JP6444526B2 - Operation control device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an operation control device installed in an outdoor unit of a refrigeration cycle apparatus, for example, a heat pump chiller unit.

  As a conventional outdoor unit operation control device, Patent Document 1 discloses a fan rotation frequency control device that generates a fan rotation sound at a certain level or more by providing a lower limit value for the fan frequency. The rotation frequency control device of Patent Document 1 generates a rotation sound of the fan, thereby canceling out the operation sound when the operation frequency of the compressor increases and suppressing the user's discomfort due to the noise of the compressor. It is configured.

JP 2007-218531 A

  However, the rotational frequency control device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem that noise due to the rotation sound of the fan increases. In particular, in the case of an air-cooled heat pump chiller unit, the compressor is housed in a soundproof machine room at the bottom of the unit, and the fan is placed at the top of the unit in an open state. May be more uncomfortable for the user.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an operation control device capable of suppressing noise due to fan rotation noise while maintaining the operation efficiency of the refrigeration cycle apparatus. .

Operation control device of the present invention is an operation control device for use in a refrigeration cycle device having a fan for supplying the refrigeration cycle compressor and the condenser are connected, external air into the condenser, the cooling operation 1, first noise reduction control during cooling operation for increasing the target value of the condensation temperature in the condenser is executed, and the temperature of the outside air supplied to the condenser is determined from the target value of the increased condensation temperature When the upper limit value of the outside air temperature to be exceeded is exceeded, the second low noise control during the cooling operation is performed, which provides the upper limit value of the rotation frequency of the fan and the operation frequency of the compressor .

Further, the operation control device of the present invention is an operation control device for use in a refrigeration cycle device having a fan for supplying the refrigeration cycle compressor and an evaporator are connected, the outside air to the evaporator, heating During operation, first low noise control during heating operation is performed to lower the target value of the evaporation temperature in the evaporator, and the temperature of the outside air supplied to the evaporator is reduced to the target value of the evaporated temperature. When the lower limit value of the outside air temperature determined from the above is exceeded, second low noise control during heating operation is performed in which an upper limit value of the rotational frequency of the fan and the operating frequency of the compressor is provided .

  According to the present invention, it is possible to perform low noise control for reducing the rotation frequency of the fan by increasing the target value of the condensation temperature during the cooling operation or decreasing the target value of the evaporation temperature during the heating operation. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an operation control device capable of suppressing noise due to the rotation sound of the fan while maintaining the operation efficiency of the refrigeration cycle apparatus.

It is a schematic refrigerant circuit diagram which shows an example of the refrigerating cycle circuit 10 of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention is installed. It is a perspective view which shows an example of the schematic external appearance structure of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention is installed. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the low noise control process at the time of the air_conditionaing | cooling operation of the outdoor unit 1 in the operation control apparatus 20 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a graph which shows an example of the relationship between the target value of a condensation temperature, and the maximum noise value at the time of air_conditionaing | cooling operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention is installed. It is a graph which shows an example of the relationship between the target value of condensing temperature, and an upper limit external temperature at the time of air_conditionaing | cooling operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention is installed. It is the graph which showed an example of the relationship between external temperature and condensation temperature at the time of air_conditionaing | cooling operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention is installed. It is the graph which showed an example of the relationship between the rotation frequency of the fan 7, and external temperature at the time of air_conditionaing | cooling operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention is installed. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the low noise control process at the time of the heating operation of the outdoor unit 1 in the operation control apparatus 20 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a graph which shows an example of the relationship between the target value of evaporation temperature and the maximum noise value at the time of the heating operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is installed. It is a graph which shows an example of the relationship between the target value of evaporation temperature, and the lower limit outside temperature at the time of heating operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is installed. It is the graph which showed an example of the relationship between external temperature and evaporation temperature at the time of the heating operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention is installed. It is the graph which showed an example of the relationship between the rotation frequency of the fan 7, and external temperature at the time of the heating operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention is installed. An example of the control process performed at the time of execution of the low noise control at the time of the 1st cooling operation or the low noise control at the time of the 1st heating operation and the low capacity operation in the operation control device 20 according to the second embodiment of the present invention is shown. It is a flowchart.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
The outdoor unit 1 of the refrigeration cycle apparatus in which the operation control apparatus 20 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is installed will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic refrigerant circuit diagram illustrating an example of the refrigeration cycle circuit 10 of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control device 20 according to Embodiment 1 is installed. In the following drawings including FIG. 1, the dimensional relationship and shape of each component may be different from the actual one. Moreover, in the following drawings, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same or similar member or part, or attaching | subjecting code | symbol is abbreviate | omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an outdoor unit 1 includes a compressor 2, a refrigerant flow switching device 3, an air-cooling heat exchanger 4, a decompression device 5, and a water-cooling heat exchanger 6 connected by a refrigerant pipe 9. The refrigeration cycle circuit 10 in which the refrigerant circulates is provided. In addition, the outdoor unit 1 is provided with a fan 7 that blows air that passes through the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 to the outside. Although not shown, the outdoor unit 1 is connected to one or more indoor units via a heat medium pipe connected to the water-cooled heat exchanger 6.

  The compressor 2 is a fluid machine that has a suction pipe and a discharge pipe, compresses low-pressure refrigerant sucked into the compressor 2 through the suction pipe into high-pressure refrigerant, and discharges the compressed high-pressure refrigerant from the discharge pipe. . The compressor 2 can be configured as a variable capacity refrigerant compressor, for example, a scroll compressor or a rotary compressor capable of controlling the rotation frequency. In FIG. 1, the suction pipe and the discharge pipe are not shown.

  The refrigerant flow switching device 3 is an actuator that switches the refrigerant flow channel inside the refrigerant flow switching device 3 in accordance with switching from the cooling operation to the heating operation or switching from the heating operation to the cooling operation in the outdoor unit 1. is there. In the refrigerant flow switching device 3, during the cooling operation, the refrigerant flows from the discharge port of the compressor 2 to the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 and flows from the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 to the suction port of the compressor 2. Route control of the refrigerant flow path is performed. That is, during the cooling operation, the refrigerant flow path inside the refrigerant flow switching device 3 is a path indicated by the solid line in FIG. In the refrigerant flow switching device 3, during the heating operation, the refrigerant flows from the discharge port of the compressor 2 to the water-cooled heat exchanger 6, and the refrigerant flows from the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 to the suction port of the compressor 2. Thus, the route control of the refrigerant flow path is performed. That is, during the heating operation, the refrigerant flow path inside the refrigerant flow switching device 3 becomes a path indicated by a broken line in FIG. The refrigerant flow switching device 3 is configured as a four-way valve, for example. The refrigerant flow switching device 3 may be configured using a two-way valve or a three-way valve.

