is a control time interval, Ti is a constant (integration time), To _min is the minimum temperature of the operating indoor unit 1, and (Ta−To) _max is the suction temperature Ta of the operating indoor unit 1. This is the maximum value of the temperature difference from the set temperature To. This is a correction method based on PI control, which is a well-known method of classical control, and the integral term of the deviation between the suction temperature Ta including the constant Ti and the set temperature To functions to stabilize the control. And since correction | amendment is continued so that the deviation of suction temperature Ta and set temperature To may become zero, the evaporation temperature of the state which balanced the cooling load and the heat load can be obtained in the stage which control was complete | finished.

  Next, control for changing the frequency f of the control actuator, that is, the compressor 11 so that the evaporation temperature Te approaches the evaporation temperature target Tem will be described. The frequency F of the compressor 11 is controlled based on the following equation, for example.

  Here, Gs is a constant (frequency control gain), ΔF is a frequency correction amount, and ΣQj is a capacity code of the total capacity of the indoor unit 1 in operation. Based on the equation (5), when the evaporation temperature Te is higher than the evaporation temperature target Tem, the frequency of the compressor 11 is increased, and when it is lower, the frequency is decreased so that the evaporation temperature Te and the evaporation temperature target Tem coincide. At that point, the control ends. At this time, if the constant Kf is increased too much, the control will hunt, so it is necessary to set it to an appropriate value, and it has been empirically found that a value that reaches the target in two to three times is desirable. In addition, when the number of indoor units 1 operated is small, the frequency is greatly affected by the frequency change, so that the frequency is proportional to the capability code ΣQj.

  The flow of control will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This flowchart is called up every fixed time dt by an internal timer. When the control is started, data is measured (ST1), and when the compressor 11 is stopped (ST2), the flowchart is finished, otherwise, it is determined whether the operation mode is cooling or heating (ST3), A value obtained by multiplying the capacity code ΣQj of the total indoor unit operation capacity by the coefficients k0R and k0D is set as Fi (ST4 and ST5). Next, when the compressor 11 is immediately after starting or when ΣQj is changed and the current frequency F is larger than the previously calculated Fi (ST6), Fi is set to F and the timer variable tk is reset to 0. (ST7), F is output (ST8), and the flowchart ends.

  Otherwise, the time interval dt is added to tk (ST9), the operation mode is determined (ST10), and in the case of cooling, when tk reaches the specified time tkd (ST11), the operation indoor unit The maximum value obtained by subtracting the set temperature To from the suction temperature Ta of 1 and the minimum value of the set temperature To of the operation indoor unit 1 are calculated (ST12, ST13), and the evaporation temperature target Tem is calculated using the equation (4) ( ST13, ST14). Then, the frequency F of the compressor 11 is calculated by the equation (5) (ST15 to ST17), and F is output as a new frequency to the outdoor built-in controller 6a (ST8). Further, during heating, the condensation temperature target Tcm and the compressor frequency F are calculated using the equations (6) and (7) instead of the equations (4) and (5) (ST18 to ST22, ST16). , ST17).

  In this flowchart, the case where the timing at which the compressor frequency F is output and the timing at which the evaporation temperature target Tem is updated is shown at the same time. This is mainly because the control time interval is long, for example, 5 minutes. Applicable to the case. In the air conditioner, since the refrigerant circulates in the refrigeration cycle, there is a time delay of, for example, 3 minutes until the response appears in the state quantity after the control is performed. Therefore, when the control time interval is short, for example, the compressor frequency control timing is shortened so that the compressor frequency control timing is 1 minute, and the evaporation temperature target update timing is 3 minutes. It is desirable that the update timing is equal to or greater than the time constant of the refrigeration cycle. In that case, it is necessary to add another timer variable to this flowchart and shift the timing.

  Further, as a method for reducing control hunting, for example, the evaporation temperature Tes after dt time is predicted from the evaporation temperature before dt time, 2 × dt time before, and instead of the evaporation temperature Te in the equation (5). A method using the evaporation temperature predicted value Tes is also conceivable.

