JP4958421B2 - Air conditioning system for railway vehicles - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioning system for a railway vehicle that can predict the contamination / deterioration of components while maintaining a comfortable in-vehicle environment.

  Conventionally, environmental information detection means for detecting the amount of solar radiation, outside air temperature, humidity, etc., environmental information storage means for storing the environmental information, and control target determination for determining a control target such as in-vehicle temperature from current and past environmental information Air conditioning load prediction means for predicting the air conditioning load from current and past environmental information, and control of the air conditioning capacity by the control amount calculation means so as to cancel the influence of the air conditioning load fluctuation based on the control target and the predicted air conditioning load. There is an air conditioner for railway vehicles that is adapted to perform (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In this railway vehicle air conditioner, the operation pattern (operation time) of the compressor is controlled so as to reach a target set temperature in the vehicle according to the air conditioning load situation. For example, when the outside air temperature is high and the boarding rate is high, the air conditioning load (cooling load) is increased, and the compressor is operated to extend the operating time. Conversely, the outside air temperature is low and the boarding rate is low. The air conditioning load (cooling load) is small, and the operation time of the compressor is controlled to be shortened.

JP-A-5-264086

  This air conditioner for a railway vehicle performs air-conditioning control so as to make the in-vehicle environment comfortable while reducing energy consumption. However, it has not been intended to predict abnormalities such as fouling and deterioration of components (compressor, condenser, evaporator, filter, etc.) constituting the air conditioner for railway vehicles. In other words, maintenance such as inspection and maintenance of the components has to be performed regularly.

  In general, since a lot of time and labor are required for maintenance, there is a problem that costs associated with the maintenance increase. In addition, when an abnormality occurs between maintenances, the air conditioning performance deteriorates, and then the abnormality is found, which makes it difficult to maintain a comfortable in-vehicle environment. That is, even if an abnormality occurs in the component parts, the operation is continued without noticing that until the air conditioning performance deteriorates. Further, since the air conditioning performance is deteriorated, the operation time of the compressor has to be lengthened in order to maintain a comfortable in-vehicle environment, and on the contrary, energy is wasted.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and adjusts the operation pattern of the compressor from various environmental information serving as a reference indicating a comfortable in-vehicle environment and actual environment information to provide a comfortable in-vehicle environment. It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioning system for a railway vehicle that can detect abnormalities in components early.

An air conditioning system for a railway vehicle according to the present invention is an air conditioning system for a railway vehicle that includes a refrigeration cycle configured by sequentially connecting a compressor, a condenser, a decompression unit, and an evaporator with refrigerant piping. A control device that controls the compressor based on a predetermined condition, and the control device performs an appropriate operation of the compressor from an appropriate operation time of the compressor and vehicle information including at least a set temperature. A reference operation pattern indicating a state is set in advance, and an actual operation pattern is determined from the operation time of the compressor obtained when the compressor is actually operated and vehicle information including at least the set temperature at this time. The actual operation pattern is applied to a predetermined condition to correspond to the reference operation pattern, and the actual operation pattern corresponding to the reference operation pattern is compared with the reference operation pattern. Characterized by determining the fouling and deterioration of the components constituting the refrigerating cycle by predicting the operation time of the compressor based on the comparison result.

According to the air conditioning system for railway vehicles according to the present invention, it is possible to detect the contamination / deterioration of the components constituting the refrigeration cycle at an early stage. Maintenance of the in-vehicle environment can be realized.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a configuration of a railcar air conditioning system 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The rail vehicle air conditioning system 50 includes a refrigeration cycle 10, a control device 20, and a database 30. The rail vehicle air conditioning system 50 maintains a predetermined vehicle interior environment that is set based on environmental conditions such as outside air temperature, vehicle interior humidity, and boarding rate.

  The refrigeration cycle 10 is configured such that a compressor 11, a four-way valve 17, a condenser 12, a pressure reducing device 13, and an evaporator 14 are connected so as to circulate through a refrigerant pipe 15. Operation and heating operation are actually performed. The compressor 11 compresses a refrigerant into a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant. The four-way valve 17 switches the refrigerant flow between the cooling operation and the heating operation.

