JP7323274B2 - air conditioning system - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments of the present invention relate to air conditioners and air conditioning systems.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a relatively large production factory or the like, an air conditioner capable of locally cooling and heating work areas dispersed in a building is sometimes installed. Some air conditioners of this type blow out air whose temperature and humidity have been adjusted in advance, but this type of air conditioner is equipped with a heat exchanger on the indoor unit side so that cooling or heating can be selected locally. There is also Such an indoor unit is generally installed on a pillar base in a production factory or the like, and supplies cool air or warm air toward the front side thereof (see Patent Document 1, for example).

WO2017/142026

However, the work content may differ in each work area, and in that case, the positional relationship with respect to the indoor unit, that is, the positional relationship between the pillar on which the indoor unit is installed and the work place where the worker works is different. is assumed. In addition, as the work progresses, it is assumed that the work will be performed at a position different from the initial work place.
Therefore, an air conditioning system is provided that can locally cool and heat a space that is displaced from the front of the indoor unit.

An air conditioning system according to an embodiment includes a control device that centrally controls the operation of a plurality of indoor units. , are provided, and the control device groups the indoor units for each face of one column, each of a plurality of faces of one column, each installation position of the indoor unit in the vertical direction, or the refrigerant system A two-dimensional image of a space to be air-conditioned, which controls the operation of indoor units for each group and has multiple pillars or walls on which indoor units are installed, and the pillars installed in the space. and a plurality of icons that schematically show the indoor units , icons that indicate the surface on which the indoor units are provided on each pillar and the number of indoor units provided on that surface, and air conditioning is controlled by the plurality of indoor units. A plurality of zones set as areas surrounded by a plurality of pillars are displayed, and a plurality of indoor units for air conditioning in each zone can be collectively set.

1 is a diagram schematically showing the schematic configuration of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment; FIG. A diagram schematically showing the configuration of the indoor unit The figure which shows typically the installation aspect of an indoor unit. Diagram 1 schematically showing the installation mode on a pillar Figure 2 schematically showing the installation mode on the pillar Diagram 1 schematically showing the positional relationship between the indoor unit and the work space Diagram 1 schematically showing another configuration of the indoor unit Diagram 1 schematically showing another installation mode of the indoor unit Diagram 2 schematically showing another configuration of the indoor unit Diagram 2 schematically showing another installation mode of the indoor unit Diagram 3 schematically showing another installation mode of the indoor unit Diagram 2 schematically showing the positional relationship between the indoor unit and the work space A diagram schematically showing another installation mode of the indoor unit according to the second embodiment. Figure 1 showing an example of grouping Figure 2 showing an example of grouping A diagram schematically showing an example of a work space according to a third embodiment. A diagram schematically showing the schematic configuration of an air conditioning system A diagram schematically showing an example of a setting screen of a control device of an air conditioning system FIG. 18 is an enlarged view of region (X) in FIG. A diagram showing an example of a setting screen for managing operation for each zone Diagram showing determination method for defrosting operation

A number of embodiments are described below. In addition, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected and demonstrated to the site|part which is substantially common in each embodiment.

(First embodiment)
The first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner 1 of the present embodiment includes an outdoor unit 2, an indoor unit 5 attached to a pillar 3 via a frame 4, and between the outdoor unit 2 and the indoor unit 5 Refrigerant pipes 6 and the like that form a path through which the refrigerant circulates are provided.

The outdoor unit 2 is installed, for example, outside a building. 2b, a fan 2c for cooling them, and various other devices that constitute a refrigeration cycle. Since the outdoor unit 2 has a general configuration, a detailed description is omitted. During cooling operation, the refrigerant evaporated on the indoor unit 5 side is compressed and condensed. Evaporation and compression enable cooling and heating operations. Hereinafter, cooling or heating is also referred to as air conditioning for convenience.

The indoor unit 5 is formed in a vertically long shape along the longitudinal direction of the pillar 3 . More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the indoor unit 5 has a vertically long case 5a in a front view, and a vertically long wind direction guide 5b is provided approximately in the center of the front side of the case 5a. . Hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of the pillar 3 will also be referred to as the vertical direction, the horizontal direction in the drawing as viewed from the front will also be referred to as the horizontal direction of the case 5a, the front side of the case 5a will be referred to as the front side, and the rear side of the case 5a, that is, the side attached to the frame 4 will be referred to. Also referred to as the rear.