  Based on this flowchart, only the compressor frequency F is output and controlled, and the operation of other control actuators is performed based on a standard control algorithm stored in the air conditioner. The saturation temperature of the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 12, that is, the condensation temperature, is sequentially controlled to the target value by the outdoor fan 21.

  By sequentially performing the above control, the cooling capacity and the heat load are always balanced, and a state in which the room temperature (suction temperature) and the set temperature are almost equal can be realized, and an efficient air conditioner can be obtained. it can. Further, frequent fluctuations in the room temperature can be prevented, and the temperature can be maintained at a substantially constant temperature, thereby improving the comfort.

  FIG. 5 shows a comparison between the control result based on the standard control algorithm stored in the built-in controller 6 and the control result based on the control algorithm of the present embodiment. In the control algorithm of the present embodiment, it can be seen that the cooling capacity is appropriately controlled with respect to the heat load, the room temperature is controlled to a constant value, the compressor input is reduced, and energy is saved.

  Although the control algorithm of the present embodiment can be stored in the built-in controller 6, it is stored in the external controller 8 as shown in FIG. It is also possible to store the information and to perform cooperative control by communication via the transmission line 5. Thus, by having separate control algorithms for the built-in controller 6 and the external controller 8, it is possible to perform optimal control according to the application while avoiding complication of the control program. That is, in an environment where a person lives or works in a normal room, the control algorithm described here works effectively and energy saving operation can be performed.

  However, for example, in a food processing plant, if exhaust in the factory is circulated, there is a problem in terms of hygiene, so the exhaust is not circulated and fresh air kept at a constant temperature is always sucked into the factory from outside air. It is necessary to perform so-called all-fresh air conditioning. The most important thing in all-fresh air conditioning is to immediately cool a large amount of fresh fresh air to a certain temperature and supply it to the factory. That is, the temperature detection means must be provided on the outlet side of the indoor heat exchanger 14 to control the outlet temperature. The control algorithm of the present embodiment is a method of adjusting the cooling capacity by learning the temperature difference between the room temperature and the set temperature, and is suitable for air conditioning in which air is circulated, but is suitable for blowing temperature control in all fresh air conditioning. Is not suitable in terms of control speed and control accuracy.

  In a system using ice heat storage, the evaporation temperature must be kept at a low temperature at which ice can be generated, and the control algorithm for learning the load and setting the evaporation temperature high cannot be used as it is.

  All fresh air conditioning and ice storage in food factories are common in that it is desirable to keep the frequency of the compressor 11 as large as possible and maximize the capabilities of the air conditioner. A common control algorithm can be used. However, if a plurality of control algorithms including the control algorithm of this embodiment are stored in the built-in controller 6 and the control algorithm is used properly depending on the application, the program becomes complicated and a large storage capacity is required. Therefore, when the control algorithm of the present embodiment is stored in the external controller 8 installed separately and linked with the standard control algorithm stored in the built-in controller 6, the control algorithm optimal for the application target is always selected. There is an advantage that it will be possible.

  In addition, when a control algorithm for further energy saving is devised, it is easy to extend it. In addition, if the control algorithm of the present embodiment is included in the external controller 8, there is also an advantage that a new energy saving control algorithm can be applied to existing facilities that only include the old control algorithm.

  The built-in controller 6 stores various protection controls. When the control algorithm is commanded from the external controller 8, the control system is configured so that the protection control has priority over the command from the outside. It is possible to keep stable control.

  In many cases, the air conditioner 7 is equipped with a function capable of controlling the maximum value of the compressor frequency from the external controller 8 in order to save the capacity. When the control algorithm of the present embodiment is stored in the external controller 8, the compressor frequency F is read as the maximum frequency Fmax of the compressor 11, and Fmax is output from the external controller 8 to the built-in controller 6 for control. You can also Even when the maximum frequency Fmax of the compressor 11 is controlled, it is inferior when the compressor frequency F is directly controlled, but energy saving can be achieved as compared with the standard control algorithm. In addition, there is an air conditioner that cannot perform the function of compressor frequency direct control from the external controller 8 in terms of function. However, any air conditioner that has a maximum compressor frequency control can be used, and therefore, a general algorithm. There is also an effect.