  The “cooling operation” is an operation for supplying a low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant to the water-cooled heat exchanger 6, supplying cold heat to the indoor unit, and cooling air into the space where the indoor unit is arranged. It is the operation to supply. The “heating operation” is an operation for supplying a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant to the water-cooled heat exchanger 6, supplying warm heat to the indoor unit, and supplying heating air to the space where the indoor unit is arranged. It is driving.

  The air-cooled heat exchanger 4 is a heat source side heat exchanger that functions as a condenser during cooling operation and functions as an evaporator during heating operation. The air-cooled heat exchanger 4 performs heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing inside the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 and outdoor air that is guided to and passes through the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 by the rotational drive of the fan 7. Configured. The air-cooled heat exchanger 4 is configured as, for example, a cross fin type fin-and-tube heat exchanger. In the refrigeration cycle apparatus, the condenser may be referred to as a “heat radiator” and the evaporator may be referred to as a “cooler”.

  The air-cooled heat exchanger 4 has a heat exchange part 4a having a plurality of heat transfer tubes and a plurality of fins. One end of the heat transfer tube of the heat exchange unit 4a is connected to a plurality of first header branch pipes 4c branched from the first header main pipe 4b. The other end portion of the heat transfer tube of the heat exchange unit 4a is connected to a plurality of second header branch tubes 4e branched from the second header main tube 4d. In the air-cooling heat exchanger 4, the refrigerant flows from the first header main pipe 4b to the second header main pipe 4d during the cooling operation, and during the heating operation, the refrigerant flows from the second header main pipe 4d to the first header main pipe. It arrange | positions at the refrigerating cycle circuit 10 so that a refrigerant | coolant may flow into 4b.

  The decompression device 5 is an actuator that expands and decompresses the high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The decompression device 5 can be configured as, for example, an expansion valve such as a linear electronic expansion valve whose opening degree can be adjusted in multiple stages or continuously, or an expander that is a mechanical expansion valve. In the refrigeration cycle apparatus, the linear electronic expansion valve may be abbreviated as “LEV”.

  The water-cooled heat exchanger 6 is an inter-heat-medium heat exchanger that functions as an evaporator during cooling operation and functions as a condenser during heating operation. The water-cooled heat exchanger 6 flows between the high-pressure refrigerant flowing inside the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 and the water-cooled heat exchanger 6, circulates between the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit, and cools the indoor unit. Alternatively, heat exchange is performed with a heat medium that supplies warm heat. The water-cooled heat exchanger 6 can be configured as, for example, a plate heat exchanger or a double tube heat exchanger. Further, as the heat medium, for example, a liquid state medium such as water or brine is used. In the following drawings including FIG. 1, a heat medium circuit that is connected to the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 and circulates the heat medium between the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit is not shown. In the refrigeration cycle apparatus, the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 may be referred to as a “water heat exchanger”.

  As described above, the fan 7 is an actuator that guides outdoor air to the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 by rotational driving, and blows out the outdoor air that has passed through the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 and exchanged heat. The fan 7 is configured as a propeller fan, for example.

  A refrigerant pipe 9 connecting the decompression device 5 and the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 is a receiver that temporarily stores high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 during heating operation. 8 is connected. The liquid receiver 8 is a cylindrical container also called a receiver or a refrigerant tank. By temporarily storing high-pressure liquid refrigerant in the liquid receiver 8, the amount of refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle circuit 10 is adjusted in the outdoor unit 1.

  When the outdoor unit 1 is for a small-scale refrigeration cycle apparatus, the outdoor unit 1 may be configured without the liquid receiver 8. The outdoor unit 1 may include an actuator, an oil separator, a supercooling heat exchanger, and the like in addition to the above-described components. Further, when the outdoor unit 1 is exclusively used for cooling or heating, the refrigerant flow switching device 3 may not be provided.

  Next, the operation of the outdoor unit 1 during the cooling operation will be described.

  The high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 2 flows into the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 through the refrigerant flow switching device 3. The high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant that has flowed into the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 is heat-exchanged by releasing heat to the external air, which is a low-temperature medium, and becomes a high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant flows into the decompression device 5. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant that has flowed into the decompression device 5 is expanded and decompressed to become a low-temperature and low-pressure two-phase refrigerant. The low-temperature and low-pressure two-phase refrigerant flows into the water-cooled heat exchanger 6, absorbs heat from the high-temperature heat medium flowing through the water-cooled heat exchanger 6, and evaporates to dry the two-phase refrigerant or the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant. It becomes a gas refrigerant. Highly dry two-phase refrigerant or low-temperature low-pressure gas refrigerant that has flowed out of the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 is sucked into the compressor 2 via the refrigerant flow switching device 3. The refrigerant sucked into the compressor 2 is compressed to become a high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant and is discharged from the compressor 2. The heat medium cooled by the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 is circulated to the indoor unit, exchanged with a high-temperature medium such as room air, and supplies cold heat to the space where the indoor unit is arranged. The heat exchanged high-temperature heat medium flows into the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 and is cooled by heat exchange with the low-temperature and low-pressure two-phase refrigerant flowing through the water-cooled heat exchanger 6. In the outdoor unit 1, the above cycle is repeated to perform the cooling operation.

  Next, the operation of the outdoor unit 1 during the heating operation will be described.

  The high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 2 flows into the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 through the refrigerant flow switching device 3. The high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant that has flowed into the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 is heat-exchanged by releasing heat to a low-temperature heat medium that flows through the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 to become a high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant flows into the decompression device 5. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant that has flowed into the decompression device 5 is expanded and decompressed to become a low-temperature and low-pressure two-phase refrigerant. The low-temperature and low-pressure two-phase refrigerant flows into the air-cooled heat exchanger 4, absorbs heat from the external air that is a high-temperature medium flowing through the air-cooled heat exchanger 4, evaporates, and has a high dryness or It becomes a low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant. The two-phase refrigerant having a high degree of dryness or the low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant flowing out from the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 is sucked into the compressor 2 through the refrigerant flow switching device 3. The refrigerant sucked into the compressor 2 is compressed to become a high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant and is discharged from the compressor 2. The heat medium heated by the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 is circulated to the indoor unit, exchanged with a low-temperature medium such as indoor air, and supplies the heat to the space where the indoor unit is arranged. The heat-exchanged low-temperature heat medium flows into the water-cooled heat exchanger 6, heat is exchanged with the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant flowing through the water-cooled heat exchanger 6, and is heated. In the outdoor unit 1, the above cycle is repeated to perform the heating operation.

  Next, the sensor arrange | positioned at the outdoor unit 1 is demonstrated.

