JPH10267370A - Controlling method for air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To smoothly switch an air volume in a well-controlled manner sometimes forceful, sometimes restrained in the case of controlling an indoor fan motor of an air conditioner. SOLUTION: In the method for controlling an air conditioner to a target rotational speed under the control of the rotational speed of an indoor fan motor, in the case of switching air volume by a signal (setting the volume) from a remote controller 2, a phase angle is altered to set the motor 3 to the target speed. At this time, the target speed is decided by a target rotational speed deciding unit 2a of an indoor controller 1, a difference between the present speed of the motor 3 and the target speed is calculated by a rotational speed difference calculator 1b, and a predetermined time interval responsive to the difference is set to a timer by a timer setter 1c. The larger the difference is, the shorter the time interval is set. And, the smaller the difference is, the longer the intervals is set. Feedback control is conducted by a feedback drive controller 1d at each predetermined time of the setter 1c (phase angle is altered).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technology for starting an indoor fan motor of an air conditioner for providing a comfortable indoor environment.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of controlling an air conditioner that enables an indoor fan motor to smoothly set a target rotation speed and to switch airflows with a high degree of sharpness regardless of various conditions such as the environment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an air conditioner of this type, when an operation command is issued by a remote controller or the like, a compressor or the like is operated to operate a refrigeration cycle, and a comfortable environment is maintained in a room by setting the temperature of the remote controller. At this time, the indoor fan motor activates and controls the rotation of the indoor fan motor, and blows the warm air or the cool air obtained by the indoor heat exchanger into the room. The number of rotations (rotation speed) of the indoor fan motor is controlled, for example, in accordance with the air volume setting (for example, a weak wind, a middle wind, a strong wind, etc.) by a remote controller. Thus, the indoor environment can be set to a state desired by the user of the air conditioner.

Incidentally, in order to control the rotation of the indoor fan motor in a predetermined manner, a method of phase control and feedback speed control is employed. In this case, the rotation speed of the indoor fan is detected at predetermined time intervals, and the phase angle is determined according to the difference between the detected rotation speed (current rotation speed) and the target rotation speed (rotation speed according to the air volume setting). (Applied voltage). For example, when the rotation speed difference is large, the change in the phase angle is large, and when the current rotation speed approaches the target rotation speed, and when the rotation speed difference is small, the change in the phase angle is small.

[0004] The fixed time interval for changing the phase angle (time interval for feedback control) is, for example, the case of switching the rotation speed in the automatic air flow, the time of starting the heating operation (at the time of starting the fan), and the case of switching the air flow by the remote control ( (In the case of switching to a light wind, a weak wind, or a strong wind), different values are set in advance.

That is, in the case of automatic air volume switching, in order to enable smooth switching, a fixed time interval is set long, and the number of revolutions is gently increased by smooth control (see FIG. 4). Not to give. In addition, in the case of air volume switching according to the user's request (when the air volume is set by a remote controller, in order to enable sharp switching, a fixed time interval is set short, and the rotation speed is rapidly increased ( (See FIG. 5) to give the user a sharp feeling.

[0006]

However, in the control method of the air conditioner, it is difficult to set a fixed time interval to an optimum value, and particularly to set a fixed time interval at the time of sharp switching. If the time is too long, not only the sharpness disappears, but also the recovery after the target rotational speed is exceeded (overshoot) is delayed (see FIG. 5). Conversely, if the time is too short. Although there is no problem with sharpness, there is a drawback that the overshoot recovers too quickly and an overshoot sound is generated (see FIG. 6), giving the user discomfort.

Further, since the above-described characteristics also differ depending on the load on the indoor fan motor, even if the predetermined time interval is optimally set, a problem may occur if other conditions are met. In other words, depending on the load, the control of the indoor fan motor may not be optimal, and the optimal air volume switching may not be performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to control the number of revolutions of an indoor fan motor optimally. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of controlling an air conditioner that can switch the air flow with a sense of healing.

