JPWO2020035909A1 - Air conditioners, controls, air conditioners and programs - Google Patents

Abstract

In the air conditioner, the air conditioner (110) includes a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the air in the air conditioner space and the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe, and a first blower and a second blower that send air to the heat exchanger, respectively. It has a blower and air-conditions the air-conditioned space. The acquisition unit (510) acquires the temperature of the air sent to the heat exchanger by the temperature sensor (41) installed at a position closer to the second blower than the first blower. The air conditioning control unit (540) switches between the first dehumidification mode and the second dehumidification mode according to the temperature acquired by the acquisition unit (510), and causes the air conditioning unit (110) to dehumidify the air conditioning space. The air conditioning control unit (540) drives the first blower and the second blower at a specified rotation speed in the first dehumidification mode, and drives the first blower at a specified rotation speed in the second dehumidification mode. It is driven at a first rotation speed that is smaller than that, and the second blower is driven at a second rotation speed that is larger than the first rotation speed.

Description

The present invention relates to air conditioners, control devices, air conditioners and programs.

A technology that automatically switches the operation mode of air conditioning is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner that changes the operation modes of heating, dehumidification, and cooling according to the difference between the set temperature and the room temperature while correcting the set temperature according to the calendar and the outside air temperature. There is. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses an air conditioner that switches between a first dehumidifying operation and a second dehumidifying operation according to a difference between the humidity of the air-conditioned space and the target humidity.

Japanese Patent No. 5194696 Japanese Patent No. 5799932

When dehumidifying an air-conditioned space, depending on the temperature or humidity of the air-conditioned space, it may be desired to further enhance the ability to reduce the humidity of the air-conditioned space. In this way, it is desired to improve comfort by making it possible to dehumidify the air-conditioned space by switching the operation mode more flexibly according to the situation.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner or the like capable of improving comfort in an air-conditioned space.

In order to achieve the above object, the air conditioner according to the present invention is
The air conditioner has a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the air in the air conditioning space and the refrigerant flowing through the air conditioner pipe, and a first blower and a second blower that send the air to the heat exchanger, respectively. Air conditioning means to air-condition the space and
An acquisition means for acquiring the temperature of the air sent to the heat exchanger by a temperature sensor installed at a position closer to the second blower than the first blower.
The air conditioning means is provided with an air conditioning control means that switches between a first dehumidifying mode and a second dehumidifying mode according to the temperature acquired by the acquiring means, and dehumidifies the air conditioning space.
In the first dehumidification mode, the air conditioning control means drives the first blower and the second blower at a predetermined rotation speed, and in the second dehumidification mode, the first blower is driven by the first blower. The second blower is driven at a first rotation speed smaller than the specified rotation speed, and the second blower is driven at a second rotation speed higher than the first rotation speed.

According to the present invention, the first dehumidification mode and the second dehumidification mode are switched according to the temperature of the air acquired by the temperature sensor installed at a position closer to the second blower than the first blower. The air-conditioned space is dehumidified. In the first dehumidification mode, the first blower and the second blower are driven at a specified rotation speed, and in the second dehumidification mode, the first blower is driven from the specified rotation speed. It is driven at a small first rotation speed, and the second blower is driven at a second rotation speed higher than the first rotation speed. Therefore, the comfort in the air-conditioned space can be improved.

The figure which shows the structure of the air conditioner which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. A block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an outdoor unit control unit according to the first embodiment. The figure which shows the relationship between the air-conditioning capacity executed by the air-conditioning apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 and the operation mode. A flowchart showing the flow of control processing in the hybrid mode executed by the air conditioner according to the first embodiment. A block diagram showing a functional configuration of the outdoor unit control unit according to the first embodiment. The figure which shows the relationship between the heat load and the operation mode in Embodiment 1. In the first embodiment, (a) the amount of solar radiation under high humidity conditions, (b) the outside air temperature To, (c) the outside air humidity RHo, (d) the steady sensible heat load Qs, (e) the steady latent heat load Ql, and (F) Figure showing change of operation mode In the first embodiment, a diagram showing changes in (g) sensible heat capacity, (h) latent heat capacity, (i) room temperature Ti, and (j) indoor humidity RHi under high humidity conditions. In the first embodiment, (a) the amount of solar radiation under low humidity conditions, (b) the outside air temperature To, (c) the outside air humidity RHo, (d) the steady sensible heat load Qs, (e) the steady latent heat load Ql, and ( f) Diagram showing changes in operation mode In the first embodiment, a diagram showing changes in (g) sensible heat capacity, (h) latent heat capacity, (i) room temperature Ti, and (j) indoor humidity RHi under low humidity conditions. The figure which shows the 1st example of the notification screen of the operation mode in Embodiment 1. The figure which shows the 2nd example of the notification screen of the operation mode in Embodiment 1. A flowchart showing the flow of control processing in the automatic mode executed by the air conditioner according to the first embodiment. The figure which shows the relationship between temperature, humidity and operation mode in Embodiment 2 of this invention. A block diagram showing a functional configuration of an outdoor unit control unit according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows an example of the history information in Embodiment 4. The figure which shows the outline of the heat transfer of the indoor space in Embodiment 4. In the fourth embodiment, (a) to (c) are an approximate straight line showing the relationship between the temperature difference between the room temperature and the outside air temperature and the air conditioning capacity, an approximate straight line for each heat insulation performance, and an approximate straight line for each internal calorific value. Diagram showing An explanatory diagram of a method of obtaining an approximate straight line using representative data points in the fourth embodiment. The figure which shows the whole structure of the air-conditioning system which concerns on the modification of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings below, the size relationship of each component may differ from the actual one. Further, in the following drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

The forms of the components shown in the specification are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. Further, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and drawings. It goes without saying that the embodiments and drawings can be modified without changing the gist of the present invention.