  The outdoor unit 1 includes a first pressure sensor 11, a second pressure sensor 12, a first temperature sensor 15, a second temperature sensor 16, a third temperature sensor 17, and a fourth temperature sensor. 18 and a fifth temperature sensor 19.

  The first pressure sensor 11 is a high-pressure sensor that detects the pressure of the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge pipe of the compressor 2. The first pressure sensor 11 is disposed in the refrigerant pipe 9 that connects between the discharge pipe of the compressor 2 and the refrigerant flow switching device 3.

  The second pressure sensor 12 is a low-pressure sensor that detects the pressure of the low-pressure refrigerant sucked into the compressor 2 through the suction pipe of the compressor 2. The second pressure sensor 12 is disposed in the refrigerant pipe 9 that connects the suction pipe of the compressor 2 and the refrigerant flow switching device 3.

  As the first pressure sensor 11 and the second pressure sensor 12, a crystal piezoelectric pressure sensor, a semiconductor sensor, a pressure transducer, or the like is used. In addition, the 1st pressure sensor 11 and the 2nd pressure sensor 12 may be comprised with the same kind, and may be comprised with a different kind.

  The first temperature sensor 15 is an outside air temperature sensor that detects the temperature of outdoor air that is guided to and passes through the air-cooling heat exchanger 4 by rotational driving of the fan 7. The first temperature sensor 15 is disposed at a position where the temperature on the upstream side of the outdoor air passing through the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 can be measured.

  The second temperature sensor 16 is a discharge temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge pipe of the compressor 2 via the refrigerant pipe 9. The second temperature sensor 16 is disposed in the refrigerant pipe 9 that connects the discharge pipe of the compressor 2 and the refrigerant flow switching device 3. The second temperature sensor 16 may be referred to as a compressor discharge side temperature sensor.

  The third temperature sensor 17 is a suction temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the low-pressure refrigerant sucked into the compressor 2 through the suction pipe of the compressor 2 through the refrigerant pipe 9. The third temperature sensor 17 is disposed in the refrigerant pipe 9 that connects the suction pipe of the compressor 2 and the refrigerant flow switching device 3. Note that the third temperature sensor 17 may be referred to as an inlet gas temperature sensor.

  The fourth temperature sensor 18 detects the temperature of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant flowing from the air-cooling heat exchanger 4 to the decompression device 5 through the refrigerant pipe 9 during the cooling operation, and the liquid of the air-cooling heat exchanger 4 is detected. It is a side temperature sensor. The fourth temperature sensor 18 is disposed in the refrigerant pipe 9 that connects the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 and the decompression device 5. In the fourth temperature sensor 18, during the heating operation, the temperature of the two-phase refrigerant that is expanded and depressurized by the decompression device 5 and flows into the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 is detected via the refrigerant pipe 9.

  During the cooling operation, the fifth temperature sensor 19 is expanded and depressurized by the decompression device 5 and detects the temperature of the two-phase refrigerant flowing into the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 through the refrigerant pipe 9. 3 is a liquid side temperature sensor of the vessel 6. The fifth temperature sensor 19 is disposed in the refrigerant pipe 9 that connects between the decompression device 5 and the water-cooled heat exchanger 6. The fifth temperature sensor 19 detects the temperature of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant flowing from the water-cooled heat exchanger 6 into the decompression device 5 through the refrigerant pipe 9 during the heating operation.

  Examples of the material of the first temperature sensor 15, the second temperature sensor 16, the third temperature sensor 17, the fourth temperature sensor 18, and the fifth temperature sensor 19 include a semiconductor material such as a thermistor or a temperature measurement. A metal material such as a resistor is used. The first temperature sensor 15, the second temperature sensor 16, the third temperature sensor 17, the fourth temperature sensor 18, and the fifth temperature sensor 19 may be made of the same material, You may comprise with a different material.

  Next, the operation control apparatus 20 according to the first embodiment will be described.

  The operation control apparatus 20 according to the first embodiment controls the overall operation of the outdoor unit 1 including driving or stopping of the outdoor unit 1. The operation control device 20 is configured as a dedicated hardware, a microcomputer or a microprocessing unit including a central processing unit, a memory, and the like. The internal structure of the operation control device 20 is not shown.

  When the operation control device 20 is configured as dedicated hardware, the operation control device 20 can be configured by, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, an ASIC, an FPGA, or a combination thereof. The operation control device 20 may be configured such that each control process can be realized by individual hardware, or each control process may be performed by one hardware. “ASIC” is an abbreviation for an application specific integrated circuit, and “FPGA” is an abbreviation for a field programmable gate array.

  When the operation control device 20 is configured as a microcomputer or a microprocessing unit, the control process executed by the operation control device 20 is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. Software or firmware is described as a control program. The memory is configured as a storage unit of the operation control device 20 that stores the control program. The memory can be configured as a nonvolatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as a RAM, a ROM, a flash memory, an EPROM, or an EEPROM. The central processing unit is configured as an arithmetic unit that implements control processing by reading and executing a control program stored in a memory. The central processing unit is abbreviated as “CPU”. The central processing unit is also referred to as a processing unit, a processing unit, a microprocessor, or a processor.

  The operation control device 20 includes an input / output port configured as a communication unit of the operation control device 20. The input / output port of the operation control device 20 receives an electrical signal of detection information detected by a sensor arranged in the outdoor unit 1, and uses the control signal calculated by the execution of the control program as an actuator such as the compressor 2 and the fan 7. It is configured to be able to send to. For example, the input / output port of the operation control device 20 is configured to receive an electrical signal of pressure information detected by the first pressure sensor 11 and the second pressure sensor 12. The input / output port of the operation control device 20 is detected by the first temperature sensor 15, the second temperature sensor 16, the third temperature sensor 17, the fourth temperature sensor 18, and the fifth temperature sensor 19. It is configured to receive an electrical signal of temperature information. Further, the input / output port of the operation control device 20 is configured to transmit a control signal of the frequency of the compressor 2 calculated by the operation control device 20 to the compressor 2. Further, the input / output port of the operation control device 20 is configured to transmit a control signal for the rotation frequency of the fan 7 calculated by the operation control device 20 to the fan 7. Note that the input / output port of the operation control device 20 may be configured so that an electrical signal from the sensor and a control signal from the operation control device 20 can be transmitted and received via a communication line 25 as shown in FIG. Alternatively, it may be configured to be able to transmit and receive wirelessly without going through the communication line 25. The input / output port may be abbreviated as “I / O port”.

  Further, the operation control device 20 can be configured to have a data storage device capable of storing various types of large-capacity data such as a data table corresponding to the ph diagram of the refrigeration cycle device. Note that the data storage device may be configured separately from the operation control device 20 so that data can be transmitted to and received from the operation control device 20 by wired communication or wireless communication.