The case 5a has an intake port 5c formed on the back side, as shown in a plan view showing a cross section along line AA, and a filter 5d is attached to the intake port 5c. In this case 5a, an indoor heat exchanger 5e, a cross-flow blower fan 5f, and the like are arranged. The indoor-side heat exchanger 5e has a generally semicircular cross section and is vertically elongated to extend vertically as shown in a side view.
The blower fan 5f is arranged with a vertical rotation axis, the indoor heat exchanger 5e is arranged on the back side (windward side) of the blower fan 5f, and the blower fan 5f is arranged in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis. It is covered in a semi-circular shape.

This indoor heat exchanger 5e is of a so-called fin-tube type in this embodiment. However, the configuration of the indoor-side heat exchanger 5e is not limited to the fin-tube type. In addition, although not shown in the drawings, other devices generally required for configuring the refrigeration cycle are also arranged in the case 5a. Further, the blower fan 5f is arranged on the inner peripheral side of the indoor heat exchanger 5e, and is formed in a vertically long shape that is approximately equal to the length of the indoor heat exchanger 5e.

Then, the indoor unit 5 introduces air from the intake port 5c, heat-exchanges it with the indoor heat exchanger 5e, and then supplies cool air or warm air to the outside from the entire wind direction guide 5b extending in the vertical direction. . Further, the wind direction guide 5b provided in the indoor unit 5 is movable, that is, the direction in which air is blown can be changed.

Specifically, the wind direction guide 5b changes its orientation in the left-right direction of the case 5a within a predetermined angle range (α) with respect to a virtual line (CL) passing through the center of the case 5a from the back side to the front side. formed as possible. In this embodiment, the orientation of the wind direction guide 5b is automatically changed by, for example, a motor.

Therefore, the indoor unit 5 can adjust the wind direction within a certain range from the front of the case 5a. The supplied air can also be blown leftward from the imaginary line (CL), and when the direction of the wind direction guide 5b is directed rightward with respect to the imaginary line (CL), the supplied air is also directed against the imaginary line (CL). can be used to blow air to the right. That is, the indoor unit 5 is capable of blowing air in a direction inclined with respect to the front surface of the case 5a, that is, in a position shifted from the imaginary line connecting the pillars 3 adjacent to each other in the direction in which the surfaces face each other. .

Now, this indoor unit 5 is attached to the pillar 3 via the frame 4, as also shown in FIG. The frame 4 has several frames 4a and four panels 4b in this embodiment to which the indoor unit 5 is directly attached. fixed in place. At this time, the panel 4b is arranged so as to be substantially parallel to the surface of the pillar 3. As shown in FIG. At this time, if the column 3 has a rectangular cross section, the panel 4b is arranged on each of the four sides of the column 3 .

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the frame 4 is formed with an opening 4c at a position below the indoor unit 5, and the opening 4c is provided with an intake filter 4d. Therefore, when the air conditioner 1 is operated, air is taken in from the openings 4c of each frame 4, introduced into the indoor unit 5 from the intake port 5c on the back side of the indoor unit 5, and heat-exchanged. Cool air or warm air is supplied to the outside along the direction of 5b. In addition, an opening 4c is provided in the lower portion of the frame 4 for inserting and removing a drain tank 7 for storing drain water and for making it possible to visually confirm the state of storage of the drain water.

The indoor unit 5 is attached to the panel 4b with its front surface substantially perpendicular to the surface of the pillar 3. As shown in FIG. Specifically, one indoor unit 5 can be attached to each surface of the pillar 3, as shown in FIG. 4 as one unit for each of the four surfaces. At this time, for each indoor unit 5, operation start/stop, wind direction, etc. are set individually by an operation device 8 installed in the vicinity thereof, or in a state of grouping as described in the second embodiment described later. can do. However, it is also possible to collectively control the start/stop of the operation of the plurality of indoor units 5 from the control device 20 (see FIG. 17) described in the third embodiment described later.

In addition, the indoor units 5 can be installed one by one corresponding to the three sides of the pillar 3 as indicated by one unit on each of the three sides, or can be attached to two sides of the column 3 as indicated by one unit on each of the two sides. Alternatively, one unit can be installed corresponding to one surface of the pillar 3 as indicated by one unit for each surface. However, the number of indoor units 5 attached to one surface of the pillar 3 is not limited to this, and three or four or more indoor units 5 can be attached to each surface of the pillar 3 .

