JP6624226B2 - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

  Air conditioner with multiple indoor units

  2. Description of the Related Art An indoor unit of a conventional air conditioner is configured to be able to change a blowing angle of warm air at the time of heating, for example, as described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-67401). There is. Some of such air conditioners are configured to form an airflow of warm air flowing from a wall surface to a floor surface.

  However, as described in Patent Literature 1, when the hot air blowing angle is made to approach vertically downward to form a hot air flow from the wall surface to the floor surface, the warm air flow from the lower part of the room to the upper part is increased. Soaring, the temperature difference between the lower part and the upper part of the room becomes large, and there is a case where trouble occurs.

  As described above, in an air conditioner including a plurality of indoor units, there is a problem of suppressing an increase in a temperature difference between a lower portion and an upper portion of a room due to soaring of warm air.

  An air conditioner according to a first aspect includes at least one heat source device having a compressor, and a plurality of indoor units configured to circulate a refrigerant between the heat source device and the compressor, and a plurality of indoor units. Each of the machines has a wind direction adjusting member configured to control the movement, a first heating phase in which the wind direction adjusting member is positioned so as to blow hot air at a first angle, and a direction vertical to the first angle. A second heating phase in which a wind direction adjusting member is positioned so as to blow hot air at a second angle close to the downward direction; one of the transition conditions from the first heating phase to the second heating phase is a blown air temperature and a room temperature; Is smaller than the first threshold.

  In the air conditioner having such a configuration, in the case of shifting from the first heating phase to the second heating phase, the temperature difference between the blown air temperature and the room temperature is smaller than the first threshold value, so that the air conditioner corresponds to an individual indoor unit. Even if the compressor cannot be controlled, the temperature rise in the upper part becomes larger than that in the lower part of the room due to the rise of the airflow of the warm air blown from the indoor unit. And a temperature difference between the upper portion and the upper portion can be suppressed.

  An air conditioner according to a second aspect is the air conditioner according to the first aspect, wherein each of the plurality of indoor units includes an indoor heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between refrigerant and air circulated by a compressor. A temperature difference between an indoor heat exchanger temperature value, which is a temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, and a room temperature indicated by the indoor temperature sensor, and a second threshold value. In the above case, assuming that the temperature condition is not satisfied, the transition from the first heating phase to the second heating phase is not performed.

  In the air conditioner having such a configuration, the temperature of the blown air is substituted for the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, thereby eliminating the need for an additional temperature sensor used for detecting the temperature of the blown air.

  The air conditioner according to a third aspect is the air conditioner according to the second aspect, wherein each of the plurality of indoor units further includes an indoor fan that generates an air flow to the indoor heat exchanger, and sets the first threshold value. It changes according to the number of revolutions of the indoor fan.

  In the air-conditioning apparatus having such a configuration, it is possible to shift from the first heating phase to the second heating phase with the first threshold value that is different according to the number of revolutions of the indoor fan and is suitable for an excessive temperature increase in the upper part of the room. The balance between the reduction of the time until the shift and the suppression of the expansion of the temperature difference between the lower part and the upper part of the room in the second heating phase can be optimized in accordance with the rotation speed of the indoor fan.

  An air conditioner according to a fourth aspect is the air conditioner according to any one of the first aspect to the third aspect, wherein each of the plurality of indoor units is configured such that the plurality of indoor units are heated at a third angle closer to the horizontal direction than the first angle. And a third heating phase in which the wind direction adjusting member is positioned so as to blow air.

  In the air conditioner having such a configuration, by appropriately switching the different hot air blowing angles such as the first angle, the second angle, and the third angle of the first heating phase, the second heating phase, and the third heating phase. Thus, it is possible to achieve both a rapid rise in the indoor temperature and the indoor floor temperature and a maintenance of the indoor floor temperature while suppressing energy consumption.

  An air conditioner according to a fifth aspect is the air conditioner according to the fourth aspect, wherein each of the plurality of indoor units determines the position of the wind direction adjusting member in the order of a third heating phase, a first heating phase, and a second heating phase. Having an automatic wind direction adjustment mode configured to change automatically.

  In the air conditioner having such a configuration, in the automatic switching of the wind direction from the third heating phase to the second heating phase via the first heating phase, the temperature of the upper part of the room is excessively increased by the warm air blown from the indoor unit. To increase the temperature difference between the lower part and the upper part of the room in the second heating phase.

The refrigerant circuit diagram showing the outline of the composition of the air conditioner concerning an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of the air conditioner. The perspective view which shows the indoor unit of an air conditioner. Sectional drawing of the indoor unit of an air conditioner. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating positions of a first horizontal flap and a second horizontal flap in a first heating phase. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing positions of a first horizontal flap and a second horizontal flap in a second heating phase. FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing positions of a first horizontal flap and a second horizontal flap in a third heating phase. The schematic diagram for demonstrating the state of the indoor heating in a 3rd heating phase. The schematic diagram for demonstrating the state of the indoor heating in a 1st heating phase. The schematic diagram for demonstrating the state of the indoor heating in a 2nd heating phase. The figure for explaining shift of the 1st heating phase, the 2nd heating phase, and the 3rd heating phase. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a transition condition from a first heating phase to a second heating phase. 9 is a flowchart for explaining determination of whether or not a transition from the first heating phase to the second heating phase is possible. The figure for explaining an example of the information which the indoor control device has.