  Further, the operation control device 20 may be configured such that part of the control processing is realized by dedicated hardware and the remaining control processing is realized by a microcomputer or a microprocessing unit.

  Next, the external structure of the outdoor unit 1 will be described. In addition, the positional relationship between the constituent members of the outdoor unit 1 in the following description, for example, the positional relationship such as the vertical relationship, is the positional relationship when the outdoor unit 1 is installed in a usable state.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a schematic external configuration of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 according to the first embodiment is installed. In FIG. 2, the outdoor unit 1 is configured as an air-cooled heat pump chiller unit that manufactures cold water or hot water by cooling or heating a heat medium such as water with a refrigerant inside the water-cooled heat exchanger 6.

  The outdoor unit 1 includes a first housing 30 having a quadrangular pyramid shape and a second housing 35 having a cubic shape provided at a lower portion of the first housing 30. The quadrangular pyramid-shaped first housing 30 has a rectangular upper surface and lower surface, the length of the short side of the upper surface is longer than the length of the short side of the lower surface, and the length of the long side of the upper surface. Is configured to be the same as the length of the long side of the lower surface. Of the four side surfaces of the first housing 30, two opposing side surfaces having a large area form an inclined surface. On the two inclined surfaces of the first housing 30, the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 is disposed so as to face each other. One or more, for example, four fans 7 in FIG. 2 are arranged on the upper surface of the first housing 30. The first casing 30 guides outdoor air to the inside of the first casing 30 through the air-cooling heat exchanger 4 by driving rotation of the fan 7, and is guided to the inside of the first casing 30. The heat exchange chamber is configured to exhaust the air heat-exchanged by the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 from the upper surface. Since the fan 7 of the outdoor unit 1 is arranged to be opened to the outside on the upper surface of the first housing 30, noise is easily generated.

  The cube-shaped second casing 35 is configured as a machine room that houses the components of the refrigeration cycle circuit 10 other than the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 and the operation control device 20. For example, the compressor 2 is accommodated in the second casing 35. For example, the second casing 35 is provided with a soundproofing measure so that the driving sound generated by driving the compressor 2 does not resonate inside the second casing 35 so as to suppress noise generated from the compressor 2. Can be configured. In the outdoor unit 1, among the four side surfaces of the second housing 35, at least one side surface having a large area may be used as a service surface provided with a service cover for maintenance of the outdoor unit 1. it can.

  Note that a plurality of outdoor units 1 may be connected in parallel. The second casing 35 may be configured to accommodate a plurality of refrigeration cycle circuits 10.

  Next, the low noise control process during the cooling operation in the operation control apparatus 20 according to the first embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the low noise control process during the cooling operation of the outdoor unit 1 in the operation control apparatus 20 according to the first embodiment. The time zone for low noise operation can be set, for example, by inputting the start time and end time of low noise operation on the user side using the schedule function of the operation control device 20. Further, the operation control device 20 starts the low noise operation by receiving the low noise operation start signal as needed, and ends the low noise operation by receiving the low noise operation stop signal from the user as needed. It can be configured to perform normal cooling operation. Further, the operation control device 20 is configured to repeatedly execute the control process of FIG. 3 at regular time intervals, for example, every 5 minutes, during low noise operation. Further, the operation control device 20 can be configured so that the control process of FIG. 3 can be executed at any time when the outside air temperature received from the first temperature sensor 15 varies during low noise operation. The “normal cooling operation” of the outdoor unit 1 refers to the cooling operation of the outdoor unit 1 that prioritizes operating efficiency, and particularly refers to a cooling operation state in which the operating efficiency is evaluated by COP. COP is an abbreviation for coefficient of performance.

  In step S1, the operation control device 20 calculates the target condensation temperature Tc1 in the low noise operation. For example, in the operation control device 20, the target condensation temperature Tc1 is calculated from the target maximum noise value N1 in the low noise operation input on the user side.

  In order to perform the control process of step S1, the operation control device 20 stores, for example, a data table showing the relationship between the target value of the condensation temperature and the maximum noise value in advance, from the target maximum noise value N1 in the low noise operation. The target condensation temperature Tc1 can be calculated. Further, in order to perform the control process of step S1, the operation control device 20 stores in advance an arithmetic expression indicating the relationship between the target value of the condensation temperature and the maximum noise value, and from the target maximum noise value N1 in the low noise operation, You may comprise so that target condensation temperature Tc1 may be calculated.

  FIG. 4 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the target value of the condensation temperature and the maximum noise value during the cooling operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 according to Embodiment 1 is installed. The horizontal axis of the graph of FIG. 4 is the condensation temperature, and the unit is Celsius temperature. The vertical axis of the graph of FIG. 4 is the maximum noise value of the fan 7, and the unit is decibels. In the outdoor unit 1, when the rotational frequency of the fan 7 is reduced, the maximum noise value of the fan 7 is reduced and the target value of the condensation temperature is increased. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, when the maximum noise value is set small, the target value of the condensation temperature becomes high. Since the target maximum noise value N1 during low noise operation is set smaller than the maximum noise value N0 during normal operation, the target condensation temperature Tc1 is set higher than the set condensation temperature Tc0 during normal operation. The maximum noise value in the graph of FIG. 4 is the amount of noise measured at a point 1.0 m away from the service surface provided in the machine room of the outdoor unit 1 in the horizontal direction and 1.5 m away from the ground in the vertical direction. It is.

  In step S2, the operation control device 20 calculates the outside air temperature upper limit value Ta0 in the low noise operation. The operation control device 20 can store a data table indicating the relationship between the target value of the condensation temperature and the upper limit outside air temperature, and can be configured to calculate the outside air temperature upper limit value Ta0 from the target condensation temperature Tc1 in the low noise operation. . Further, the operation control device 20 stores an arithmetic expression indicating the relationship between the target value of the condensation temperature and the upper limit outside air temperature, and calculates the outside air temperature upper limit value Ta0 from the target condensation temperature Tc1 in the low noise operation. May be.

  FIG. 5 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the target value of the condensation temperature and the upper limit outside air temperature during the cooling operation in the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 according to Embodiment 1 is installed. The horizontal axis of the graph in FIG. 5 is the condensation temperature, and the unit is degrees Celsius. The vertical axis of the graph of FIG. 5 is the upper limit outside air temperature, and the unit is Celsius temperature. In the outdoor unit 1, when control is performed to keep the condensing temperature constant, when the outside air temperature rises, the pressure of the high-pressure portion in the refrigeration cycle circuit 10 also rises. The upper limit outside air temperature is an allowable value of the outside air temperature set in order to avoid an increase in high pressure that causes an abnormal operation of the outdoor unit 1. As shown in FIG. 5, in the outdoor unit 1, when the target value of the condensation temperature is set high, the upper limit outside air temperature is in a relationship of decreasing. During the low noise operation, the target condensation temperature Tc1 is set to a temperature higher than the set condensation temperature Tc0 during the normal operation. Therefore, the outside air temperature upper limit value Ta0 in the low noise control is higher than the outside air temperature upper limit during the normal operation. Also lower.