  The condenser 12 condenses and liquefies the refrigerant by heat exchange between the refrigerant and air. The decompression device 13 decompresses the refrigerant. Here, the case where the decompression device 13 is a capillary tube is shown as an example. The capillary tube lowers the refrigerant to a low pressure (evaporation pressure) corresponding to a necessary evaporation temperature by using a frictional resistance when the refrigerant passes through the thin tube. The decompression device 13 is not limited to a capillary tube, and may be composed of a decompression valve, an expansion valve, or the like.

  The evaporator 14 evaporates the refrigerant by heat exchange between the refrigerant and air. The refrigerant pipe 15 conducts the refrigerant that has been compressed into a gas and the refrigerant that has been reduced in pressure into a liquid. The refrigerant may be a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture, a pseudo-azeotropic refrigerant mixture, a single refrigerant, or the like. Non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture includes R407C (R32 / R125 / R134a) which is an HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) refrigerant. The pseudo azeotropic refrigerant mixture includes R410A (R32 / R125) and R404A (R125 / R143a / R134a) which are HFC refrigerants. The single refrigerant includes R22, which is an HCFC (hydrochlorofluorocarbon) refrigerant, R134a, which is an HFC refrigerant, and the like.

The control apparatus 20 controls the operation time of the compressor 11 so that it may become predetermined | prescribed in-vehicle set temperature according to the air-conditioning load condition in a railway vehicle. That is, the control device 20 controls the operation time of the compressor 11 based on the vehicle information 31 stored in the database 30 and the current vehicle information (outside air temperature, boarding rate, in-vehicle set temperature, etc.). is there. The processing operation of the control device 20 will be described later. The control device 20 may be configured with a microcomputer or the like.

  The database 30 serves as a storage means and stores vehicle information 31. The database 30 may be composed of an HDD (hard disk drive), a nonvolatile memory, or the like. The vehicle information 31 serves as a reference for determining the operation pattern of the compressor 11 and is a generic name for information necessary for maintaining the in-vehicle environment such as boarding rate information, in-vehicle set temperature information, and outside air temperature information. is there. The vehicle information 31 may be easily changed, modified, added, or deleted. Then, environment setting according to the place where the railway is assigned can be easily performed.

  Here, although the case where the control apparatus 20 and the database 30 are comprised separately is shown as an example, it is not limited to this. The control device 20 and the database 30 may be configured as an integral unit, or the control device 20 may be configured to include the database 30. Further, the vehicle information 31 may be stored in the database 30 as raw data. However, since the data amount increases, the vehicle information 31 may be stored in a form like a matrix described later.

In addition, although the case where the four-way valve 17 is provided in the refrigeration cycle 10 and the cooling operation and the heating operation can be performed by switching the flow of the refrigerant has been shown as an example, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, only the cooling operation may be performed, or only the heating operation may be performed. In addition, it is desirable that the railcar air conditioning system 50 is provided with detection means such as a pressure detection means, an in-vehicle temperature detection means, an outside air temperature detection means, an in-vehicle humidity detection means (not shown) at predetermined locations. Then, the detection information may be transmitted to the control device 20 or stored in the database 30. The boarding rate may be calculated using boarding rate detecting means such as a variable load sensor that detects the weight of the vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing the concept of the railway vehicle air conditioning system 50.
Here, the case of the cooling operation is shown as an example for convenience. When the performance of the railway vehicle air conditioning system 50 decreases, the cooling capacity also decreases. That is, if the components (the compressor 11, the condenser 12, the evaporator 14, the filter 16, etc.) are soiled, clogged, or deteriorated, these devices cannot perform their original functions.

  If it does so, it exists in the tendency for the operation time (operation operation rate) of the compressor 11 to become longer than a reference | standard regarding the predetermined | prescribed cooling load condition. With respect to a predetermined cooling load situation, the ON / OFF time of the compressor 11 is repeated at short intervals in the reference state, whereas the ON time of the compressor 11 is increased to compensate for the decrease in the capacity reduction state. The operation time of the compressor 11 is controlled so as to shorten the off time.