  Here, the case where the frequency of the compressor 11 is controlled by the control algorithm different from the standard control algorithm from the external controller 8 or the like and the rotation speed of the blower is controlled by the standard control algorithm will be described as an example. However, the rotational speed of the blower may be controlled from the external controller 8 or the like, and the frequency of the compressor 11 may be controlled by a standard control algorithm, and the same effect is obtained. Moreover, when instruct | indicating the rotation speed of an air blower, energy saving can be achieved by outputting the rotation speed direct control of an air blower, or the minimum rotation speed of an air blower by communication.

  Further, the case where the command of the compressor frequency or the compressor maximum frequency is output from the external controller 8 or the like has been described as an example. The built-in controller 6 may be configured to control the compressor frequency or the maximum compressor frequency based on a standard control algorithm using the calculated value or set value. Alternatively, the compressor suction pressure or the compressor discharge pressure can be output by communication, and the built-in controller 6 can convert the pressure into an evaporation temperature or a condensation temperature to be a control target.

  Alternatively, the subcooled condensed refrigerant or the superheated evaporative refrigerant, which is the control target value of the expansion valve, can be output by communication to rewrite the calculated value or set value that is the control target in the built-in controller 6.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart of another control algorithm, in which the set temperature of each indoor unit 1 is sequentially output from the outside, set, and rotated. This flowchart is also entered every time interval dt by an internal timer. First, it is determined whether the compressor 11 is ON / OFF (ST30). If the compressor 11 is OFF, the process exits the flowchart. Next, the indoor unit number to be controlled is searched (ST31 to ST34). i represents the number of the indoor unit 1, and the execution status of the set temperature control by this control is stored in dflag, dflag = 0 is not set, dflag = 1 is under control, dflag = 2 is the control end, dflag = 3 represents the indoor unit 1 that is not controlled. Therefore, in ST31 to ST34, the smallest number among the indoor units 1 that are not set or being controlled is searched for. If the searched indoor unit 1 is under control (ST35), nothing is performed. If it is not under control, the base temperature of the set temperature is To1, the temperature deviation is ΔTo, the set temperature is To, and depending on the operation mode (ST36). ), (9) to calculate the set temperature (ST37, ST38).

  Then, the dflag of the corresponding indoor unit 1 is being controlled (ST39), and the set temperature To is output to the indoor-side built-in controller 6b. Next, dt is added to the timer variable td (ST41), and it is determined whether td has reached the set time Δtd1 (ST42). If so, the set temperature To is returned to the base temperature To1 and the dflag is controlled. The process is terminated, td is cleared, and the set temperature To is output (ST44 to ST46). If td has not reached Δtd1, td has reached Δtd2, and if the suction temperature Ta of the corresponding indoor unit 1 is equal to or higher than the value obtained by adding Δt1 to the base temperature To1, the set temperature To is set to the base temperature. It returns to To1, ends the control of dflag, clears td, and outputs the set temperature To (ST44 to ST46). As a result of the search for the indoor unit number to be controlled in ST31 to ST34, i is larger than the maximum indoor unit number imax (ST33), that is, when the indoor unit 1 to be controlled is not found, the indoor unit 1 not to be set is selected. Except for this, all the indoor units 1 are returned to the uncontrolled state (ST47 to ST50), and the flowchart is finished.

  This will be further described with specific numerical values. In the cooling operation, for example, To1 = 25 ° C., ΔTo = 2 ° C., Δtd1 = 20 minutes, Δtd2 = 10 minutes, and Δt1 = 1.5 ° C. are set. That is, the set temperature of the indoor unit 1 is set to 27 ° C., and when 20 minutes have passed or 10 minutes have passed and the suction temperature Ta has reached 26.5 ° C., the control is terminated. As described above, the indoor unit 1 is controlled to be thermo-on and thermo-off within the range of 1 ° C. based on the equation (2). Accordingly, if the set temperature of the indoor unit 1 is deviated by ΔTo (2 ° C.) from the state where it is operated at To 1 (25 ° C.) (To is set to 27 ° C.), the suction temperature is controlled normally. Ta becomes a value lower than the set temperature To, and the corresponding indoor unit 1 enters the thermo-off state. If the indoor unit 1 is in the thermo-off state, the refrigerant flow path to the corresponding indoor unit 1 is interrupted, so that the frequency of the compressor 11 is decreased in order to reduce the circulation flow rate of the refrigeration cycle and maintain the same evaporation temperature. The input of the compressor 11 is reduced. Then, when the set temperature is returned to the original value after a certain time, the frequency of the compressor 11 is increased again. However, since the operation was performed at a low frequency for a certain time, the average frequency for a certain time becomes a low value, thereby saving energy.