  In step S3, the operation control device 20 determines whether or not the current outside air temperature Ta is equal to or lower than the outside air temperature upper limit value Ta0 calculated in step S2. The current outside air temperature Ta is a measured value calculated from an electrical signal of temperature information detected by the first temperature sensor 15.

  When it is determined that the current outside air temperature Ta is equal to or lower than the outside air temperature upper limit Ta0, in step S4, the operation control device 20 sets the rotational frequency of the fan 7 so that the condensation temperature Tc becomes equal to the target condensation temperature Tc1. Be controlled. The condensation temperature Tc is, for example, a temperature converted value calculated from an electrical signal of pressure information of the discharge pressure detected by the first pressure sensor 11. In the following description, the control in step S4 is referred to as “first cooling operation low noise control”.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the current outside air temperature Ta exceeds the outside air temperature upper limit value Ta0, in step S5, the operation control device 20 causes the low noise with the upper limits to the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the operation frequency of the compressor 2. Control processing is performed. In the following description, the control in step S5 is referred to as “second noise reduction control during cooling operation”.

  In the operation control apparatus 20 according to the first embodiment, the above-described low noise control process during the cooling operation is repeatedly performed at regular intervals.

  Next, control of the condensation temperature and fan rotation frequency of the outdoor unit 1 during low noise control according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

  FIG. 6 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the outside air temperature and the condensation temperature during the cooling operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 according to Embodiment 1 is installed. The horizontal axis of the graph of FIG. 6 is the outside air temperature, and the unit is Celsius temperature. The vertical axis of the graph in FIG. 6 is the condensation temperature, and the unit is degrees Celsius. In the graph of FIG. 6, the relationship between the outside air temperature and the condensation temperature during normal operation is indicated by a broken line, and the relationship between the outside air temperature and the condensation temperature during low noise control is indicated by a solid line.

  FIG. 7 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the rotational frequency of the fan 7 and the outside air temperature during the cooling operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 according to Embodiment 1 is installed. The horizontal axis of the graph of FIG. 7 is the outside air temperature, and the unit is Celsius temperature. The vertical axis of the graph of FIG. 7 is the rotation frequency of the fan 7, and the unit is Hertz. In the graph of FIG. 7, the relationship between the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the condensation temperature during normal operation is indicated by a broken line, and the relationship between the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the condensation temperature during low noise control is indicated by a solid line. Has been.

  As indicated by the broken line in FIG. 6, the rotation frequency of the fan 7 during normal operation is controlled with priority on the operation efficiency so that the condensation temperature remains constant at the set condensation temperature Tc0 until the outside air temperature exceeds the threshold value Ta1. Has been. When the outside air temperature exceeds the threshold value Ta1, the rotational frequency of the fan 7 is controlled to be constant at the threshold value F1 in order to reduce the noise value. In normal operation, the threshold value F1 of the rotation frequency of the fan 7 is determined by, for example, a data table or an arithmetic expression indicating a relationship with the allowable noise amount of the fan 7. The threshold value Ta1 of the outside air temperature during normal operation is determined by, for example, a data table or an arithmetic expression indicating the relationship between the set condensation temperature Tc0 and the rotation frequency threshold value F1 of the fan 7. That is, the threshold value Ta1 of the outside air temperature during normal operation is not set based on the relationship between the condensation temperature and the upper limit outside air temperature as in the control process of step S2 during the low noise control.

  On the other hand, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 6, the target condensing temperature Tc1 at the time of low noise control is determined in relation to the maximum noise value N0 due to the rotational drive of the fan 7, so the target condensing temperature Tc1 is set condensation. It is set higher than the temperature Tc0. In the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 is installed, the target condensation temperature Tc1 is set higher than the set condensation temperature Tc0, thereby reducing the rotational frequency of the fan 7 and supplying the fan to the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 The low noise control at the time of the first cooling operation for reducing the air volume from 7 can be performed. Therefore, in the operation control device 20 of the first embodiment, the rotation frequency of the fan 7 can be reduced during the low noise control as compared with the normal operation as shown by the solid line in FIG. The noise amount of the fan 7 can be reduced. Further, when the outside air temperature exceeds the outside air temperature upper limit value Ta0, maintaining the condensation temperature at the target condensation temperature Tc1 increases the possibility of causing the abnormal operation of the outdoor unit 1 due to an increase in high pressure. Further, the noise value generated from the fan 7 and the compressor 2 increases due to the increase in the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the increase in the operation frequency of the compressor 2. Therefore, in the outdoor unit 1, when the outside air temperature exceeds the outside air temperature upper limit value Ta0, the second low noise control during the cooling operation for setting the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the upper limit value of the operation frequency of the compressor 2 is performed. Done. For example, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 7, the upper limit value of the rotation frequency of the fan 7 is set to the threshold value F0. In the operation control device 20, by setting the upper limit value of the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the operation frequency of the compressor 2, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. While avoiding it, it is possible to avoid an increase in the noise value generated from the fan 7 and the compressor 2.

  Next, the low noise control process at the time of heating operation in the operation control apparatus 20 according to the first embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the low noise control process during the heating operation of the outdoor unit 1 in the operation control apparatus 20 according to the first embodiment. The time zone for low noise operation can be set, for example, by inputting the start time and end time of low noise operation on the user side using the schedule function of the operation control device 20. Further, the operation control device 20 starts the low noise operation by receiving the low noise operation start signal as needed, and ends the low noise operation by receiving the low noise operation stop signal from the user as needed. It can be configured to perform normal heating operation. Further, the operation control device 20 is configured to repeatedly execute the control process of FIG. 8 at regular intervals, for example, every 5 minutes, during low noise operation. Further, the operation control device 20 can be configured to execute the control process of FIG. 8 at any time when the outside air temperature received from the first temperature sensor 15 varies during low noise operation. The “normal heating operation” of the outdoor unit 1 refers to the heating operation of the outdoor unit 1 that prioritizes operating efficiency, and particularly refers to the heating operation state in which the operating efficiency is evaluated by COP.

  In step S11, the operation control device 20 calculates the target evaporation temperature Te1 in the low noise operation. For example, in the operation control device 20, the target evaporation temperature Te1 is calculated from the target maximum noise value N3 in the low noise operation input on the user side.