Also, as shown in FIG. 5 as two indoor units 5 for each of the four surfaces, two indoor units 5 can be mounted vertically in correspondence with each surface of the pillar 3, and two units for each of the three surfaces are shown. 2 can be attached to each of the three sides of the column 3 as shown, and two can be attached to each of the two sides of the column 3 as shown in the figure of 2 each of the two sides. As indicated by two units, two units can be attached to each side of the pillar 3 .
Next, the operation of the configuration described above will be described.

The air conditioner 1 of the present embodiment is intended to locally heat and cool a part of a relatively large production factory floor, office floor, or the like. However, as described above, it is assumed that the positional relationship with respect to the indoor unit 5 differs depending on the work area, and it is also assumed that the work will be performed at a position different from the initial work place as the work progresses. .

In addition, in the case of a large-scale production factory, it is assumed that the distance between the pillars 3 is wide. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. It is assumed that there is a relatively large space (S) and that the space (S) is used as a work space. The pillars 3 are basically installed in the same direction, that is, in a state in which the surfaces of the pillars 3 face each other or are parallel to each other. In addition, in FIG. 6, illustration of the frame 4 is omitted for simplification of explanation.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the indoor unit 5 is provided so that it is possible to locally perform cooling and heating, and to efficiently perform cooling and heating even for spaces with different positional relationships with respect to the indoor unit 5. The wind direction guide 5b is made movable. This makes it possible to directly supply cool air or warm air to a position other than the front of the indoor unit 5 installed on each surface of the pillar 3, that is, in a direction that is inclined with respect to the surface of the pillar 3. Become. As a result, the space (S) can be efficiently cooled and heated locally even at a position deviated from the front of the indoor unit 5 .

According to the air conditioner 1 described above, the following effects can be obtained.
The air conditioner 1 includes an indoor unit 5 attached to an indoor pillar 3 via a frame 4, a compressor 2a for supplying a required amount of refrigerant in a required state according to the operation target of the indoor unit 5, a heat An outdoor unit 2 having an exchanger and a fan 2c and a refrigerant pipe 6 through which refrigerant circulates between the outdoor unit 2 and the indoor unit 5 are provided. The indoor unit 5 has a vertically long case 5a that accommodates the vertically long indoor heat exchanger 5e and the vertically long blower fan 5f, and is installed so that the longitudinal direction of the case 5a is along the vertical direction, It is possible to blow air in a direction that is inclined with respect to the surface of the pillar 3 .

As a result, for example, when the space (S) is used as a work space, even if the work position is a place other than the front of the indoor unit 5, or if the positional relationship with the indoor unit 5 differs for each work space. Even if there is, it is possible to directly supply cool air or warm air in any desired direction. Therefore, it is possible to locally cool and heat even a space that is displaced from the front of the indoor unit 5 .

In addition, the indoor unit 5 has a wind direction guide 5b for changing the direction of airflow, and by adjusting the direction of the wind direction guide 5b, it is possible to blow air in a direction that is inclined with respect to the surface of the pillar 3. there is As a result, if the direction of the wind direction guide 5b is changed automatically or manually, the direction of cool air or warm air can be adjusted accordingly. In addition, the movable wind direction guide 5b is particularly useful in a situation where it is difficult to easily change the installation location and installation orientation of the indoor unit 5, such as in a factory.

In this case, for the wind direction guide 5b, by adopting or diverting louver technology that has been proven in wall-mounted so-called room air conditioners installed in general households, it is possible to ensure reliability and improve productivity at the same time. .