The steps for describing a program that performs the operation of the embodiment of the present invention are processes performed in chronological order in the order described, but are not necessarily processed in chronological order, but are executed in parallel or individually. It may also include the processing to be performed.

Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented alone or in combination. In either case, the advantageous effects described below will be achieved. Further, the various specific settings and flags described in the embodiment are only shown as an example, and are not particularly limited thereto.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the system represents an entire device composed of a plurality of devices or an entire function composed of a plurality of functions.

(Embodiment 1)
<Configuration of air conditioner 1>
FIG. 1 shows an air conditioner 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The air conditioner 1 is a device that air-conditions the indoor space 71, which is an air-conditioned space. Air conditioning is to adjust the temperature, humidity, cleanliness, air flow, etc. of the air in the air-conditioned space, and specifically, heating, cooling, dehumidifying, humidifying, air cleaning, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner 1 is installed in the house 3. The house 3 is, for example, a so-called general detached house building. The air conditioner 1 is a heat pump type air conditioner that uses, for example, CO ₂ (carbon dioxide), HFC (hydrofluorocarbon), or the like as a refrigerant. The air conditioner 1 is equipped with a vapor compression refrigeration cycle, and operates by obtaining electric power from a commercial power source, a power generation facility, a power storage facility, etc. (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner 1 includes an outdoor unit 11 provided outside the house 3, an indoor unit 13 provided inside the house 3, and a remote controller 55 operated by a user. The outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 13 are connected to each other via a refrigerant pipe 61 through which the refrigerant flows and a communication line 63 to which various signals are transferred. The air conditioner 1 cools the indoor space 71 by blowing air-conditioned air, for example, cold air from the indoor unit 13, and heats the indoor space 71 by blowing warm air.

The outdoor unit 11 includes a compressor 21, a four-way valve 22, an outdoor heat exchanger 23, an expansion valve 24, an outdoor blower 31, and an outdoor unit control unit 51. The indoor unit 13 includes an indoor heat exchanger 25, indoor blowers 33a and 33b, and an indoor unit control unit 53. The refrigerant pipe 61 connects the compressor 21, the four-way valve 22, the outdoor heat exchanger 23, the expansion valve 24, and the indoor heat exchanger 25 in an annular shape. This constitutes a refrigeration cycle.

The compressor 21 compresses the refrigerant and circulates the refrigerant pipe 61. Specifically, the compressor 21 compresses the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant, and discharges the high-pressure and high-temperature refrigerant to the four-way valve 22. The compressor 21 includes an inverter circuit capable of changing the operating capacity according to the drive frequency. The operating capacity is the amount that the compressor 21 sends out the refrigerant per unit. The compressor 21 changes the operating capacity according to an instruction from the outdoor unit control unit 51.

The four-way valve 22 is installed on the discharge side of the compressor 21. The four-way valve 22 switches the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipe 61 depending on whether the operation of the air conditioner 1 is a cooling or dehumidifying operation or a heating operation.

The outdoor heat exchanger 23 exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 61 and the air in the outdoor space 72 (external space) outside the air conditioning space. The outdoor blower 31 is provided near the outdoor heat exchanger 23, and sends the air in the outdoor space 72 to the outdoor heat exchanger 23. The outdoor blower 31 sucks in the air in the outdoor space 72, and the sucked air is supplied to the outdoor heat exchanger 23, and after heat exchange with the cold / hot heat supplied by the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 61, it is outdoors. It is blown out to the space 72.

The expansion valve 24 is installed between the outdoor heat exchanger 23 and the indoor heat exchanger 25, and decompresses and expands the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 61. The expansion valve 24 is an electronic expansion valve whose opening degree can be variably controlled. The expansion valve 24 adjusts the pressure of the refrigerant by changing the opening degree according to the instruction from the outdoor unit control unit 51.

The indoor heat exchanger 25 exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 61 and the air in the indoor space 71. The indoor blowers 33a and 33b are provided near the indoor heat exchanger 25, respectively, and send the air in the indoor space 71 to the indoor heat exchanger 25. The indoor blowers 33a and 33b suck in the air in the indoor space 71, and the sucked air is supplied to the indoor heat exchanger 25 and exchanged heat with the cold and hot heat supplied from the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 61. After that, it is blown out into the indoor space 71. The air heat exchanged by the indoor heat exchanger 25 is supplied to the indoor space 71 as conditioned air. As a result, the indoor space 71 is air-conditioned.

