JPH0456617A - Air-conditioning device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To ensure constantly comfortable air-conditioning environment by setting a target sense of heat being a control target for air-conditioning according to at least either an environment state in which a user to be air-conditioned is exposed to air conditioning, and a solar radiation amount and an open air temperature when air-conditioning is effected. CONSTITUTION:An air-conditioning control device has a control means B to control an air-conditioning device A so that the sense of heat of a user to be air-conditioned is maintained at a value approximately equal to a target value. In this constitution, an environment state to which a user to be air-conditioned is exposed is detected by a first detecting means C before air-conditioning is effected on a user to be air- conditioned. At least either a solar radiation amount and an open air temperature when air-conditioning is effected on the user to be air-conditioned is detected by a second detecting means D. Further, a target sense of heat is set according to a detecting environment state, and corrected and set by a setting means E in a direction in which, with the increased in a detecting value of either a detecting solar radiation amount or a detecting opening air temperature, the target sense of heat is more cooled ad with the decrease in the detecting value, the target sensor of heat is more warmed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an air conditioning control device that controls indoor air conditioning according to the thermal sensation of people in a room.

[Conventional technology]

Various ideas for air conditioning control have been proposed in the past to improve the sense of comfort of occupants, and among these, there is one that attempts to reflect the temperature sensation (warm sensation) of occupants in air conditioning control. It is being However, a person's sense of temperature (thermal sensation), such as hot or cold, which is an important factor in evaluating comfort, changes not only due to temperature but also due to the effects of airflow, humidity, radiation, and other factors such as the amount of exercise and amount of clothing worn. Because it is also influenced by human factors, it has been difficult to accurately grasp the temperature sensation of people in the room.

On the other hand, it has long been known that there is a strong correlation between a person's temperature range and skin temperature, and there are known methods that attempt to control room temperature so that this skin temperature is at a comfortable temperature. .

For example, JP-A-55-95054, JP-A-573764
No. 2, JP-A-60-92919 and JP-A-62-1
No. 25243 discloses an air conditioner that controls room temperature according to skin temperature.

Furthermore, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-229713, there is known a device that estimates a warm sensation based on skin temperature and controls the amount of air blown so that this warm sensation becomes a target temperature sensation.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-229713 focuses on the strong correlation between the passenger's skin temperature and thermal sensation, and sets a target thermal sensation according to a comparison between the detected skin temperature and a standard skin temperature. Disclosed.

However, in cases where a person has been exposed to an extremely high or low temperature thermal environment or is affected by the solar radiation angle, simply setting the skin temperature to the standard skin temperature does not necessarily provide a sense of comfort to the occupants. It turns out there isn't.

Therefore, the present invention provides a target temperature sensation, which is a target value for air conditioning control, depending on the environmental conditions before the air conditioning is provided to the subject and the environmental conditions after the air conditioning is provided to the subject. To provide an air conditioning control device that can supply a comfortable air-conditioned environment to a person subject to air conditioning according to the season, outdoor environment, etc. by appropriately setting a target temperature feeling comfortable for the person subject to air conditioning. The purpose is to

[Means to solve the problem]

In an air conditioning control device that is equipped with a control means for controlling the air conditioner so that the temperature sensation of the person to be air conditioned approaches and maintains the target temperature sensation, the person to be air conditioned is exposed to the air before the air conditioning is performed on the person to be air conditioned. a first detection means for detecting an environmental state; a second detection means for detecting at least one of solar radiation and outside temperature when air conditioning is being performed on a person to be air-conditioned; The target thermal sensation is set in accordance with the environmental state, and the target thermal sensation is set to become cooler as the detection value of at least one of the amount of solar radiation and the outside air temperature detected by the second detection means increases. A technical means is adopted in which a setting means is provided for making correction settings such that the target temperature sensation becomes warmer as the detected value decreases.

[Operation] According to the configuration of the present invention described above, the target temperature sensation that is the target of air conditioning control is based on the environmental condition before air conditioning is applied to the subject, the amount of solar radiation when air conditioning is applied to the subject, and The temperature is set depending on at least one of the outside air temperatures.

The environmental condition before air conditioning was applied to the subject refers to the environment to which the subject was exposed before entering the room, or the environment in the room to which the subject was exposed before indoor air conditioning was started. refers to the environment, and therefore when the environmental conditions to which the subject was exposed before air conditioning were applied to the subject were different, such as when the subject was in a hot environment and when the subject was in a cold environment. Different target thermal sensations are set depending on the environmental conditions.

Further, correction settings are performed in accordance with at least one of the amount of solar radiation and the outside temperature so that the target temperature sensation becomes cooler as the detected value increases.

Therefore, a cooler target temperature is set when the occupants prefer a cooler thermal sensation, such as during the day when the amount of solar radiation is high or during the summer when the outside temperature is high, and when there is no solar radiation at night or when the passenger prefers a cooler thermal sensation. In winter, when the outside temperature is low, a warmer target temperature sensation is set.