<First embodiment>
(1) Overall Configuration Hereinafter, an air conditioner according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 illustrates a refrigerant circuit included in the air-conditioning apparatus according to the embodiment. The air conditioner 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of indoor units 20 and an outdoor unit 30 connected to the plurality of indoor units 20. In the following description, when discriminating each indoor unit, the subunits a, b, and c are attached and displayed as in the indoor units 20a, 20b, and 20c, and any of the indoor units 20 is selected. Is described without subscripts and is displayed like the indoor unit 20. The air conditioner 10 is a multi-type air conditioner in which a plurality of indoor units 20a to 20c are connected to one outdoor unit 30. The indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 30 are connected by communication pipes 12 and 13, and a refrigerant circuit 11 for circulating a refrigerant between the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 30 connected in parallel to each other is provided. Is formed. By circulating the refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit 11, the air conditioner 10 can perform a vapor compression refrigeration cycle.

  More specifically, each indoor unit 20 includes an indoor heat exchanger 21, an indoor fan 22, and an indoor control device 42. The outdoor unit 30 includes a compressor 31, an outdoor heat exchanger 32, a plurality of expansion valves 33, an outdoor fan 34, an accumulator 35, a four-way switching valve 36, and an outdoor control device 41. For example, an electric valve can be used as the expansion valve 33. During the heating operation, the refrigerant circuit 11 is operated by the four-way switching valve 36 so that the refrigerant circulates in the order of the compressor 31, the plurality of indoor heat exchangers 21, the plurality of expansion valves 33, the outdoor heat exchanger 32, and the accumulator 35. It is configured. During the cooling operation, the refrigerant circuit 11 is operated by the four-way switching valve 36 so that the refrigerant circulates in the order of the compressor 31, the outdoor heat exchanger 32, the plurality of expansion valves 33, the plurality of indoor heat exchangers 21, and the accumulator 35. It is configured.

(2) Operation of Air Conditioner (2-1) Flow of Refrigerant During Heating Next, an outline of the operation of the air conditioner 10 will be described. During the heating operation, the four-way switching valve 36 is maintained in the state shown by the broken line in FIG. The high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 31 flows into each indoor heat exchanger 21 through each connection pipe 13 via a four-way switching valve 36. In each indoor heat exchanger 21, the refrigerant exchanges heat with the indoor air supplied by each indoor fan 22 to radiate heat. The refrigerant cooled by the heat release flows out of the outlet of each indoor heat exchanger 21, flows through each connection pipe 12, and flows into the inlet of each expansion valve 33 corresponding to each indoor heat exchanger 21. In each expansion valve 33, the refrigerant is expanded and decompressed. The decompressed refrigerant flows from the outlet of each expansion valve 33 to the inlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 32. In the outdoor heat exchanger 32, the refrigerant exchanges heat with outdoor air supplied by the outdoor fan 34 to absorb heat. The refrigerant heated by the outdoor heat exchanger 32 is drawn into the compressor 31 from the outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 32 through the four-way switching valve 36 and the accumulator 35. In each indoor unit 20, the conditioned air warmed by heat exchange with the refrigerant in each indoor heat exchanger 21 is blown out by each indoor fan 22. The warm conditioned air blown from each indoor unit 20 heats the room to which each indoor unit 20 is attached.

(2-2) Flow of Refrigerant During Cooling During the cooling operation, the four-way switching valve 36 is maintained in the state shown by the solid line in FIG. The high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 31 flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 32 via the four-way switching valve 36. In the outdoor heat exchanger 32, the refrigerant exchanges heat with outdoor air supplied by an outdoor fan 34 to radiate heat. The refrigerant that has cooled by the heat release is divided and flows into the inflow ports of the respective expansion valves 33. In each expansion valve 33, the refrigerant is expanded and decompressed. The decompressed refrigerant flows from the outlet of each expansion valve 33, passes through each connection pipe 12, and flows into the inlet of each indoor heat exchanger 21 corresponding to each expansion valve 33. In each indoor heat exchanger 21, the refrigerant exchanges heat with indoor air supplied by each indoor fan 22 to absorb heat. The refrigerant heated in each indoor heat exchanger 21 is drawn into the compressor 31 from each outlet of each indoor heat exchanger 21 through each connection pipe 13, four-way switching valve 36, and accumulator 35. In each of the indoor units 20, the conditioned air cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant in each of the indoor heat exchangers 21 is blown out by each of the indoor fans 22. Cooled conditioned air blown out from each indoor unit 20 cools the room to which each indoor unit 20 is attached.