  However, simply increasing the set temperature for a certain period of time increases the room temperature and impairs comfort. Therefore, in order not to impair the comfort, when the room temperature increases by Δt1, the control is ended even if the control end time Δtd1 is not reached. Here, it is desirable to set the room temperature rise to 1.5 ° C. or less as the allowable width Δt1. There is a well-known PMV index as an index representing indoor comfort. PMV is calculated from temperature, humidity, radiation temperature, amount of clothes, amount of activity, etc. When room temperature changes by 1.5 ° C., PMV changes by a little less than 0.5. In general, it is said that if PMV changes by 0.5 or more, comfort is impaired, and it is desirable to make the temperature change within that range.

  Further, in order to eliminate the influence of noise and reliably obtain an energy saving effect, the temperature setting change is not canceled until the set shift time reaches Δtd2. As Δtd2, it is known that the energy saving effect is larger when it is 10 minutes or more from the relationship between the heat load and the cooling capacity in a general room.

  The control in FIG. 4 is an operation to the outdoor built-in controller 6a, and the control in FIG. 6 is an operation to the indoor internal controller 6b, which are independent of each other. That is, only the control of FIG. 4 can be performed, only the control of FIG. 6 can be performed, and both the control of FIG. 4 and the control of FIG. 6 can be set and executed simultaneously.

  Also, the control in FIG. 4 and the control in FIG. 6 may be automatically switched. It has been experimentally found that the control of FIG. 4 has a greater energy saving effect when the indoor load is large, and the control of FIG. 6 has a greater energy saving effect when the indoor heat load is small. Therefore, the magnitude of the indoor load is determined from the operating frequency of the compressor 11, and the control is automatically switched to the control of FIG. 4 when the load is large and the control of FIG. 6 when the load is small. A control system may be constructed, which has the effect of increasing the energy saving effect.

  The connection between the external controller 8 and the built-in controller 6 does not have to be a wired connection, as long as data can be transmitted and received, and may be connected wirelessly or by other communication means.

  The external controller 8 may be installed near the air conditioner 7 or may be installed remotely via the Internet or a telephone line as shown in FIG. When installed near the air conditioner 7 as shown in FIG. 1, the control speed can be improved and a stable control system can be obtained. When installed remotely as shown in FIG. It is possible to reduce the installation space, and it is also easy to control a plurality of air conditioners with a single external controller 8.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the remote monitoring device 9 can be connected to the external controller 8 via the Internet or a telephone line. The heat load at the actual installation location of the equipment varies. Energy-saving control algorithm of the present embodiment corresponds is possible for any given heat load for learning the thermal load. However, depending on the load at the installation site, it may be better to increase the control gain in order to further improve the convergence of the control, or conversely, the thermal load is too small and the standard control gain is too large and lacks stability. Conceivable. Therefore, by connecting the remote monitoring device 9 to the external controller 8 and seeing the operation status, it is possible to transmit and store values such as control gains via the Internet or telephone line, so that any heat load can be stored. However, it is possible to obtain a control system that can always control stably.

  The refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle of the air conditioner 7 may be any refrigerant, such as carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, natural refrigerants such as helium, alternative refrigerants such as HFC410A and HFC407C, or refrigerants that do not contain chlorine, or Any of chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants such as R22 and R134a used in existing products may be used.

  Moreover, the compressor 11 may use any of various types such as a reciprocating, a rotary, a scroll, and a screw as long as the number of rotations can be varied.