Focusing on this tendency, data (vehicle information 31) serving as a reference for various conditions (boarding rate, vehicle interior temperature, vehicle interior humidity, outside air temperature, etc.) is stored in the database 30 in advance, and is actually detected. Compared with the detection information, a reduction in the capacity of the railway vehicle air conditioning system 50 is predicted. That is, the operation operation time under the current conditions is compared with the operation operation time serving as the reference time stored in the database 30 to predict the operation operation time, and from the predicted operation operation time , the cleaning time of the components This makes it possible to determine the time for replacement.

Next, the processing operation of the railway vehicle air conditioning system 50 will be described.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a matrix in which the boarding rate is associated with the outside air temperature.
The control device 20 of the railway vehicle air conditioning system 50 calculates the reference operation pattern from the vehicle information 31, compares the actual operation pattern obtained from the actual operation with the reference operation pattern, and stains / deteriorates components. Etc. are predicted. Here, a case where points are assigned to data obtained by comparing the actual operation pattern with the reference operation pattern is shown as an example (see FIG. 4).

  This matrix is stored in the database 30 for each cooling set temperature (TSC) in association with the boarding rate (vertical) and the outside air temperature (horizontal). Here, only the relationship between the boarding rate and the outside air temperature is shown as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, detection information from various detection means may be arbitrarily combined and stored as a predetermined pattern for each cooling set temperature. Further, the combination of detection information is not limited to two types. For example, three types, four types, or all types may be associated and combined.

  In the case of the cooling set temperature of 26 ° C., the outside air temperature of 30.5 ° C. and the boarding rate of 55% indicate the reference operation pattern (reference operation pattern). That is, the value of P4 indicates that it is a reference operation pattern. This reference operation pattern is a reference for realizing an ideal operation (a comfortable in-vehicle environment) with respect to the cooling set temperature.

  Next, when the cooling set temperature is 26 ° C., an actual operation pattern (actual operation pattern) is obtained. The actual driving pattern is calculated by applying the detection information (here, the outside air temperature and the boarding rate) from various detection means to this matrix. Then, the control device 20 compares the reference operation pattern P4 with the actual operation pattern. That is, the operation time of the compressor 11 is adjusted so as to approach the reference operation pattern of the cooling set temperature at that time.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the allocation of points.
The reference operation pattern and the actual operation pattern are associated with each other, and points are assigned by combinations of the respective patterns. The case where the cooling set temperature is 26 ° C. will be described as an example. The reference operation pattern is P4 as described above. If the actual outside air temperature is 31.5 ° C. and the boarding rate is 40%, the actual operation pattern is also P4. Therefore, since the reference operation pattern is P4 and the actual operation pattern is P4, 0 points are assigned. That is, when the reference operation pattern is P4, 0 points are obtained when the actual operation pattern is P1 to P4, 1 point when the actual operation pattern is P5, and 2 points when the actual operation pattern is P6. Each can be assigned.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing changes in the outside air temperature, the boarding rate, and the actual driving pattern.
Here, the transition of the outside air temperature, the boarding rate, and the actual driving pattern from 14:00 to 15:00 is shown. The cooling load is generally the highest in one day from 14:00 to 15:00. Therefore, points are calculated at 1 minute intervals between 14:00 and 15:00 to adjust the in-vehicle environment. The point calculation is not limited to between 14:00 and 15:00. For example, points may be calculated in any time zone, and may not be limited to 1 minute intervals.