(2-3) Control System FIG. 2 shows an outline of a control system of the air conditioner 10. The control device 40 includes an indoor control device 42 and an outdoor control device 41. Specifically, an outdoor control device 41 installed in an electrical component box (not shown) of the outdoor unit 30 and an indoor control device 42 installed in each electrical component box (not shown) of each indoor unit 20. Are connected to form a control device 40. The plurality of indoor control devices 42 are configured to include a CPU 421 and a memory 422, respectively. The outdoor control device 41 includes a CPU 411, a memory 412, and a timer 413. In each memory 422, a program and data for controlling each indoor unit 20 and outdoor unit 30 are described. Each CPU 411 generates a signal for controlling each device by executing a program described in the memory 412. Further, each indoor unit 20 includes a receiving unit (not shown) for receiving a command from a remote controller 49 input by a user, a first horizontal flap 161 and a second horizontal flap 162 for changing a blowing direction of conditioned air, and a vertical flap. A driver (not shown) of a motor for driving the motor 163 (see FIG. 4) and a display unit (not shown) for displaying an operation mode and the like are provided. As shown in FIG. 2, the detection values of the above-described temperature sensors are input to the control device 40, and the cooling operation and the heating operation are controlled based on these values. Here, particularly, a plurality of indoor temperature sensors 60, a plurality of indoor heat exchange temperature sensors 70, and a plurality of floor temperature sensors 80, which are important for the present embodiment, are shown, and the description of other temperature sensors is omitted. When distinguishing between the indoor temperature sensors and the indoor heat exchange temperature sensors, the indoor temperature sensors 60a, 60b, 60c, the indoor heat exchange temperature sensors 70a, 70b, 70c, and the floor temperature sensors 80a, 80b, 80c are used. A plurality of indoor temperature sensors, a plurality of indoor heat exchange temperature sensors, and any of the plurality of floor temperature sensors will be described with subscripts a, b, and c. At this time, the room temperature sensor 60, the indoor heat exchange temperature sensor 70, and the floor temperature sensor 80 are displayed without subscripts.

  The indoor temperature sensor 60 is disposed downstream of the inlet 152 of each indoor unit 20 and upstream of the indoor heat exchanger 21. The room temperature sensor 60 detects the room temperature by detecting the temperature of the air sucked from the suction port 152.

(3) Configuration of Each Indoor Unit 20 FIG. 3 shows the indoor unit 20 during operation. Here, the description will be given assuming that the three indoor units 20a to 20c shown in FIG. 1 have the same structure. However, the technology described in the present embodiment is applicable even when the plurality of indoor units 20 have different structures. Can be applied. The plurality (three in this embodiment) of indoor units 20 include an indoor unit main body 110 and a front panel 120 that covers a front surface 111 of the indoor unit main body 110. The indoor unit 20 is a wall-hanging type, and is attached to a wall surface WA. In the indoor unit 20, the rear surface 112 of the indoor unit main body 110 is fixed to the wall surface WA.

  The air outlet 151 of the indoor unit 20 is disposed at a lower part of the front surface of the indoor unit main body 110 to which the front panel 120 is attached. The outlet 151 extends long in the horizontal direction. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional structure of the indoor unit 20 cut along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the outlet 151.

  The front panel 120 is configured to move automatically by a motor (not shown). When the indoor unit 20 is stopped, the front of the outlet 151 is covered and concealed by the front panel 120, and the lower part of the outlet 151 is covered and covered by the first horizontal flap 161. Therefore, when the indoor unit 20 is stopped, the complicated structure inside the indoor unit main body 110 is not exposed to the user through the outlet 151, so that the indoor unit 20 exhibits a good appearance design.

  Before starting the operation, the front panel 120 moves upward and forward of the front surface 111 of the indoor unit main body 110 to open the front of the outlet 151. After that, the first horizontal flap 161 located at the lower part of the indoor unit main body 110 rotates clockwise by 180 ° to move to the position shown in FIG. 4, and opens the lower part of the outlet 151.

  The indoor unit 20 includes a main body casing 100 forming an outer shell, a first horizontal flap 161, a second horizontal flap 162, a vertical flap 163, and an air filter 130 for adjusting a blowing direction of conditioned air. The front panel 120 and the front surface 111 of the indoor unit main body 110 are included in the main body casing 100. The indoor heat exchanger 21 and the indoor fan 22 provided in the indoor unit 20 are housed inside the main body casing 100.

(3-1) Arrangement of Each Component of Indoor Unit 20 As shown in FIG. 4, the inlet 152 is arranged on the top surface 113 and the front surface 111 of the indoor unit main body 110. Further, an outlet 151 is arranged at a boundary between the lower surface 114 and the front surface 111 of the indoor unit main body 110.

  The indoor heat exchanger 21 has a Λ shape when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the outlet 151, and is disposed near the front surface 111, the rear surface 112, and the top surface 113 of the indoor unit main body 110. The length of the indoor heat exchanger 21 is set according to the length of the outlet 151 in the longitudinal direction. The outlet 151 and the indoor heat exchanger 21 are disposed so as to substantially coincide with each other in the length direction of the outlet 151. An indoor fan 22 is arranged between the indoor heat exchanger 21 and the outlet 151. The indoor fan 22 is, for example, a cross flow fan, and has a length close to or equal to the length of the indoor heat exchanger 21.