By the way, the configuration of the indoor unit 5 can be different from that illustrated in the above embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the indoor unit 5 is provided with an air intake port 5c on the side surface of the case 5a, a vertically elongated indoor heat exchanger 5e, a movable wind direction guide 5b, a blower fan 5f, and the like in the case 5a. can be configured to include

Even with the indoor unit 5 having such a configuration, by installing it on each surface of the pillar 3 as shown in FIG. Even if it is a place other than the front of the unit 5, and even if the positional relationship with the indoor unit 5 is different for each work space, cold air and warm air can be directly supplied in an arbitrary and desired direction. It becomes possible, and air-conditioning can be performed locally in the space shifted from the front of the indoor unit 5. - 特許庁Further, in the case of the indoor unit 5 of such a side intake type, the frame 4 does not need to be provided with the intake opening 4c. In addition, it can be installed together with the indoor unit 5 of the type that takes in air from the back as in the embodiment.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 9, the indoor unit 5 is provided with an intake port 5c on the side surface of the case 5a, and is equipped with a vertically long indoor heat exchanger 5e, a wind direction guide 5b, a blower fan 5f, etc. in the case 5a. The airflow direction guide 5b can be provided in advance at the corner of the case 5a in a direction deviated from the front. In other words, the indoor unit 5 adopts a structure capable of blowing air in a direction inclined with respect to the surface of the pillar 3 by providing the air outlet in advance with respect to the case 5a in an inclined direction. can be done.

With the indoor unit 5 having such a configuration, for example, by installing it on each surface of the pillar 3 as shown in FIG. Even if it is a place other than the front of the unit 5, and even if the positional relationship with the indoor unit 5 is different for each work space, cold air and warm air can be directly supplied in an arbitrary and desired direction. It becomes possible, and air-conditioning can be performed locally in the space shifted from the front of the indoor unit 5. - 特許庁

In this case, by making the wind direction guide 5b movable, it is possible to adjust the wind direction within a predetermined angle range (α) centered on the tilted direction with respect to the surface of the pillar 3, and the wind direction can be adjusted more accurately and efficiently. The desired space can be cooled and heated effectively.

By the way, although the configuration in which the indoor unit 5 is installed substantially parallel to the surface of the pillar 3 has been exemplified so far, as shown in FIG. can be In this case, by arranging the panel 4b in an inclined state with respect to the surface of the pillar 3 by the frame 4, that is, by making the panel 4b face the corner of the pillar 3 in plan view, The indoor unit 5 can be firmly fixed.

Even if the indoor unit 5 itself is installed in a state inclined with respect to the surface of the pillar 3 in this way, as shown in FIG. A space (S) existing on a diagonal line of can be locally heated and cooled. Moreover, if a movable wind direction guide 5b is provided, it becomes possible to directly supply cool air or warm air in an arbitrary and desired direction.

However, although the column 3 having a square cross section is illustrated in the embodiment, even if the column 3 has a circular cross section, for example, four panels 4b are installed around the column 3 by changing the framework 4a of the frame 4. By attaching the indoor unit 5 to the panel 4b, cold air or warm air can be supplied in an inclined direction with respect to the panel 4b, or zoning or grouping can be performed in the same manner as in the embodiment.

(Second embodiment)
The second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 13 to 15. FIG. In the second embodiment, since the control conditions, operating conditions, etc. of the air conditioner 1 explained in the first embodiment will be explained, the second embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12 as well.

Now, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, it is assumed that four indoor units 5 are arranged vertically on each surface of one pillar 3 . However, the number of indoor units 5 is an example, and may be two, three, or the like. When the indoor units 5 are installed in this way, it can be considered that the indoor units 5 on the lower side are installed at locations closer to the workers, and the higher the indoor units 5 are installed, the farther away they are from the workers. .

In other words, it is highly likely that cold air or warm air supplied from the indoor units 5 on the lower side will hit the workers directly, while the higher the side, the less likely it will hit the workers directly. In this case, if each indoor unit 5 is operated with different settings depending on the position in the vertical direction, it is considered possible to reduce the feeling of draftiness in which cold air or warm air hits the worker.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, the indoor units 5 are grouped according to the installation position in the vertical direction, and the operating state is controlled for each group, thereby reducing the feeling of draftiness.

Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 14 as grouping 1, in the case of the indoor units 5 installed in four stages in the vertical direction, on each surface of one pillar 3 or on a plurality of pillars 3, the uppermost stage The indoor units 5 positioned in the lower row are set as one group (G1), the indoor units 5 positioned in the lower row are set as one group (G2), and the indoor units 5 positioned in the lower row are set as one group (G3). The indoor units 5 located in the lower row are set as one group (G4). Note that these settings are performed by the control device 20 .