  In order to perform the control process of step S11, the operation control device 20 stores, for example, a data table showing the relationship between the target value of the evaporation temperature and the maximum noise value in advance, from the target maximum noise value N3 in the low noise operation. The target evaporation temperature Te1 can be calculated. Further, the operation control device 20 stores in advance an arithmetic expression indicating the relationship between the target value of the evaporation temperature and the maximum noise value in order to perform the control process of step S11, and from the target maximum noise value N3 in the low noise operation, The target evaporation temperature Te1 may be calculated.

  FIG. 9 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the target value of the evaporation temperature and the maximum noise value during the heating operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 according to Embodiment 1 is installed. The horizontal axis of the graph of FIG. 9 is the evaporation temperature, and the unit is Celsius temperature. The vertical axis of the graph of FIG. 9 is the maximum noise value of the fan 7, and the unit is decibels. In the outdoor unit 1, when the rotation frequency of the fan 7 is reduced, the maximum noise value of the fan 7 is reduced and the target value of the evaporation temperature is reduced. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, when the maximum noise value is set small, the target value of the evaporating temperature becomes low. Since the target maximum noise value N3 during low noise operation is set smaller than the maximum noise value N2 during normal operation, the target evaporation temperature Te1 is set lower than the set evaporation temperature Te0 during normal operation. Note that the maximum noise value in the graph of FIG. 9 is 1.0 m away from the service surface provided in the machine room of the outdoor unit 1 in the horizontal direction and 1.5 m away from the ground in the vertical direction, as in the cooling operation. The amount of noise measured at the point.

  In step S12, the operation control device 20 calculates the outside air temperature lower limit Ta2 in the low noise operation. The operation controller 20 can be configured to store a data table showing the relationship between the target value of the evaporation temperature and the lower limit outside air temperature, and to calculate the outside air temperature lower limit value Ta2 from the target evaporation temperature Te1 in the low noise operation. . Further, the operation control device 20 stores an arithmetic expression indicating the relationship between the target value of the evaporation temperature and the lower limit outside air temperature, and is configured to calculate the outside air temperature lower limit value Ta2 from the target evaporation temperature Te1 in the low noise operation. May be.

  FIG. 10 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the target value of the evaporation temperature and the lower limit outside air temperature during the heating operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 according to Embodiment 1 is installed. The horizontal axis of the graph of FIG. 10 is the evaporation temperature, and the unit is Celsius temperature. The vertical axis of the graph of FIG. 10 is the lower limit outside air temperature, and the unit is Celsius temperature. In the outdoor unit 1, when control is performed to keep the evaporation temperature constant, when the outside air temperature rises, the pressure of the high-pressure portion in the refrigeration cycle circuit 10 also rises. The lower limit outside air temperature is an allowable value of the outside air temperature that is set in order to avoid an increase in high pressure that causes an abnormal operation of the outdoor unit 1. As shown in FIG. 10, in the outdoor unit 1, when the target value of the evaporation temperature is set low, the lower limit outdoor air temperature increases. During low noise operation, the target evaporation temperature Te1 is set to a temperature lower than the set evaporation temperature Te0 during normal operation, so the outside air temperature lower limit Ta2 in low noise control is lower than the outside air temperature lower limit during normal operation. Also gets higher.

  In step S13, the operation control device 20 determines whether or not the current outside air temperature Ta is equal to or higher than the outside air temperature lower limit Ta2 calculated in step S12. The current outside air temperature Ta is a measured value calculated from an electrical signal of temperature information detected by the first temperature sensor 15 as in the cooling operation.

  When it is determined that the current outside air temperature Ta is equal to or higher than the outside air temperature lower limit Ta2, in step S14, the operation control device 20 sets the rotation frequency of the fan 7 so that the evaporation temperature Te becomes equal to the target evaporation temperature Te1. Be controlled. The evaporation temperature Te is, for example, a temperature converted value calculated from an electrical signal of pressure information of the suction pressure detected by the second pressure sensor 12. In the following description, the control in step S14 is referred to as “first heating operation low noise control”.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the current outside air temperature Ta is lower than the outside air temperature lower limit Ta2, the operation control device 20 in step S15 is a low value in which the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the operation frequency of the compressor 2 are provided with lower limits. Noise control processing is performed. In the following description, the control in step S15 is referred to as “second noise reduction control during heating operation”.

  In the operation control apparatus 20 according to the first embodiment, the above-described low noise control process during the heating operation is repeatedly executed at regular time intervals.

  Next, the control of the evaporation temperature and the fan rotation frequency of the outdoor unit 1 during the low noise control according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12.

  FIG. 11 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the outside air temperature and the evaporation temperature during the heating operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 according to Embodiment 1 is installed. The horizontal axis of the graph in FIG. 11 is the outside air temperature, and the unit is Celsius temperature. The vertical axis of the graph of FIG. 11 is the evaporation temperature, and the unit is Celsius temperature. In the graph of FIG. 11, the relationship between the outside air temperature and the evaporation temperature during normal operation is indicated by a broken line, and the relationship between the outside temperature and the evaporation temperature during low noise control is indicated by a solid line.

  FIG. 12 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the outside air temperature during the heating operation of the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control apparatus 20 according to Embodiment 1 is installed. The horizontal axis of the graph in FIG. 12 is the outside air temperature, and the unit is Celsius temperature. The vertical axis of the graph of FIG. 12 is the rotation frequency of the fan 7, and the unit is Hertz. In the graph of FIG. 12, the relationship between the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the evaporation temperature during normal operation is indicated by a broken line, and the relationship between the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the evaporation temperature during low noise control is indicated by a solid line. Has been.

  As indicated by the broken line in FIG. 11, the rotational frequency of the fan 7 during normal operation gives priority to the operation efficiency so that the evaporation temperature is constant at the set evaporation temperature Te0 while the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the threshold value Ta3. It is controlled. Further, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 12, when the outside air temperature becomes lower than the threshold value Ta3, the rotational frequency of the fan 7 is controlled to be constant at the threshold value F3 in order to reduce the noise value.

  It should be noted that the region of the outside air temperature threshold Ta4 or more in the broken line in FIG. 12 is the fan temperature because the temperature of the outside air supplied to the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 is sufficiently high to maintain the set evaporation temperature Te0. The rotational frequency of 7 is constant. In normal operation, the threshold value F3 of the rotation frequency of the fan 7 is determined by, for example, a data table or an arithmetic expression indicating a relationship with the allowable noise amount of the fan 7. The outside air temperature threshold Ta3 is determined by, for example, a data table or an arithmetic expression indicating the relationship between the set evaporation temperature Te0 and the rotation frequency threshold F1 of the fan 7. That is, the threshold Ta3 for the outside air temperature during normal operation is not set based on the relationship between the evaporation temperature and the lower limit outside air temperature as in the control process of step S12 during the low noise control.