  The indoor unit 20 includes an air filter 130 between the indoor heat exchanger 21 and the suction port 152 for removing dust and the like in the air. The first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 are arranged at the outlet 151. The vertical flap 163 is disposed between the indoor fan 22 and the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162.

  The room air sucked from the suction port 152 first passes through the air filter 130 to remove dust and the like. The indoor air then passes through an indoor heat exchanger 21 located downstream of the air filter 130. The indoor heat exchanger 21 is, for example, a fin and tube heat exchanger. The indoor air passing between the many heat transfer fins of the indoor heat exchanger 21 exchanges heat with the refrigerant flowing through the heat transfer tubes passing through the heat transfer fins. The conditioned air that has passed through the indoor heat exchanger and is conditioned is pushed out by an indoor fan 22 disposed downstream of the indoor heat exchanger 21 toward an outlet 151 located further downstream. When the conditioned air is blown out from the outlet 151, the blowing angle with respect to the horizontal plane is adjusted by the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162. When the conditioned air is blown out from the outlet 151, the outlet angle of the conditioned air with respect to a vertical plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the outlet 151 is adjusted by the vertical flap 163.

(3-2) Adjustment by the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 In the present embodiment, the blowing angle of the warm air blown from the indoor unit 20 is approached vertically downward, and the warm air is blown from the wall surface to the floor surface. When forming an airflow, it is an object to suppress an increase in a temperature difference between a lower portion and an upper portion of the room due to a soaring hot airflow from the lower portion of the room toward the upper portion. In the present embodiment, since the above-mentioned problem is solved solely by the operation of the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162, in the following description, the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap other than the operation of the vertical flap 163 will be described. The following description focuses on the operation of the flap 162.

(3-2-1) Horizontal flap attitude in first heating phase The first heating phase is a phase in which the floor surface is heated from around the center of the room to the back of the room during the heating operation. In the first heating phase, the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 are stationary in the postures P11 and P12 shown by solid lines in FIG. Other postures that can be taken by each of the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 are indicated by two-dot lines in FIG. 5 for comparison with the postures P11 and P12. In addition, the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 are configured to be rotatable around rotation center axes CA1 and CA2 extending along the longitudinal direction of the outlet 151, respectively. .

  When the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 take the postures P11 and P12 shown in FIG. 5, the direction of the conditioned air blown out from the outlet 151 is indicated by an arrow Ar1. The angle at which the warm air is blown out in the first heating phase is inclined downward by α with respect to the horizontal plane HP.

(3-2-2) Horizontal Flap Posture in Second Heating Phase The second heating phase is a phase in which the floor near the indoor unit 20 is warmed during the heating operation. In the second heating phase, the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 are stationary in the postures P21 and P22 shown by solid lines in FIG. Other possible orientations of the first horizontal flap 161 are shown by two-dot lines in FIG. 6 for comparison with the orientation P21. The posture of the first horizontal flap 161 indicated by the two-dot line in FIG. 6 is, for example, the posture that the first horizontal flap 161 takes when the operation is stopped.

  When the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 are in the postures P21 and P22 shown in FIG. 6, the direction of the conditioned air blown out from the outlet 151 is indicated by an arrow Ar2. The angle at which the warm air is blown out in the second heating phase is inclined downward by β with respect to the horizontal plane HP. At the positions of the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 in the second heating phase, that is, the postures P21 and P22, the warm air is blown out at an angle β closer to the vertical downward direction than the angle α of the first heating phase.

(3-2-3) Horizontal flap posture in third heating phase The third heating phase is a phase in which the entire room is heated during the heating operation. In the third heating phase, the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 are stationary in the postures P31 and P32 shown by solid lines in FIG. Other possible orientations of the first horizontal flap 161 are shown by two-dot lines in FIG. 7 for comparison with the orientation P31. The posture of the first horizontal flap 161 indicated by the two-dot line in FIG. 7 is, for example, a posture when an airflow is generated near the ceiling in the room along the first horizontal flap 161 in a horizontal state.

  When the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 take the postures P31 and P32 shown in FIG. 7, the direction of the conditioned air blown out from the outlet 151 is indicated by an arrow Ar3. The angle at which the warm air is blown out in the third heating phase is inclined downward by γ with respect to the horizontal plane HP. At the positions of the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 in the third heating phase, that is, at the postures P31 and P32, hot air is blown out at an angle γ that is closer to the horizontal than the angle α in the first heating phase.

(4) Automatic wind direction adjustment mode of the indoor unit 20 One of the indoor units 20 performs the heating operation in the automatic wind direction adjustment mode, and the indoor unit 20b performs the heating operation while fixing the wind direction. The case will be described. Here, the case where the wind direction of the indoor unit 20b is fixed will be described as an example, but the situation to which the technology of the present embodiment can be applied is not limited to such a case. The description of the indoor unit 20c is omitted.

  FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 show an indoor unit 20a installed on the first wall surface WA11 of the first room RM1, and an indoor unit 20b installed on the first wall surface WA21 of the second room RM2. Have been. The first room RM1 has a second wall surface WA12 facing the first wall surface WA11 and a floor surface FL1, and the second room RM2 has a second wall surface WA22 facing the first wall surface WA21, and a floor surface FL2. Having. 8, 9, and 10, arrows Ar1, Ar2, Ar3, Ar4, Ar5, and Ar6 conceptually show the flow of air. 8, 9, and 10, ranges D4, D5, and D6 indicated by oblique lines indicate ranges of the floor surface heated by the indoor unit 20a or the indoor unit 20b.

  When the indoor unit 20a is set to the automatic wind direction adjustment mode by the remote controller 49, the indoor unit 20a performs the third heating phase in which the entire room of the first room RM1 is warmed, around the center D1 of the first room RM1 (see FIG. 9). ) To the interior of the room (near the second wall surface WA12), a first heating phase for warming the floor surface FL1, and a second heating phase for warming the floor surface FL1 of the periphery D2 (see FIG. 10) immediately below the indoor unit 20a. Shift the phases in the order of. The transition of this phase is performed according to a program stored in the memory 422 of the indoor control device 42. Here, the indoor unit 20b sets the first horizontal flap 161 in a state of warming the floor surface FL2 from around the center D3 of the second room RM2 (see FIG. 8) to the inside of the room (near the second wall surface WA22). The case where the user inputs the setting to be fixed to the second horizontal flap 162 by the remote controller 49 will be described.

  In the multi-type air conditioner 10, the indoor unit 20a, the indoor unit 20b, and the outdoor unit 30 are connected to a common refrigerant circuit 11. Therefore, if it is attempted to reduce the capacity of the outdoor unit 30 to reduce the capacity of the indoor unit 20a by adjusting the capacity of the outdoor unit 30 to suppress the soaring of the airflow of the warm air of the indoor unit 20a, , The capacity of the indoor unit 20b may be insufficient. As described above, when the outdoor unit 30 attempts to suppress an increase in the temperature difference between the lower part and the upper part of the room due to the rising of the warm air in the first room RM1, a problem occurs in air conditioning in the second room RM2. there is a possibility.

  FIG. 8 shows the indoor unit 20a of the first room RM1 in the state of the third heating phase in the automatic wind direction adjustment mode, and the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap of the indoor unit 20a at this time. Reference numeral 162 denotes the postures P31 and P32 shown in FIG. The first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 of the indoor unit 20b in the second room RM2 shown in FIG. 8 are fixed to postures close to the postures P21 and P22 shown in FIG.

  FIG. 9 shows the indoor unit 20a of the first room RM1 in the state of the first heating phase, and the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 of the indoor unit 20a at this time are shown in FIG. The postures P11 and P12 are shown. The first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 of the indoor unit 20b in the second room RM2 shown in FIG. 9 are fixed to postures close to the postures P21 and P22 shown in FIG.

  FIG. 10 shows the indoor unit 20a of the first room RM1 in the state of the second heating phase, and the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 of the indoor unit 20a at this time are shown in FIG. The postures P21 and P22 are shown. The first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 of the indoor unit 20b in the second room RM2 shown in FIG. 10 are fixed to postures close to the postures P21 and P22 shown in FIG.

(4-1) Switching of Phase in Automatic Wind Direction Adjustment Mode FIG. 11 conceptually shows a condition for switching from the third heating phase to the first heating phase and a condition for switching from the first heating phase to the second heating phase. Have been. The indoor control device 42 of the indoor unit 20a receives the detected value of the room temperature detected by the indoor temperature sensor 60a and the detected value of the floor temperature detected by the floor temperature sensor 80a from the indoor temperature sensor 60a and the floor temperature sensor 80a.

  When the indoor unit 20a is in the third heating phase, the detected value received by the indoor control device 42 of the indoor unit 20a from the indoor temperature sensor 60a and the floor temperature sensor 80a exceeds the room temperature first target temperature and When the temperature exceeds one target temperature, the indoor control device 42 shifts the phase of the indoor unit 20a from the third heating phase to the first heating phase. Transitioning from the third heating phase to the first heating phase, that is, the indoor control device 42 of the indoor unit 20a shows the postures of the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 in FIG. That is, the postures P31 and P32 are changed to the postures P11 and P12 shown in FIG.

  Further, when the indoor unit 20a is in the first heating phase, the detection value received by the indoor control device 42 of the indoor unit 20a from the indoor temperature sensor 60a and the floor temperature sensor 80a exceeds the room temperature second target temperature and When the temperature exceeds the floor second target temperature, the indoor control device 42 shifts the phase of the indoor unit 20a from the first heating phase to the second heating phase. The transition from the first heating phase to the second heating phase, that is, the indoor control device 42 of the indoor unit 20a shows the postures of the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 in FIG. That is, the postures P11 and P12 are changed to the postures P21 and P22 shown in FIG.