[0009]

To achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a method of controlling an air conditioner for controlling the number of revolutions of an indoor fan motor by phase control. When the rotation speed is set to the target rotation speed, a difference between the current rotation speed and the target rotation speed of the indoor fan motor is calculated, and a time interval of a phase angle change of the phase control is changed according to the calculated rotation speed difference. It is characterized by having.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling an air conditioner in which the phase angle is changed at predetermined time intervals when controlling the rotation speed of an indoor fan motor by phase control. When there is, a difference between a current rotation speed of the indoor fan motor and a target rotation speed by switching the air flow is calculated, and the time interval is changed according to the calculated rotation speed difference.

In this case, it is preferable that the changed time interval is set in a timer, and the phase angle is changed when the timer expires.

The time interval may be shortened as the rotation speed difference increases, and the time interval may be increased as the rotation speed difference decreases.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 1, the control device for an air conditioner of the present invention includes an indoor control device (including a microcomputer) 1 and an outdoor control device. For example, the indoor control device 1 that has received a remote control signal from a remote control 2 Start operation of the air conditioner. At this time, the indoor control device 1 starts and rotates the indoor fan motor 3 by the phase control method. The larger the difference between the current rotation speed and the target rotation speed, the shorter the fixed time interval of the control for changing the phase angle. Then, the smaller the difference between the rotation speeds, the longer the certain time interval.

For this reason, the indoor control device 1
Target rotation speed determination unit 1a that determines the target rotation speed of the indoor fan motor 3 based on a signal (such as automatic air flow or air flow setting) from the controller
A rotation speed difference calculation unit 1b for calculating a difference between the current rotation speed and the target rotation speed of the indoor fan motor 3, a timer setting unit 1c for setting a fixed time interval according to the difference in a timer, and setting the timer. And a feedback drive control unit 1d for performing feedback control at regular intervals of the unit 1c. Note that the target rotation speed determination unit 1a, the rotation speed difference calculation unit 1b, the timer setting unit 1c, and the feedback drive control unit 1d can be realized by a microcomputer.

Next, a control method applied to the control device having the above configuration will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 2 and a graph shown in FIG. 3. First, the air conditioner is operated, and the indoor fan motor is operated. 3 has been activated.

At this time, the indoor control device 1
It is determined whether or not the air volume has been switched (switching between a small wind, a weak wind, or a strong wind) based on a remote control signal from the controller (step ST1). When the air volume is not switched by the user, for example, when the automatic air volume is still set, the phase angle is changed every predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds) as in the conventional case, and the indoor fan motor 3 is turned on. To the target rotation speed.

When the user switches the air volume with the remote controller 2 (for example, when the wind is set to a strong wind), the process proceeds from step ST1 to ST3 to determine whether or not the phase angle is changed for the first time (whether or not the feedback control is performed for the first time). Judge). If it is the first phase angle change, the target rotation speed obtained by the target rotation speed determination unit 1a is read (step ST4), and the current rotation speed of the indoor fan motor 3 is detected (step ST5).

Subsequently, the difference between the target rotational speed and the current rotational speed is calculated by the rotational speed difference calculating section 1b (step ST6), and the phase angle is changed according to the rotational speed difference (step ST6).
7). In this case, the change of the phase angle is the same as the conventional one. After the rotation speed changes due to the change in the phase angle, the current rotation speed of the indoor fan motor 3 is detected (step ST8), and the difference between the target rotation speed and the current rotation speed is calculated (step ST8).
9).

Subsequently, a fixed time interval of the feedback control is calculated according to the difference between the calculated rotation speeds. For example, from the graph of FIG. 3, the shorter the rotation speed difference is, the shorter the time is calculated. The smaller the difference between the numbers, the longer the time is calculated, and this time is set by the timer setting unit 1c (step ST10). When the set time has elapsed, the process proceeds from step ST11 to ST12 to change the phase angle,
Bring the speed closer to the target speed.

Subsequently, the air volume is switched by a remote control signal from the remote controller 2 (light wind, weak wind or strong wind).
Is determined (step ST13), and if there is no air volume switching by the remote controller 2, the process returns to step 8, and the processing of steps ST8 to ST12 is repeated.
The rotation speed of the indoor fan motor 3 is set to the target rotation speed and is maintained at the target rotation speed.