  On the other hand, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 11, the target evaporation temperature Te1 at the time of low noise control is determined in relation to the target maximum noise value N3 due to the rotational drive of the fan 7, so the target evaporation temperature Te1 is set. It is set lower than the evaporation temperature Te0. In the outdoor unit 1 in which the operation control device 20 is installed, the fan 7 is supplied to the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 by reducing the rotational frequency of the fan 7 by setting the target evaporation temperature Te1 lower than the set evaporation temperature Te0. The low noise control during the first heating operation can be performed to reduce the air volume from the air. Therefore, in the operation control device 20 of the first embodiment, as indicated by the solid line in FIG. 12, the rotation frequency of the fan 7 can be reduced during low noise control compared to during normal operation. The noise amount of the fan 7 can be reduced. Further, when the outside air temperature is less than the outside air temperature lower limit Ta2, maintaining the evaporation temperature at the target evaporation temperature Te1 increases the possibility of causing the abnormal operation of the outdoor unit 1 due to an increase in high pressure. Further, the noise value generated from the fan 7 and the compressor 2 increases due to the increase in the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the increase in the operation frequency of the compressor 2. Therefore, in the outdoor unit 1, when the outside air temperature becomes less than the outside air temperature lower limit value Ta2, the second low noise control during heating operation that sets the lower limit value of the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the operating frequency of the compressor 2 is set. Is done. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the lower limit value of the rotation frequency of the fan 7 is set to a threshold value F0. In the operation control device 20, by setting the lower limit value of the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the operation frequency of the compressor 2, for example, as shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. While avoiding the operation, it is possible to avoid an increase in noise value generated from the fan 7 and the compressor 2.

  The region of the outside air temperature between the threshold Ta5 and the threshold Ta6 in the solid line in FIG. 12 is a temperature at which the temperature of the outside air supplied to the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 is sufficiently high to maintain the set evaporation temperature Te0. Therefore, the rotation frequency of the fan 7 is constant. Further, in the region of the outside air temperature threshold Ta6 or more in the solid line in FIG. 12, the temperature of the outside air supplied to the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 is further increased, so that the rotational frequency of the fan 7 decreases as the outside air temperature increases. Yes.

  As described above, the operation control device 20 of the first embodiment includes the compressor 2 and the refrigeration cycle circuit 10 to which the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 functioning as a condenser is connected, and the air-cooled heat exchanger. 4 is used in a refrigeration cycle apparatus having a fan 7 for supplying outside air to the first air conditioning unit 4 and performs first low noise control during cooling operation to increase a target value of the condensation temperature in the air cooling heat exchanger 4 during cooling operation. It is configured as follows.

  The operation control device 20 of the first embodiment supplies the outside air to the compressor 2 and the refrigeration cycle circuit 10 to which the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 functioning as an evaporator is connected, and the air-cooled heat exchanger 4. Used in a refrigeration cycle apparatus having a fan 7 that performs the first low noise control during heating operation to lower the target value of the evaporation temperature in the air-cooling heat exchanger 4 during heating operation. It is configured.

  In addition, the operation control device 20 of the first embodiment includes a cooling operation in which the compressor 2, the air-cooled heat exchanger 4, and the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 function as a condenser, and the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 as an evaporator. Used in a refrigeration cycle apparatus having a refrigeration cycle circuit 10 connected to a refrigerant flow switching device 3 for switching between heating operation to function as a fan and a fan 7 for supplying outside air to the air-cooled heat exchanger 4, Control is performed to increase the target value of the condensation temperature in the air-cooling heat exchanger 4 during the cooling operation, and control is performed to decrease the target value of the evaporation temperature in the air-cooling heat exchanger 4 during the heating operation. It is configured.

  According to the above configuration, the low noise control for reducing the rotation frequency of the fan 7 can be performed by increasing the target value of the condensation temperature during the cooling operation or decreasing the target value of the evaporation temperature during the heating operation. it can. At this time, the motion frequency of the compressor 2 can be maintained with the normal operation. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide the operation control device 20 capable of suppressing noise due to the rotation sound of the fan 7 while maintaining the operation efficiency of the refrigeration cycle device. Moreover, the refrigeration cycle apparatus used in the operation control apparatus 20 of the first embodiment can be configured as a refrigeration cycle apparatus dedicated to cooling, a refrigeration cycle apparatus dedicated to heating, or a refrigeration cycle apparatus capable of switching between cooling and heating.

  The above-described configuration is useful, for example, in a location where houses are densely located in the vicinity and it is necessary to consider the noise to the surroundings, or in an environment where it is necessary to consider noise such as night driving. Especially when driving refrigeration cycle equipment at night in factories or hospitals located near densely populated areas, noise countermeasures become easier and operational efficiency can be ensured. It is possible to save the trouble of reducing the operating rate of the apparatus.

  Moreover, according to the above-mentioned structure, since the noise due to the rotation sound of the fan 7 can be suppressed, it is not necessary to attach a silencer such as a soundproof hood or a soundproof duct to the refrigeration cycle apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the design period or local construction period in selecting the silencer. In addition, it is possible to reduce the design cost of the silencer in the refrigeration cycle apparatus, reduce the load on the refrigeration cycle apparatus, and improve the maintainability.

  Moreover, the operation control apparatus 20 of this Embodiment 1 is the case where the temperature of the outside air supplied to the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 exceeds the upper limit value of the outside air temperature determined from the target value of the increased condensation temperature. In addition, the second low noise control during the cooling operation in which the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the upper limit value of the operation frequency of the compressor 2 are provided can be executed.

  Moreover, the operation control apparatus 20 of this Embodiment 1 is the case where the temperature of the outside air supplied to the air-cooled heat exchanger 4 exceeds the lower limit value of the outside air temperature determined from the target value of the lowered evaporation temperature. In addition, the second noise reduction control during heating operation in which the upper limit values of the rotation frequency of the fan 7 and the operation frequency of the compressor 2 are provided can be executed.

  The operation control device 20 according to the first embodiment is configured so that the second low noise control during the cooling operation or the second low noise control during the heating operation can be executed, thereby increasing the condensation temperature during the cooling operation or Abnormal operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus due to a decrease in evaporation temperature during heating operation can be avoided. In addition, the abnormal operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus can be avoided, and an increase in noise value generated from the fan 7 and the compressor 2 can be avoided.