  Conversely, when the indoor unit 20a is in the second heating phase, the detection value received by the indoor control device 42 of the indoor unit 20a from the indoor temperature sensor 60a and the floor temperature sensor 80a is lower than the room temperature second target temperature. When the temperature becomes equal to or lower than the floor second target temperature, the indoor control device 42 shifts the phase of the indoor unit 20a from the second heating phase to the first heating phase. Further, when the indoor unit 20a is in the first heating phase, the detection value received by the indoor control device 42 of the indoor unit 20a from the indoor temperature sensor 60a and the floor temperature sensor 80a is equal to or lower than the room temperature first target temperature. Or when it becomes lower than or equal to the floor first target temperature, the indoor control device 42 shifts the phase of the indoor unit 20a from the first heating phase to the third heating phase.

(4-2) Countermeasures for Suppressing Warming of Hot Air Flow The above-described switching from the first heating phase to the second heating phase is performed irrespective of the temperature difference between the temperature of the blown air blown from the indoor unit 20 and the room temperature. I was Therefore, when the temperature difference between the blown air temperature and the room temperature is equal to or more than the first threshold value, a phenomenon that the airflow of the warm air often flies has occurred. Therefore, in the air-conditioning apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, the processes of steps S1, S2, and S3 shown in FIG. 12 are added to the control of the phase switching performed by the indoor control device 42, and the airflow of the warm air rises. Is suppressed. In step S0 of FIG. 12, it is determined whether or not the above-described transition condition from the first heating phase to the second heating phase is satisfied. In step S0, the indoor control device 42 determines that the transition condition is satisfied. Next, in step S1, the temperature condition that the temperature difference between the outlet air temperature and the room temperature is smaller than the first threshold is satisfied. It is determined whether or not there is. If the temperature condition of step S1 is satisfied, there is a small possibility that the soar of the hot air flow will occur, so that in the next step S2, the transition from the first heating phase to the second heating phase is permitted. However, if the temperature condition in step S1 is not satisfied, there is a high possibility that the rising of the hot air flow will occur. Therefore, in the next step S3, the transition from the first heating phase to the second heating phase is prohibited. I do. FIG. 12 shows a processing routine that returns to step S0 after step S3. The routine that returns from step S3 to step S0 is an example, and is not limited to such a routine, and an operation other than step S0 may be performed after the operation of step S3.

  When the processing shown in FIG. 12 is performed by the indoor control device 42, while repeating steps S0, S1, and S3, the temperature of the blown air of the indoor unit 20 decreases and the temperature difference between the blown air temperature and the room temperature becomes the second. When it becomes smaller than the first threshold value or when the room temperature rises and the temperature difference between the blown air temperature and the room temperature becomes smaller than the first threshold value, the process of step S2 is performed. As a result, the temperature difference between the air temperature and the room temperature is equal to the temperature difference smaller than the first threshold value at which the airflow of the hot air is less likely to occur, so that the occurrence of the airflow of the warm air is suppressed, The increase in the temperature difference between the lower part and the upper part in the room is suppressed. Further, while steps S0, S1, and S3 are repeated, the environment of the first room RM1 changes, and the detection value received by the indoor control device 42 of the indoor unit 20a from the indoor temperature sensor 60a and the floor temperature sensor 80a changes to the room temperature. When the condition of exceeding the second target temperature and exceeding the floor second target temperature is not satisfied, the transition from the first heating phase to the second heating phase is stopped. Even in such a case, the transition from the first heating phase to the second heating phase is prevented in a state where the airflow of the hot air is likely to rise, so that the occurrence of the airflow of the warm air is suppressed, The increase in the temperature difference between the lower part and the upper part of the first chamber RM1 is suppressed.

  Here, the case where the indoor unit 20a is in the automatic wind direction adjustment mode and automatically performs the transition of the first heating phase, the second heating phase, and the third heating phase has been described. Is not limited to such a case. If the automatic wind direction adjustment mode includes at least a transition from the first heating phase to the second heating phase, the technology of the present embodiment can be applied.

(4-3) Comparison of temperature difference between blown air temperature and room temperature with first threshold value Normally, in order to control room temperature by the indoor unit 20, an indoor temperature sensor 60 is installed in the general indoor unit 20. I have. Therefore, the room controller 42 can obtain the room temperature from the room temperature sensor 60 without newly increasing the temperature sensor. However, in order for the indoor unit 20 to directly obtain the value of the outlet air temperature, for example, a temperature sensor for detecting the outlet air temperature is attached to the outlet 151, and the temperature sensor for detecting the outlet air temperature is connected to the indoor controller 42. What is necessary is just to comprise so that the indoor control apparatus 42 may input the detection value of this temperature sensor. Since it is rare that the indoor unit 20 is provided with a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the blown air to control the room temperature, in order to take measures to suppress the rise of the warm air flow as described above, for example, It is usually required to add a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the blown air.