As described above, the fixed time interval of the feedback control is changed according to the difference between the target rotation speed and the current rotation speed. The larger the rotation speed difference, the shorter the fixed time interval and the difference in the rotation speed difference. The smaller the is, the longer the certain time.
Therefore, when the rotation speed is far from the target rotation speed, the phase angle is changed at a short time interval, so that the air volume becomes sharp. When the rotation speed approaches the target rotation speed, the phase angle becomes longer. Because it changes at intervals,
The overshoot of the rotational speed is small, there is no auditory discomfort (the overshoot sound is not small), and the recovery to the target rotational speed is quick.

Also, the predetermined time interval can be optimally changed according to the load state on the indoor fan motor 3, and the rotation speed can be switched smoothly and the air volume can be switched with a sharp feeling regardless of the load state. It is. When the air volume is switched by the remote controller 2, step 3 is executed.
Then, the processing of steps ST3 to ST12 is repeated to set the rotation speed of the indoor fan motor 3 to the target rotation speed and to maintain the target rotation speed.

[0023]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the control method of the air conditioner, the rotation speed of the indoor fan motor is set to the target rotation speed by the phase control by switching the air volume of the air conditioner. At this time, the difference between the current rotation speed and the target rotation speed of the indoor fan motor is calculated, and the time interval of the phase angle change of the phase control is changed according to the calculated rotation speed difference. There is an effect that the rotational speed can be optimally controlled regardless of the load state.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling an air conditioner in which a phase angle is changed at predetermined time intervals when controlling the number of revolutions of an indoor fan motor by phase control. When the air volume is switched by the remote controller, the difference between the current rotation speed of the indoor fan motor and the target rotation speed by the air volume switching is calculated, and the time interval is changed according to the calculated rotation speed difference. Thus, the same effect as that of the first aspect is achieved, and there is an effect that the air volume can be switched with a sharp feeling according to the air volume switching by the remote controller.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the changed time interval is set in a timer, and the phase angle is changed when the timer expires. In addition to the effects of the second aspect, the present invention can be realized by a microcomputer of the control device of the air conditioner, so that there is an effect that a hardware circuit is not required to be added and cost is not increased.

According to claim 4 of the present invention, in claim 1 or 2, the time interval is shortened as the rotation speed difference is large, and the time interval is lengthened as the rotation speed difference is small. In addition to the effects of the first or second aspect, in particular, regardless of the load on the indoor fan motor, smooth air volume switching and air volume switching with a sense of healing are possible, thereby reducing the overshoot of the rotation speed, and
There is no auditory discomfort (the overseat sound is reduced), and the return to the target rotation speed is quick (the overshoot recovers quickly).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, to which an air conditioner control method is applied;

FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart for explaining the operation of the control device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic graph for explaining the operation of the control device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic graph for explaining the operation of a conventional air conditioner.

FIG. 5 is a schematic graph illustrating the operation of a conventional air conditioner.

FIG. 6 is a schematic graph illustrating the operation of a conventional air conditioner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 indoor control device 1a target rotation speed determination unit 1b rotation speed difference calculation unit 1c timer setting unit 1d fan motor drive control unit 2 remote control 3 indoor fan motor

Claims (4)

[Claims] In an air conditioner control method for controlling the number of revolutions of an indoor fan motor by phase control, when the number of revolutions of the indoor fan motor is set to a target number of revolutions by switching the air flow, A method for controlling an air conditioner, wherein a difference between a current rotation speed and a target rotation speed is calculated, and a time interval of a phase angle change of the phase control is changed according to the calculated rotation speed difference. 2. A method for controlling the rotation speed of an indoor fan motor by phase control, the method comprising the steps of: changing a phase angle at predetermined time intervals; When
A method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising calculating a difference between a current rotation speed of the indoor fan motor and a target rotation speed by switching the air volume, and changing the time interval according to the calculated rotation speed difference. . 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the changed time interval is set in a timer.
3. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the phase angle is changed when the timer expires. 4. The air conditioner control method according to claim 1, wherein the time interval is shortened as the rotation speed difference is increased, and the time interval is lengthened as the rotation speed difference is reduced.