  Further, the refrigeration cycle apparatus used in the operation control apparatus 20 of the first embodiment can be configured as an air-cooled heat pump chiller unit. In the air-cooled heat pump chiller unit, the compressor 2 is housed in the second casing 35 which is a machine room, and it is easy to reduce the noise value. On the other hand, since the fan 7 is arranged on the upper part of the first housing 30 having a configuration opened to the outside, the air-cooled heat pump chiller unit needs to cope with the noise of the fan 7. As a conventional noise countermeasure, there is a method of attaching a silencer to the inlet or outlet, but it is necessary to examine the structural influence when adding the weight of the silencer or the influence of the capacity accompanying the increase in pressure loss. Yes, construction may take some time. However, according to the structure of this Embodiment 1, since the noise by the rotation sound of the fan 7 can be suppressed, it is not necessary to install a silencer. Therefore, the operation control device 20 of the first embodiment can achieve a great effect when used in an air-cooled heat pump chiller unit.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
In the second embodiment of the present invention, control during low-capacity operation that is performed by the operation control device 20 when the first cooling operation low noise control or the first heating operation low noise control is executed will be described. In the operation control device 20, whether or not the operation is low-capacity operation is, for example, by detecting the number of indoor units driven and determining that it is in a low-capacity operation state when only the number of units or less is driven. Can do.

  FIG. 13 shows an example of a control process performed when the first cooling operation low noise control or the first heating operation low noise control is performed and the low capacity operation is performed in the operation control device 20 according to the second embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows. In the operation control apparatus 20 of the second embodiment, data indicating the relationship between the noise value of the compressor 2 and the operation frequency of the compressor 2 and the relationship between the noise value of the fan 7 and the rotation frequency of the fan 7. Control processing is performed in a state where a table or an arithmetic expression is stored.

  In step S <b> 21, the operation control device 20 determines whether or not the noise value Nc of the compressor 2 calculated from the operation frequency of the compressor 2 exceeds the noise value Nf of the fan 7 calculated from the rotation frequency of the fan 7. The When the noise value Nc of the compressor 2 is equal to or less than the noise value Nf of the fan 7, the control process during the low capacity operation ends, and the first low noise control during the cooling operation or the first low noise control during the heating operation. Is done.

  When the noise value Nc of the compressor 2 exceeds the noise value Nf of the fan 7, the operation control device 20 causes the fan 7 to have the noise value Nf of the fan 7 equal to the noise value Nc of the compressor 2 in step S22. Increase the rotation frequency.

  In the operation control apparatus 20 according to the second embodiment, the above control processing is repeatedly executed simultaneously with the execution of the first cooling operation low noise control or the first heating operation low noise control.

  As described above, the operation control device 20 according to the second embodiment is configured such that the noise value of the compressor 2 exceeds the noise value of the fan 7 during the execution of the first noise reduction control during the cooling operation. In addition, it can be configured to execute control to make the noise value of the compressor 2 and the noise value of the fan 7 the same.

  In addition, the operation control device 20 of the second embodiment is configured such that the compressor 2 has a noise value exceeding the noise value of the fan 7 during execution of the first noise reduction control during heating operation. It can be configured to execute control for making the noise value of the fan and the noise value of the fan the same.

  According to the above configuration, when the noise value of the compressor 2 exceeds the noise value of the fan 7 during low capacity operation, the frequency of the fan 7 is controlled so that the noise value of the fan 7 becomes the noise value of the compressor 2. Therefore, the operation efficiency can be ensured while reducing the noise of the compressor 2. Therefore, according to the above-described configuration, it is possible to take measures against noise of the refrigeration cycle apparatus even when the operation load of the indoor unit is small, such as a so-called intermediate period.

Other embodiments.
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example, in the control process of step S1 of the first embodiment described above, the target condensing temperature is calculated by the operation control device 20 from the maximum noise value. However, the graph material showing the relationship between the target condensing temperature and the maximum noise value. Can be submitted to the user in advance, and the target condensing temperature can be set by direct input.

  Further, the above-described embodiments can be used in combination with each other.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Outdoor unit, 2 Compressor, 3 Refrigerant flow path switching device, 4 Air cooling type heat exchanger, 4a Heat exchange part, 4b 1st header main pipe, 4c 1st header branch pipe, 4d 2nd header main pipe, 4e 2nd header branch pipe, 5 pressure reducing device, 6 water-cooled heat exchanger, 7 fan, 8 liquid receiver, 9 refrigerant piping, 10 refrigeration cycle circuit, 11 first pressure sensor, 12 second pressure sensor, 15 1st temperature sensor, 16 2nd temperature sensor, 17 3rd temperature sensor, 18 4th temperature sensor, 19 5th temperature sensor, 20 operation control device, 25 communication line, 30 1st case, 35 Second housing.

Claims (6)

An operation control device used in a refrigeration cycle apparatus having a refrigeration cycle circuit to which a compressor and a condenser are connected, and a fan for supplying outside air to the condenser,
Performing a first noise reduction control during cooling operation to increase a target value of the condensation temperature in the condenser during the cooling operation ;
When the temperature of the outside air supplied to the condenser exceeds the upper limit value of the outside air temperature determined from the target value of the increased condensation temperature, the upper limit of the rotational frequency of the fan and the operating frequency of the compressor The operation control apparatus which performs the low noise control at the time of the 2nd cooling operation which provides a value . When the noise value of the compressor exceeds the noise value of the fan during the execution of the low noise control during the first cooling operation, the noise value of the fan and the noise value of the compressor are made the same. operating control apparatus according to claim 1 to perform the control. The condenser is an air-cooled heat exchanger that functions as an evaporator during heating operation,
The refrigeration cycle apparatus is connected to the refrigeration cycle circuit, and switches between a cooling operation that causes the air-cooled heat exchanger to function as the condenser and a heating operation that causes the air-cooled heat exchanger to function as the condenser. Equipped with a route switching device
The operation control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. An operation control device used in a refrigeration cycle apparatus having a refrigeration cycle circuit to which a compressor and an evaporator are connected, and a fan for supplying outside air to the evaporator,
Performing a first noise reduction control during heating operation to lower a target value of the evaporation temperature in the evaporator during heating operation ;
When the temperature of the outside air supplied to the evaporator exceeds the lower limit value of the outside air temperature determined from the target value of the lowered evaporation temperature, the upper limit of the rotational frequency of the fan and the operating frequency of the compressor The operation control apparatus which performs low noise control at the time of the 2nd heating operation which provides a value . When the noise value of the compressor exceeds the noise value of the fan during the execution of the low noise control during the first heating operation, the noise value of the compressor and the noise value of the fan are made the same. The operation control device according to claim 4 which performs control. The operation control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the refrigeration cycle device is an air-cooled heat pump chiller unit.

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