  Naturally, the remote monitoring device 9 may be a personal computer, or a mobile monitoring device such as a mobile phone or a mobile may be used so that a serviceman can always monitor while moving.

  As described above, in the air conditioning control system of the present embodiment, the external controller 8 stores a control algorithm different from the control algorithm stored in the built-in controller 6, and the control range and control target of the control actuator are stored in the built-in controller. By transmitting to 6 and performing cooperative control with the built-in controller 6, a general-purpose energy-saving control system that can be connected to existing devices can be obtained. In addition, a stable control system that is resistant to noise can be constructed.

  In addition, it has a function to automatically update the control range or control target setting of the control actuator at regular intervals so as to keep the room temperature almost constant and save energy. Regardless, it is possible to always supply the optimal cooling capacity and heating capacity. Moreover, since it can respond to the change of a heat load immediately and can transfer to an optimal driving | running state, an energy saving driving | running can be performed in the state which always maintained indoor comfort.

1 is a block diagram showing an overall concept of an air conditioning control system according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows the detailed description of the indoor thermal load which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a control flowchart of the air-conditioning control system according to Embodiment 1. It is a figure which shows the control effect of the air conditioning control system which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is another control flowchart of the air-conditioning control system according to Embodiment 1. It is a block diagram which shows another structure of the air conditioning control system which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows another structure of the air conditioning control system which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Indoor unit, 2 Outdoor unit, 3 Refrigerant piping, 4 Remote control, 5 Transmission line, 6 Built-in controller, 6a Indoor built-in controller, 6b Indoor built-in controller, 7 Air conditioning apparatus, 8 External controller, 9 Remote monitoring apparatus, 11 Compressor, 12 outdoor heat exchanger, 13 expansion valve, 14 indoor heat exchanger, 15 flow path switching means such as four-way valve, 16 accumulator, 21 outdoor blower, 22 indoor blower, 31 high pressure detecting means, 32 low pressure detecting means, 33 gas side refrigerant temperature detection means, 34 liquid side refrigerant temperature detection means, 35 intake air temperature measurement means, 36 outside air temperature measurement means.

Claims (16)