  Next, an average value for 1 hour of points calculated at 1 minute intervals is obtained (formula (1)). This average value is used to determine the abnormal state of the component parts (see FIG. 6). In addition, in order to judge abnormalities in the components (compressor 11, condenser 12, evaporator 14, filter 16, etc.), points that serve as a reference for fouling and deterioration are calculated in advance based on the reference operation pattern. It is desirable to keep it. That is, it is possible to predict whether or not there is an abnormality based on comparison / collation between the reference point and the obtained average value.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an evaluation example of the contamination and the deterioration state.
The evaluation example of the contamination and the deterioration state may be classified into a plurality of stages according to the state of the component parts. Then, it becomes possible to quickly detect the presence or absence of abnormality. Moreover, although the case where the example of evaluation was represented in four steps is shown as an example, it is not limited to this. If many evaluation stages are set, it is possible to determine not only the presence / absence of abnormality but also the type of abnormality with high probability.

  If the obtained average value is from 0 to less than 1, it can be determined that it is the same as the reference state. Therefore, it can be determined that the component parts are not soiled or deteriorated and that it is not necessary to perform maintenance such as cleaning and inspection. If the average value is less than 1 to 2, it can be judged that there is little influence on the performance although there is some contamination. Therefore, although it is not necessary to perform maintenance immediately, it can be determined that the maintenance time is approaching.

  Moreover, if the average value is less than 2 to 4, it can be determined that the stain is progressing. Therefore, it can be determined that performance will be affected if maintenance is not performed immediately. Furthermore, if the average value is 4 or more, it can be determined that deterioration is progressing beyond fouling. Therefore, it can be determined that it is time to replace the component as preventive maintenance. Thus, it is possible to specify the presence or absence of abnormality and the type of abnormality. If a serious abnormality has occurred, a warning may be given by a display unit such as an operation panel or screen (not shown), an abnormality alarm means such as a buzzer, or a signal.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the air conditioning system 50 for a railway vehicle.
The railcar air conditioning system 50 calculates reference data in advance and stores it in the database 30 (step S101). The control device 20 of the railway vehicle air conditioning system 50 calculates a reference operation pattern corresponding to the cooling set temperature (see FIG. 3) and stores it in the database 30. Note that a point assignment table (see FIG. 4) in which the reference operation pattern and the actual operation pattern are associated with each other may be stored in the database 30 in advance.

  That is, in order to maintain a comfortable in-vehicle environment, the control device 20 performs a trial operation, calculates reference data (reference operation patterns and reference points) in advance, and stores them in the database 30. Note that various data stored in the database 30 can be changed, modified, added, and deleted. Therefore, it is possible to change data according to a change in season, to correct data due to a change in climate, and to add and delete data by changing the model of components.

  When the railway vehicle air conditioning system 50 starts operation, actual data corresponding to the situation is measured (step S102). This actual data is calculated from information detected by a detection means such as a compressor pressure sensor (not shown), an in-vehicle temperature sensor, an outside air temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a variable load sensor for obtaining a boarding rate. Yes. That is, information detected by these detection means is sent to the control device 20 and converted into data. In addition, you may utilize these detection information with raw data.

  The control device 20 calculates an actual driving pattern based on the detection information (step S103). Then, a reference point is obtained from the reference operation pattern and the actual operation pattern (step S104). The control device 20 obtains this reference point at 1 minute intervals between 14:00 and 15:00 (see FIG. 5). When determining the reference point for one hour, the control device 20 calculates the average value (step S105). This average value is a standard for predicting and judging abnormalities such as contamination and deterioration of components.

  The control device 20 evaluates the contamination / degradation status of the components from this average value (step S106). Since the pollution / degradation status corresponding to the average value is set in advance and stored in the database 30, it is possible to easily determine the presence / absence of abnormality and the type of abnormality. . The stepwise evaluation of the contamination / deterioration status based on the average value is not limited to being stored in the database 30, but may be stored in another storage means (nonvolatile memory or the like).

  Finally, the control device 20 discriminates the abnormal state of the component parts step by step based on the evaluation example, and performs control according to that (step S107). For example, the operation time of the compressor 11 is adjusted, or an alarm is given to an abnormality alarm means. Therefore, since it is possible to appropriately determine the maintenance time, it is not necessary to perform periodic maintenance, and it is possible to realize cost reduction such as labor costs. In addition, since abnormalities in the components can be detected at an early stage, it is possible to cope with the abnormalities (maintenance and replacement of parts) before the performance of the air conditioning system 50 for the railway vehicle deteriorates, and to maintain a stable in-vehicle environment. Can do.