Then, the air volume of the indoor units 5 included in the upper group is made larger than the air volume of the indoor units 5 included in the lower group. For example, if it is possible to set the indoor unit 5 in four stages in order of the air volume: strong wind > strong wind > weak wind > light wind, set a strong wind to the group (G1) and set a strong wind to the group (G2). Then, a light wind is set for the group (G3), and a light wind is set for the group (G4).

As a result, a relatively weak wind is supplied from the indoor units 5 of the lowest group (G4), which are highly likely to be directly exposed to the worker, thereby reducing the draft feeling of the worker. It is possible to achieve more comfortable air conditioning. In addition, since cold air and warm air are supplied from the upper stage with a relatively large air volume, it is possible to prevent the required cooling performance and heating performance from being excessively lowered.

However, if it is possible to set two stages of large air volume>standard air volume in descending order of the air volume that can be set for the indoor unit 5, as shown as grouping No. 2 in FIG. 5 as one group (G11) to set a large air volume, and set the lower two indoor units 5 as a group (G12) to set a standard air volume. can do.

In other words, it is possible to configure such that the air volume is relatively larger in the uppermost group than in the lowermost group. With such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the draft feeling of the operator, and to realize more comfortable air conditioning. In addition, since cold air and warm air are supplied from the upper stage with a relatively large air volume, it is possible to prevent the required cooling performance and heating performance from being excessively lowered.

In addition, since the indoor unit 5 on the upper side has a relatively large air volume, it is possible to supply air-conditioned air to a farther distance, and to perform more comfortable air conditioning. especially significant.

However, depending on the installation position of the indoor units 5, the lowest indoor unit 5 may be set as one group, and the other indoor units 5 may be set in another group. It is also possible to set the indoor units 5 in one group. With such a configuration as well, it is possible to reduce the worker's feeling of draftiness, and to realize more comfortable air conditioning. In this case, the height from the floor may be set with reference to the height of a general person.

By the way, although grouping makes it possible to efficiently control the operating states of a large number of indoor units 5, it is desirable to be able to turn on/off the air conditioning at the site when performing local air conditioning. In that case, it is possible to provide the operation device 8 for all the indoor units 5, but the number of units increases, which increases the cost and management effort, and there is a risk of confusion as to which one should be operated. .

Therefore, one indoor unit 5 in each group is used as a master unit to connect the operation device 8, and another indoor unit 5 in the same group is used as a slave unit to transmit the operation performed to the master unit. can do. As a result, the number of operating devices 8 can be reduced, the cost and management effort can be reduced, and the possibility of operator confusion can be reduced.

In this case, if the group that is the unit of control described above is referred to as a control group for convenience, and the group that performs ON/OFF operation is referred to as an operation group for convenience, the control group and the operation group are the same as described above. It is also possible to set the control group and the driving group separately.

For example, when control groups (G11, G12) are set as shown in FIG. Four planes (H4) can be set as driving groups (G21 to G24), and an operating device 8 can be provided for each driving group to enable turning on/off.

With such a configuration, it is possible to turn off only the indoor units 5 facing a space that does not require air conditioning, or to turn off all the indoor units 5 in that direction when it is not desired to be exposed to the wind during work. This makes it possible to improve usability in the field. Of course, each side of one pillar 3 can be set to a different control group or driving group, or a plurality of sides of one pillar 3 can be set to a control group or driving group.

As described above, by grouping a plurality of indoor units 5 based on their vertical positions and places where on/off switching is desired, local air conditioning can be performed efficiently and in a manner that satisfies the needs of workers. can be done with

(Third embodiment)
The third embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 16 to 21. FIG. In the third embodiment, a system for controlling and managing the state in which the plurality of indoor units 5 described in the first and second embodiments are provided will be described.

As shown in FIG. 16, for example, in a building of a factory, a plurality of work spaces such as a production department A and a production department B may be set according to work contents and the like. At this time, although illustration is omitted, it is assumed that the above-described indoor units 5 are installed on the pillars 3 existing in each space. In this case, since the same work is not necessarily performed in manufacturing department A and manufacturing department B, the spaces (S) that require local air conditioning are different, as indicated by hatching for convenience. is assumed, and the number of pillars 3 is assumed to be different, or the time zone in which air conditioning is required is assumed to be different.