〔Example〕

Examples to which the present invention is applied will be described below.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a vehicle air conditioner showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, a vehicle 1 is equipped with an air conditioning unit 2. The air conditioning unit 2 has a generally known configuration, and includes an inside/outside air switching device 21, a blower 22, an evaporator 23, a heater core 24, an air mix damper 25, a vent outlet 26, and the like.

A control device 31 that controls this air conditioning unit 2 has a microcomputer. and an outside temperature sensor 32, a solar radiation sensor 33, a switch panel 34, an inside temperature sensor 35,
and a signal from the infrared skin temperature sensor 36.

The control device 31 performs arithmetic processing on the signals input from the above-mentioned sensors, and controls the blower 22 and the air mix damper 25.

The infrared skin temperature sensor 36 is an infrared detection type sensor that detects the skin temperature of the occupant's face without contact.

In the configuration described above, in this embodiment, the control device 31 calculates the amount of air blown and the target vehicle room temperature according to the skin temperature.

The amount of air blown is determined as follows. The correlation between the sense of warmth and the skin temperature is expressed by equation (1) below.
It can be expressed by the following equation.

Warmth sensation (S) = Kt XTs 10 to 2 +TS +C...
- (1) In other words, a person's sense of warmth changes as the skin temperature changes.

In this example, the temperature difference ΔT expressed by the following equation (2),
The amount of air blown is calculated accordingly.

ΔT, = T, -Ts (2) Here, Ts' is the target temperature sensation S' in equation (1).
It can be determined by (3) 2 below, assuming T = 0 (at steady state).

TS'=(S'-C)/Kl ・(3) Here, ΔT
The air flow rate calculated according to , is a patterned value determined in advance through experiments by the inventors of the present invention.

In this experiment, ΔT was varied, and the amount of air blown that the occupant felt comfortable at each ΔTs was recorded.

The experimental results are approximately as shown in Figure 3, and ΔT.

It has been demonstrated that as the amount of airflow decreases, passengers prefer lower airflow rates. - In this embodiment, based on the experimental results, an air flow pattern as shown in FIG. 4 was set, stored in the control device, and the air flow rate was calculated from this air flow pattern and ΔT.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. Note that this example shows cooling operation.

The control device 31 receives power from a battery (not shown) of the vehicle, and in response to an on operation of a key switch (not shown)
The flowchart shown in the figure is executed to control the vehicle interior temperature, air blowing, and amount.

First, in step 110, detection signals are input from each sensor, and in particular, the skin temperature of the occupant is input from the skin temperature sensor 36.

Next, in step 120, based on the above equation (3),
Target skin temperature Ts' is calculated.

Note that the target temperature sensation S' here corresponds to a numerical value of a temperature sensation such as "warm/cold", and is calculated using the following equation (4) so as to have the characteristics shown in Fig. 6. .

S'=to+*Trint, *Tam+Ks*
ST10C (4) In this embodiment, Trint stores the vehicle interior temperature at the time the key switch is turned on.

According to this equation (4), the target temperature sensation S' is set based on the heat load to which the occupant is exposed before starting air conditioning and the heat load state in the room.

Additionally, this target temperature sensation can be determined by the occupant using the switch panel 34.
Directional corrections such as "hot" or "cold" are made based on the input from

Then, the difference ΔT between the skin temperature T input in step 110 and the target skin temperature Ts' is determined.

In step 130, ΔT determined in step 120
, and the airflow rate pattern shown in Fig. 4.
Determine.

Next, in step 140, the target skin temperature change T8' is calculated from the following equation (5), which is a modification of the above-mentioned equation (1).

This equation (5) shows that the target temperature sensation S' can be achieved by giving a skin temperature change of T3 from the current skin temperature T.

In step 150, the target skin temperature changes T, ,'
A target cabin temperature Ta for causing the temperature change to occur under the air blowing amount V determined in step 130 is calculated.

In this embodiment, the human body inside the vehicle is modeled in advance, and the relationship between the interior temperature Ta and the skin temperature change T3 in the vehicle interior environment, which changes depending on the amount of solar radiation, the amount of air blowing, etc., is simulated. Based on the results, a target cabin temperature Ta that causes a target skin temperature change T5' is calculated.

Then, the steering knob 160 calculates a target air outlet temperature Tao for realizing the target cabin temperature Ta.

In step 170, a control signal for the blower 22 is outputted so that the air blowing amount V determined in step 130 is achieved, and in step 180, a target air outlet temperature Tao is outputted to achieve the target cabin temperature Ta set in step 150. A control signal is output to control the opening degree of the air mix damper 25 so that the following is achieved.

These series of controls are then repeated by updating the sensor signal at every sampling time.

According to the embodiments described above, it is possible to supply a vehicle interior temperature that can achieve the target thermal sensation under an air flow rate that corresponds to the passenger's skin temperature, and to supply the passenger with an air flow rate that corresponds to the passenger's skin temperature. A desired sense of warmth can be given.

Although the infrared skin temperature sensor 36 is used in the above embodiment, a sensor that directly detects the skin temperature may be attached to the human body inside the vehicle.