  In the embodiment described above, the adjustment of the in-vehicle environment has been described as an example of the cooling operation, but is not limited thereto. For example, the state of the component parts can be similarly predicted in the heating operation. Further, if a humidity control device such as a dehumidifying unit or a humidifying unit that adjusts the humidity environment inside the vehicle is provided in the air conditioning system 50 for a railway vehicle, it is possible to cope with not only the vehicle temperature but also the vehicle humidity. Then, a comfortable in-vehicle environment can be maintained more efficiently.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows the structure of the air conditioning system for rail vehicles. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the concept of the air conditioning system for rail vehicles. It is explanatory drawing which shows the matrix which linked | related the boarding rate and the outside temperature. It is explanatory drawing which shows allocation of a point. It is explanatory drawing which showed transition of outside temperature, a boarding rate, and an actual driving | operation pattern. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of evaluation of stain | pollution | contamination and a degradation condition. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of operation | movement of the air conditioning system for rail vehicles.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Refrigeration cycle, 11 Compressor, 12 Condenser, 13 Decompression device, 14 Evaporator, 15 Refrigerant piping, 16 Filter, 17 Four-way valve, 20 Control device, 30 Database, 31 Vehicle information, 50 Air conditioning system for railway vehicles.

Claims (7)

A railway vehicle air conditioning system comprising a refrigeration cycle configured by sequentially connecting a compressor, a condenser, a decompression unit, and an evaporator with refrigerant piping,
A control device for controlling the compressor based on a predetermined condition;
The controller is
A reference operation pattern indicating an appropriate operation state of the compressor is set in advance from an appropriate operation time of the compressor and vehicle information including at least a set temperature,
Obtaining the actual operation pattern from the operation time of the compressor obtained when the compressor is actually operated, and vehicle information including at least the set temperature at this time,
Apply the actual operation pattern to a predetermined condition to correspond to the reference operation pattern,
The actual operation pattern corresponding to the reference operation pattern is compared with the reference operation pattern, and the operation time of the compressor is predicted based on the comparison result, and the components constituting the refrigeration cycle are contaminated / deteriorated. An air conditioning system for railway vehicles characterized by judging. Pressure detecting means for detecting the pressure of the refrigerant;
An outside air temperature detecting means for detecting the outside air temperature;
Boarding rate detection means for detecting the boarding rate;
Vehicle temperature detection means for detecting the temperature in the vehicle;
In-vehicle humidity detection means for detecting the humidity in the vehicle,
The controller is
The compressor based on detection information of any two or more of the pressure detection means, the outside air temperature detection means, the occupancy rate detection means, the in-vehicle temperature detection means, and the in-vehicle humidity detection means in an appropriate operating state The air conditioning system for a railway vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a reference operation pattern is set. The controller is
Detection information of any two or more of the pressure detection means, the outside air temperature detection means, the occupancy rate detection means, the in-vehicle temperature detection means, and the in-vehicle humidity detection means when the compressor is actually operated The actual operation pattern of the compressor is obtained from the above, and the operation operation time of the compressor is predicted by comparing the actual operation pattern with the reference operation pattern to determine the contamination / deterioration of the components. The air conditioning system for railway vehicles according to claim 2 . The controller is
Assign a predetermined point to the comparison result,
The air conditioning system for a railway vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the contamination of the component parts is determined based on the point. The controller is
Calculating the comparison result at predetermined time intervals;
Points are assigned to each calculated comparison result,
The air conditioning system for a railway vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the average value is obtained to predict the contamination / deterioration of the component parts. Classifying the state of contamination / deterioration of the component parts into a plurality of stages in advance,
The controller is
The air conditioning system for a railway vehicle according to claim 5, wherein contamination / deterioration of the component parts is predicted based on a classification to which the average value corresponds. The air conditioning system for a railway vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising an abnormality alarm means for alarming a contamination / deterioration state of the component parts.

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