In addition, in a relatively large-scale production factory, there are many pillars 3, and if a plurality of indoor units 5 are installed in each pillar 3, the amount of refrigerant required will also increase. A plurality of outdoor units 2 are also provided to ensure this. In that case, since it is necessary to manage a large number of devices, as shown in FIG. An air conditioning system 21 that controls the air conditioner 1 as a whole may be employed. The configuration shown in FIG. 17 is an example, and the number of indoor units 5 and outdoor units 2, the routes of refrigerant pipes 6, and the like are not limited to this.

The control device 20 is composed of a so-called personal computer or the like, and includes an input device such as a mouse, a keyboard, or a capacitive touch panel, and a display unit 20a (see FIG. 18) for displaying setting screens, management screens, and the like. ing. Also, the control device 20 is connected to each outdoor unit 2 via a communication bus 22 so as to be capable of data communication.

By giving a control command from the control device 20, the operation of each outdoor unit 2 and each indoor unit 5 can be controlled. It is necessary to know how the indoor units 5 are arranged in the work space to be air-conditioned. In addition, in order to simplify work such as setting, it is desirable to be able to collectively set a plurality of indoor units 5 provided corresponding to work spaces to be air-conditioned.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 18, the air conditioning system 21 schematically displays the target work space as a two-dimensional image (M1), and the pillar 3 and the indoor unit 5 provided in the work space. and a plurality of zones (Z1 to Z9) that are units for controlling air conditioning by a plurality of indoor units 5 are displayed. In the case of this embodiment, the zones are set as areas surrounded by the pillars 3 . Note that the shapes of the icons and the like shown in FIG. 18 are only examples, and other shapes can be used as long as they can be presented visually. The zones shown in FIG. can be set as appropriate.

At this time, although not shown in FIG. 18, as shown in FIG. 19 showing an enlarged view of the area (X) in FIG. 18, the icon (M2) is a rectangular icon ( M2a) and a square icon (M2b) that schematically shows the indoor unit 5 . In the air conditioning system 21, the number of indoor units 5 installed on each side of the icon of each pillar 3 is indicated by each icon (M2a, M2b) and a numeric icon (M2c).

For example, in the case of FIG. 19, four indoor units 5 are arranged vertically on each of the four sides of the column 3A, and four indoor units are arranged on three sides of the column 3B. 5 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction, and two indoor units 5 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction on one surface.

By displaying such a screen, for example, the position and number of indoor units 5 capable of blowing air to the zone (Z1) surrounded by pillars 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D can be easily grasped. In addition, by preassociating these indoor units 5 with the zone (Z1), a control command can be collectively given to the indoor units 5 capable of air-conditioning the zone (Z1).

As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 20, it is possible to display an operation management screen for managing operation for each zone, and set the start time and stop time of the operation of the air conditioner 1 for each zone. , the desired work space can be easily and efficiently controlled. In addition, it is possible to easily grasp the position of the zone and the installation position of the indoor unit 5 from the icon, and to easily change the setting when adding or removing the indoor unit 5, or changing the zone.

At this time, for example, the operation start time and stop time of the air conditioner 1 are set on a weekly basis in accordance with the operating hours of the production plant, and among them, the daily operation start time and stop time are set for each zone. can be individually set, appropriate air conditioning can be performed according to the actual work in each work space, such as the position of the work space in the production factory and so-called time shift work. In addition, since it is possible to start air conditioning at different times, the maximum value of peak power at startup can be reduced, which is particularly significant in winter when the air conditioning load is at its maximum.

As a result, it is possible to individually control the air conditioning for each zone in accordance with the work start time and work end time of each zone, and air conditioning can be performed according to the site. In addition, since operation can be collectively controlled on a zone-by-zone basis, optimum control and energy-saving operation can be performed on a zone-by-zone basis. It can be managed on a unit or group basis.

In this case, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which setting of zones and exemplary grouping in the second embodiment can be compatible. Specifically, when four indoor units 5 are arranged in the vertical direction in the pillar 3A of the zone (Z1), the air volume of the indoor unit 5 installed on the upper side is By making the air volume larger than that of the machine 5, more comfortable air conditioning can be performed.