Alternatively, a simulated skin temperature sensor may be used. Here, the simulated skin temperature sensor has many known structures, and it outputs an estimated value of skin temperature under the environment of temperature, airflow, radiation, and temperature inside the vehicle, and it measures the heat generation and heat dissipation of the human body. This is a sensor with a simulated structure.

Further, the air flow rate pattern is not limited to a stepwise pattern as shown in FIG. 4, but a continuous pattern may be set according to the experimental results shown in FIG.

Further, in the above embodiment, the air flow amount is determined based on ΔTs according to equation (2), but this may be any value that changes in accordance with changes in the thermal sensation of the human body.

For example, the rate of change in skin temperature T3 may be used as an index for other types of air volume control, and the air volume (■) may be calculated from equation (6) below.

V− to *T, ...(6) K: constant, where T is
0 is calculated and obtained as T,=T,'. As shown in FIG. 7, the air flow rate pattern in this index has a reference value of 0, and has a characteristic in which the air flow rate decreases as the reference value approaches zero.

In addition, using the current skin temperature and the skin temperature T that should be generated by the next sampling time, the following formula (7)% formula% (7
) In equation (7), (T=Ts) is ('rs*ΔT)
This shows that it takes the same value as .

In the control based on this index, in step 120, the calculation in step 1400 is performed to obtain Ts.

Next, calculate (-T, XΔT), and use this as the value of ('rs*T,) as an index. As shown in FIG. 8, the characteristic of this index is that the standard is 0, and the closer it gets to this, the lower the air flow rate is.

Furthermore, using the detected skin temperature T as is, the following (8)
The air flow volume (■) may be determined from the formula.

V=to*TS (8) In this index, Ts'' is determined in step 120 in the same manner as in FIG. is determined, and its characteristic diagram is shown in FIG.

Further, although the above embodiments have been described only during cooling, the amount of air blown can be calculated in accordance with these skin temperature indicators during heating as well, and comfortable air conditioning can be performed in accordance with the sense of warmth. In this case, the above (2), (6), (
In formula 7), each index is calculated as an absolute value, and (8)
In the equation T, calculation is performed with left-right symmetry about the vertical axis ('':'rs') in FIG. 9, and the air flow rate pattern during heating can be set.

Further, the target temperature sensation S' may be set based on the following equation (9) so as to have the characteristics shown in FIG. 10.

S' =, *Tsint +, *Tagm+, *
Sy+C...(9) In this equation (9), the initial skin temperature Tsint is used instead of the initial temperature T r , and the target temperature sensation S' can be set in consideration of the heat load to the room.

In addition to the above-mentioned equation (4) or (9), when setting the target temperature sensation S', Trint, Tsint
, Tavb.

All of ST may be used.

For example, based on the skin temperature at the start of air conditioning, which is determined as a result of the thermal load to which the occupant was exposed before getting into the vehicle, the amount of exercise of the occupant, the cabin environment immediately after getting into the cabin, and the heat load state in the cabin, T r i n t, outside air temperature Ta
111. The target temperature range S' may also be set by adding correction based on the amount of solar radiation ST.

In addition, the target temperature sensation S' does not need to remain constant even after the room temperature and skin temperature have stabilized, but can be changed periodically or randomly to create fluctuations in the temperature sensation and improve comfort. You can do it like this.

Moreover, although the above embodiment describes the application of the present invention to a vehicle air conditioner, the present invention can also be applied to a household air conditioner.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the target temperature sensation, which is the control target of the air conditioning, is determined based on the environmental condition to which the subject was exposed before the air conditioning, and the amount of solar radiation and the outside temperature when the air conditioning is being performed. It is possible to set a target temperature feeling that the subject feels comfortable with.

For example, it is possible to set different target thermal sensations depending on whether the subject was exposed to a hot environment before air conditioning or when the subject was exposed to a cold environment, giving the subject a sense of comfort. When there is a lot of sunlight or when the outside temperature is high, the correction setting is made to be cooler, and when there is little solar radiation or the outside temperature is low, the correction setting is made to be warmer. It is possible to set a target temperature feeling in anticipation and provide a sense of comfort to the occupants.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing the configuration of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 are graphs for explaining the operation of the embodiment, FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the embodiment, and FIG. 10 is for explaining another embodiment to which the present invention is applied. This is a graph for DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Vehicle, 2...Air conditioning unit, 31...Control device. 36...Infrared skin temperature sensor.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In an air conditioning control device comprising a control means for controlling an air conditioner so as to maintain a temperature sensation of a person to be air conditioned close to a target temperature sensation, the air conditioner is a first detection means for detecting the environmental condition to which the person was exposed; a second detection means for detecting at least one of the amount of solar radiation and the outside temperature when air conditioning is being performed on the person to be air-conditioned; A target temperature sensation is set according to the environmental state detected by the first detection means, and the target temperature sensation increases as the detected value of at least one of the amount of solar radiation and the outside temperature detected by the second detection means increases. an air conditioning control device, comprising: setting means for correcting and setting the temperature sensation in a direction to make it cooler; and setting means to correct and set the target temperature sensation in a direction to make it warmer as the detected value decreases.