  Therefore, in order to avoid such additional temperature sensors for detecting the temperature of the blown air, the indoor heat exchange temperature sensors 70a to 70c which are often attached to the indoor heat exchanger 21 to control various operations of the air conditioner 10 are provided. A comparison that can be considered equivalent to directly comparing the temperature difference between the outlet air temperature and the room temperature with the first threshold value is performed. That is, the temperature difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature values detected by the indoor heat exchange temperature sensors 70a to 70c and the room temperature detected by the indoor temperature sensors 60a to 60c is compared with the second threshold value.

  For example, the detected value of the temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the blown air and the indoor heat exchanger temperature value that indicates the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 21 usually do not match. Further, the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 21 differs depending on the position inside the indoor heat exchanger 21. However, during the heating operation, the conditioned air blown out from the outlet 151 is heated by passing through the indoor heat exchanger 21, so that a predetermined relationship exists between the blown air temperature and the indoor heat exchanger temperature value. Exists. Therefore, if an experiment or the like is performed and the predetermined relationship is grasped in advance, the blow-out air temperature can be estimated from the indoor heat exchanger temperature value. If the second threshold value is determined in consideration of the predetermined relationship between the blown air temperature and the indoor heat exchanger temperature value, the temperature difference between the blown air temperature and the room temperature can be compared with the first threshold value. Can be realized by comparing the temperature difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature value and the room temperature with the second threshold value.

  FIG. 13 shows an example of a flow for comparing the temperature difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature value and the room temperature with the second threshold value. This flow will be described using the operation of the indoor unit 20a as an example. First, in step S11, the indoor control device 42 of the indoor unit 20a inputs the detected value of the room temperature from the indoor temperature sensor 60a. In step S12, the indoor control device 42 inputs the indoor heat exchanger temperature value from the indoor heat exchange temperature sensor 70a. Then, in step S13, the indoor control device 42 calculates the temperature difference between the room temperature and the indoor heat exchanger temperature value.

  Next, the indoor control device 42 determines whether or not the temperature difference calculated in step S13 is equal to or greater than the second threshold (step S14). When the temperature difference between the room temperature and the indoor heat exchanger temperature value is smaller than the second threshold, the transition from the first heating phase to the second heating phase is permitted (step S15). However, when the temperature difference between the room temperature and the indoor heat exchanger temperature value is equal to or larger than the first threshold, the transition from the first heating phase to the second heating phase is prohibited (step S16). The operation when the transition from the first heating phase to the second heating phase is prohibited is, for example, the same as the operation described in the above-described countermeasures for suppressing the rise of the warm airflow.

(4-4) Setting of Temperature Difference Between Blowing Air Temperature and Room Temperature and First Threshold and Second Threshold The setting of the first threshold and the second threshold described above is respectively predetermined in accordance with the plurality of indoor units 20. Values can be used. However, the temperature difference between the lower part and the upper part of the room caused by the soaring of the warm air flow is also affected by the wind speed. When the wind speed of the conditioned air blown out from the outlet 151 of the indoor unit 20 is high, the temperature difference between the lower and upper portions of the room tends to be smaller than when the wind speed is lower.

  Therefore, a table in which the number of rotations of the indoor fan 22 is associated with the first threshold value may be stored in the memory 422 of the indoor control device 42. The table stored in the memory 422 is, for example, such that the rotation speed is divided into a plurality of sections and the first thresholds having different values are assigned to the respective sections, as shown in FIG.

  When comparing the temperature difference between the blown air temperature and the room temperature with the first threshold value, the indoor control device 42 first uses the rotation speed of the indoor fan 22 controlled by the CPU 421 and reads the rotation speed of the indoor fan 22 from the memory 422. Is read out according to the first threshold value. Then, using the first threshold value read from the memory 422, a comparison is made between the temperature of the blown air and the temperature difference between room temperature.

  Although the first threshold has been described here, a table in which the rotation speed is similarly divided into a plurality of sections and the second threshold having a different value is assigned to each section is stored in the memory 422 for the second threshold. You may let it. Here, the case where the first threshold value or the second threshold value is associated with the rotation speed in the table has been described, but the first threshold value or the second threshold value and the rotation speed are associated with each other by using other means such as a mathematical expression instead of the table. And may be associated with.

(5) Features (5-1)
Each of the plurality of indoor units 20a to 20c described in the above embodiment has a first horizontal flap 161 and a second horizontal flap 162 as wind direction adjustment members configured to control movement. Then, in the first heating phase, as shown in FIG. 5, the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 are positioned so as to blow hot air at the first angle α. That is, the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 assume the postures P11 and P12 shown in FIG. In the second heating phase, the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 are positioned so as to blow hot air at an angle β which is a second angle closer to the vertical downward direction than the angle α. That is, the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 assume the postures P21 and P22 shown in FIG. The angles α and β and an angle γ described later are angles formed by the direction of the airflow and the horizontal forward direction.

  Then, as described with reference to FIG. 12, in the case where the transition from the first heating phase to the second heating phase is permitted, the temperature difference between the outlet air temperature and the room temperature becomes smaller than the first threshold value. I have. Therefore, even if the plurality of indoor units 20a to 20c are connected to the outdoor unit 30 that is a common heat source unit and cannot control the compressor 31 corresponding to the individual indoor units 20a to 20c, for example, the indoor units 20a to 20c The temperature difference between the lower part and the upper part of the first chamber RM1 becomes larger in the second heating phase because the temperature rise in the upper part than in the lower part of the first chamber RM1 is increased by the rising of the airflow of the blown hot air. Can be suppressed.