An air conditioner having a built-in controller for controlling an operating state of the refrigeration cycle in the outdoor unit or the indoor unit, by connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit with a refrigerant pipe to form a refrigeration cycle;
It is installed outside the air conditioner, is connected to the air conditioner by wire or wirelessly, transmits a control range of a control actuator of the air conditioner to the built-in controller, and performs cooperative control with the built-in controller. An air conditioning control system comprising an external controller that keeps the air conditioning device in an optimal operating state at all times. At least one of the internal controller and the external controller automatically sets the control range of the control actuator at regular intervals so as to keep the room temperature substantially constant and save energy based on the operating state of the air conditioner. The air conditioning control system according to claim 1, further comprising a function for renewing automatically. 3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the control actuator is a compressor or a blower, and transmits and sets the maximum frequency of the compressor or the minimum rotation speed of the blower as the control range. Control system. An air conditioner having a built-in controller for controlling an operating state of the refrigeration cycle in the outdoor unit or the indoor unit, by connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit with a refrigerant pipe to form a refrigeration cycle;
It is installed outside the air conditioner, is connected to the air conditioner by wire or wirelessly, transmits a control target of a control actuator of the air conditioner to the built-in controller, and performs cooperative control with the built-in controller. An air conditioning control system comprising an external controller that keeps the air conditioning device in an optimal operating state at all times. The control actuator is a compressor or a blower, and transmits a control target value of a condensation temperature or an evaporation temperature of the refrigeration cycle, a compressor suction pressure or a compressor discharge pressure to the built-in controller, and controls in the built-in controller The air conditioning control system according to claim 4, wherein the air conditioning control system is set as a target. The air conditioning control system according to claim 4, wherein the control actuator is an expansion valve, and transmits and sets a subcool of condensed refrigerant or superheat of evaporated refrigerant as the control target. At least one of the internal controller and the external controller automatically sets the control target of the control actuator at regular intervals so as to keep the room temperature substantially constant and save energy based on the operating state of the air conditioner. The air conditioning control system according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the air conditioning control system has a function of renewing automatically. An air conditioner having a built-in controller for controlling the operating state of the refrigeration cycle in the outdoor unit or the indoor unit, by connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit with a built-in compressor with a refrigerant pipe to constitute a refrigeration cycle;
The air conditioner is installed outside the air conditioner, is connected to the air conditioner in a wired or wireless manner, transmits the frequency of the compressor to the built-in controller, and performs cooperative control with the built-in controller. An air conditioning control system comprising an external controller that keeps the vehicle in an optimal operating state at all times. At least one of the internal controller and the external controller automatically sets the frequency of the compressor at regular intervals so as to keep the room temperature substantially constant and save energy based on the operating state of the air conditioner. The air conditioning control system according to claim 8, further comprising a function of updating. An air conditioner having a built-in controller for controlling an operating state of the refrigeration cycle in the outdoor unit or the indoor unit, by connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit with a refrigerant pipe to form a refrigeration cycle;
An external controller installed outside the air conditioner, connected to the air conditioner by wire or wirelessly, and having a function of transmitting a set temperature of the air conditioner to the built-in controller;
At least one of the internal controller and the external controller sets the set temperature to the first set temperature, the first set time elapses, and the second set time elapses and the room temperature exceeds the allowable range An air conditioning control system having a function of setting the set temperature to a second set temperature when the temperature changes. An air conditioner having a built-in controller for controlling an operating state of the refrigeration cycle in the outdoor unit or the indoor unit, by connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit with a refrigerant pipe to form a refrigeration cycle;
Installed outside the air conditioner and connected to the air conditioner in a wired or wireless manner, either a control range of a control actuator of the air conditioner or a control target of the control actuator or a set temperature of the air conditioner An external controller that always keeps the air conditioner in an optimal operating state by transmitting to the built-in controller and performing cooperative control with the built-in controller,
At least one of the internal controller and the external controller is configured to set the control range of the control actuator or the control target so as to keep the room temperature substantially constant and save energy based on the operating state of the air conditioner. A first function that automatically updates at regular intervals,
The set temperature is set to the first set temperature, and when the first set time has elapsed, and when the second set time has elapsed and the room temperature has changed beyond the allowable range, the set temperature is An air conditioning control system that automatically switches between a second function for setting to a second set temperature. The air according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein protection control in the built-in controller is prioritized over control based on a value transmitted and set from the external controller. Harmonic control system. An air conditioner in which an outdoor unit incorporating a variable frequency compressor and a plurality of indoor units are connected by a refrigerant pipe to constitute a refrigeration cycle,
A built-in controller for controlling the operation state of the refrigeration cycle in the outdoor unit or indoor unit;
A suction temperature detecting means of the indoor unit;
A set temperature setting means for the indoor unit,
The built-in controller has a function of learning a target value of the saturation temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the indoor unit and controlling the frequency of the compressor so that the saturation temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the indoor unit approaches the saturation temperature target value. An air conditioner characterized by having. The built-in controller has a function of updating the frequency setting of the compressor at regular intervals so as to keep the room temperature substantially constant and save energy based on the operating state of the air conditioner. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 13. An air conditioner in which an outdoor unit and an indoor unit are connected by a refrigerant pipe to configure a refrigeration cycle,
A built-in controller for controlling the operation state of the refrigeration cycle in the outdoor unit or indoor unit,
The built-in controller has a function of changing the set temperature of the indoor unit, sets the set temperature to the first set temperature, and when the first set time elapses and the second set time elapses. An air conditioner having a function of setting the set temperature to a second set temperature when the room temperature changes more than an allowable range. A remote monitoring device for remotely controlling the air conditioning control system according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
Remotely connected to the built-in controller or the external controller via a telephone line or the Internet, the control range of the control actuator, the control target of the control actuator, the frequency of the compressor, or the first or second set temperature Alternatively, the remote monitoring apparatus has a function of setting any one of the permissible widths of the room temperature.

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