In addition, by grouping, it is possible to suppress deterioration of comfort as described below. The outdoor unit 2 of the air conditioner 1 periodically detects the temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger 2b with a sensor. Then, the operation time when the detected temperature is lower than the frosting temperature is integrated, and when the time exceeds a predetermined determination time, it is determined that frosting has occurred. And if it determines with frost having formed, it will remove frost by performing a defrosting operation.

This defrosting operation is a so-called reverse defrosting method in which the refrigerating cycle is controlled in reverse. Continued. Therefore, air conditioning is stopped in the target refrigerant system during the defrosting operation, which may reduce comfort.

Therefore, the air conditioning system 21 is grouped by, for example, the surface of the pillar 3 or the installation position of the indoor unit 5, and determines whether the defrosting operation is to be performed for each refrigerant system. situation can be avoided.

Specifically, the air conditioning system 21 executes the determination process shown in FIG. 21, selects one of the outdoor units 2 under management (S1), determines frost formation (S2), It is determined whether defrosting is necessary (S3). Subsequently, when it is determined that defrosting is necessary (S3: YES), it is determined whether defrosting operation is being performed in another refrigerant system of the same column 3 (S4). Then, if the defrosting operation is being performed with another refrigerant system (S4: YES), the defrosting operation for the selected outdoor unit 2 is temporarily canceled.

If defrosting operation is not being performed in other refrigerant systems (S4: NO), the selected outdoor unit 2 is instructed to perform defrosting operation (S5). Also, after defrosting is canceled or implemented, it is determined whether confirmation of the necessity of defrosting has been completed for all outdoor units 2 (S6), and if there is an undetermined outdoor unit 2 (S6: NO). While moving to step S1 and making a determination, if all the outdoor units 2 have been checked (S6: YES), the process ends.

As a result, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of the environment due to simultaneous stoppage of the operation of the outdoor units 2 installed on the same pillar 3 . Although FIG. 21 shows an example of determining whether or not other refrigerant systems in the same column 3 are defrosting, it is also possible to determine defrosting of other refrigerant systems in the same zone. Alternatively, one surface of the pillar 3 may be configured to determine defrosting of other refrigerant systems. Of course, it is also possible to group by refrigerant system, control the operation of the indoor unit 5 for each refrigerant system, or determine whether to perform the defrosting operation.

As described above, the air conditioning system 21 equipped with the control device 20 for centrally controlling the operation of the plurality of indoor units 5 has one or more indoor units 5 provided on one surface or a plurality of surfaces of the pillar 3. , the control device 20 divides the indoor units 5 into groups for each surface of one pillar 3, for each plurality of surfaces of one pillar 3, for each installation position of the indoor unit 5 in the vertical direction, or for each group of refrigerant systems. to control the operation of the indoor unit 5. As a result, it is possible to locally cool and heat the space that is displaced from the front of the indoor unit 5 .

Although the configuration in which the indoor unit 5 is provided on the pillar 3 is exemplified in the embodiment, the indoor unit 5 can also be provided on an indoor wall surface. In this case, the wall surface includes the wall surface of the building, the wall surface of the work room installed in the work space, or the partition.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof.

In the drawings, 1 is an air conditioner, 2 is an outdoor unit, 2a is a compressor, 2b is an outdoor heat exchanger, 2c is a fan, 3 is a pillar, 4 is a frame, 5 is an indoor unit, 5a is a case, and 5b is A wind direction guide, 5e is an indoor heat exchanger, 5f is a fan, 6 refrigerant pipes, 20 is a controller, and 21 is an air conditioning system.

Claims (1)

An air conditioning system equipped with a control device that centrally controls the operation of a plurality of indoor units,
One or a plurality of the indoor units are provided on one or more surfaces of a plurality of pillars provided in the space to be air-conditioned,
The control device divides the indoor units into groups according to each surface of one pillar, each of a plurality of surfaces of one pillar, each installation position of the indoor unit in a vertical direction, or a refrigerant system, and divides the indoor units into groups. A two-dimensional image of a space to be air-conditioned that has a plurality of pillars or walls on which the indoor unit is provided, and a model of the pillars and the indoor unit provided in the space an icon indicating the surface of each pillar on which the indoor unit is provided and the number of the indoor units provided on that surface; and a unit for controlling air conditioning by the plurality of indoor units. wherein a plurality of zones set as areas surrounded by a plurality of pillars are displayed, and the plurality of indoor units for air conditioning in each zone can be collectively set. .

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