(5-2)
When the blowout air temperature is substituted for the indoor heat exchanger temperature value, the indoor heat exchange temperature sensor 70 normally attached to the indoor heat exchanger 21 can be used, and the temperature sensor used for detecting the blowout air temperature can be used. There is no need to add. By avoiding the addition of the temperature sensor, an increase in the cost of the air conditioner 10 can be suppressed.

(5-3)
As described with reference to FIG. 14, for example, the indoor control device 42 stores, in the memory 422, a table that associates the rotation speed of the indoor fan 22 with the first threshold, and sets the first threshold to the rotation speed of the indoor fan 22. In the case where the first heating phase is changed in accordance with the rotation speed of the indoor fan 22, the first heating phase can be shifted from the first heating phase to the second heating phase at a first threshold suitable for an excessive temperature increase in the upper part of the room. it can. As a result, the indoor fan 22 reduces the time required for the transition from the first heating phase to the second heating phase and the suppression of the expansion of the temperature difference between the lower and upper parts of the room in the second heating phase. Can be performed according to the number of rotations.

(5-4)
The angle α (see FIG. 5), which is the first angle of the first heating phase, the second heating phase, and the third heating phase, the angle β (see FIG. 6) that is the second angle, and the angle γ (see FIG. 6) that is the third angle 7), it is possible to achieve both a rapid rise in the indoor temperature and the indoor floor temperature and a maintenance of the indoor floor temperature while suppressing energy consumption by appropriately switching the blowing angle of the different warm air. it can.

(5-5)
In the automatic wind direction switching from the third heating phase to the second heating phase via the first heating phase, the temperature in the upper part of the room excessively rises due to the warm air blown from the indoor unit 20 and the second heating phase. It is possible to suppress the temperature difference from spreading between the lower part and the upper part of the room.

(6) Modification (6-1) Modification 1A
In the above embodiment, the case where the outdoor unit 30 of the air conditioner 10 is the heat source unit has been described, but the heat source unit is not limited to the outdoor unit 30. For example, a heat pump device that performs a vapor compression refrigeration cycle using a compressor and performs heat exchange between circulating water and a refrigerant may be used as the heat source device.

(6-2) Modification 1B
In the above embodiment, the case where the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162 are used as the wind direction adjusting member has been described as an example. However, the number of wind direction adjusting members may be one, or three or more, and is not limited to the configuration using the first horizontal flap 161 and the second horizontal flap 162.

  While the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it will be understood that various changes in form and details can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure described in the claims. .

Reference Signs List 10 air conditioner 20, 20a to 20c indoor unit 21 indoor heat exchanger 22 indoor fan 30 outdoor unit (example of heat source unit)
31 Compressor 60, 60a-60c Indoor temperature sensor 70, 70a-70c Indoor heat exchange temperature sensor 80, 80a-80c Floor temperature sensor 161 First horizontal flap (example of wind direction adjusting member)
162 Second horizontal flap (example of wind direction adjusting member)

JP 2017-67401A

Claims (5)

At least one heat source machine (30) having a compressor (31);
A plurality of indoor units (20, 20a to 20c) configured so that a refrigerant circulates between the compressor and the heat source unit;
Each of the plurality of indoor units includes a wind direction adjusting member (161, 162) configured to control movement, and a first direction in which the wind direction adjusting member is positioned to blow warm air at a first angle. A heating phase; and a second heating phase in which the wind direction adjusting member is positioned so as to blow hot air at a second angle closer to the vertical downward direction than the first angle. One of the conditions for shifting to the phase is a temperature condition in which a temperature difference between the blown air temperature and the room temperature is smaller than a first threshold value. Each of the plurality of indoor units has an indoor heat exchanger (21) for exchanging heat between refrigerant and air circulated by the compressor, and an indoor temperature sensor attached to measure an indoor temperature. (60, 60a to 60c), and when the temperature difference between the indoor heat exchanger temperature value, which is the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, and the room temperature indicated by the indoor temperature sensor is equal to or greater than a second threshold value, Assuming that the temperature condition is not satisfied, the shift from the first heating phase to the second heating phase is not performed,
The air conditioner according to claim 1. Each of the plurality of indoor units further includes an indoor fan (22) that generates an air flow in the indoor heat exchanger, and changes the first threshold value according to a rotation speed of the indoor fan.
The air conditioner according to claim 2. Each of the plurality of indoor units further includes a third heating phase in which the wind direction adjustment member is positioned so as to blow hot air at a third angle closer to the horizontal direction than the first angle.
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3. Each of the plurality of indoor units has a wind direction automatic adjustment mode configured to automatically change the position of the wind direction adjustment member in the order of the third heating phase, the first heating phase, and the second heating phase. ,
The air conditioner according to claim 4.

Images