The indoor heat exchanger 25 includes two heat exchangers 25a and 25b and an expansion valve 26. The first heat exchanger 25a is installed on the upstream side of the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle during cooling, and exchanges heat between the air blown by the indoor blower 33a, which is the first blower, and the refrigerant. The second heat exchanger 25b is installed on the downstream side of the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle during cooling, and exchanges heat between the air blown by the indoor blower 33b, which is the second blower, and the refrigerant. The expansion valve 26 is installed between the two heat exchangers 25a and 25b, and adjusts the pressure of the refrigerant flowing between the two heat exchangers 25a and 25b.

The indoor unit 13 further includes a temperature sensor 41, a humidity sensor 42, and an infrared sensor 43. The temperature sensor 41 is a sensor for a resistance temperature detector, a thermistor, a thermoelectric pair, etc., and detects room temperature Ti, which is the air temperature of the indoor space 71. The humidity sensor 42 is an electric resistance type sensor, a capacitance type sensor, or the like, and detects the indoor humidity RHi, which is the air humidity of the indoor space 71.

The temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 are installed at the suction port of the second heat exchanger 25b in the indoor heat exchanger 25, and the air sucked into the second heat exchanger 25b by the second indoor blower 33b. Detects temperature and humidity. By being installed at the air suction port of the second indoor blower 33b, the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 can accurately detect the temperature and humidity of the air in the indoor space 71.

The infrared sensor 43 is a pyroelectric type sensor, a thermopile type sensor, or the like, and detects infrared rays radiated from the object to be detected. The infrared sensor 43 is installed near the window 75, which is a place to receive sunlight in the indoor space 71, and detects the window temperature Tw, which is the surface temperature of the window 75, by detecting the infrared rays radiated from the window 75. To do. Since the window 75 is illuminated by sunlight when the sun is shining during the day, its surface temperature can be used as an index of the amount of solar radiation.

The infrared sensor 43 also functions as a so-called motion sensor, and can identify the existence and position of an object by detecting infrared rays radiated from an object such as a person or an object existing in the indoor space 71. ..

Although not shown, the air conditioner 1 includes an outside air temperature sensor that detects the outside air temperature, an outside air humidity sensor that detects the outside air humidity, and an evaporation temperature sensor that detects the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 61. Further prepare. The outside air temperature sensor and the outside air humidity sensor are installed in the outdoor space 72, respectively, and detect the outside air temperature To, which is the air temperature of the outdoor space 72, and the outside air humidity RHo, which is the air humidity of the outdoor space 72.

Although the humidity sensor 42 and the outside air humidity sensor will be described below as detecting humidity in units of relative humidity, they may be detected in units of absolute humidity. Relative humidity and absolute humidity can be appropriately converted using the air temperature at that time.

The evaporation temperature sensor is installed in the refrigerant pipe 61 on the upstream side of the indoor heat exchanger 25, for example, during cooling and dehumidification, and detects the temperature of the refrigerant pipe 61. As a result, the evaporation temperature sensor detects the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the indoor heat exchanger 25. Further, the evaporation temperature sensor may be installed between, for example, the first heat exchanger 25a and the second heat exchanger 25b, and may detect the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 25.

The detection result by each sensor is supplied to the indoor unit control unit 53. The indoor unit control unit 53 supplies the supplied detection result to the outdoor unit control unit 51 via the communication line 63.

The outdoor unit control unit 51 controls the operation of the outdoor unit 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the outdoor unit control unit 51 includes a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, a timekeeping unit 103, and a communication unit 104. Each of these parts is connected via a bus.

The control unit 101 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The CPU is also referred to as a central processing unit, a central processing unit, a processor, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or the like. In the control unit 101, the CPU reads out the programs and data stored in the ROM, uses the RAM as a work area, and controls the outdoor unit control unit 51 in an integrated manner.

The storage unit 102 is a non-volatile semiconductor memory such as a flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), or EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), and serves as a so-called secondary storage device or auxiliary storage device. The storage unit 102 stores programs and data used by the control unit 101 to perform various processes, and data generated or acquired by the control unit 101 performing various processes.

The timekeeping unit 103 includes an RTC (Real Time Clock), and is a timekeeping device that continues timekeeping even while the power of the air conditioner 1 is off.

The communication unit 104 is an interface for communicating with the indoor unit control unit 53 and the remote controller 55 via the communication line 63. The communication unit 104 receives the operation information received from the user from the remote controller 55, and transmits the notification information for notifying the user to the remote controller 55. Further, the communication unit 104 transmits the operation command of the indoor unit 13 to the indoor unit control unit 53, and receives the state information indicating the state of the indoor unit 13 from the indoor unit control unit 53.

Although not shown, the indoor unit control unit 53 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, a communication interface, and a readable and writable non-volatile semiconductor memory. In the indoor unit control unit 53, the CPU controls the operation of the indoor unit 13 by executing a control program stored in the ROM while using the RAM as a work memory.

The outdoor unit control unit 51 is connected to the indoor unit control unit 53 by a communication line 63 which is a wired, wireless, or other communication medium. The outdoor unit control unit 51 operates in cooperation by exchanging various signals with the indoor unit control unit 53 via the communication line 63 to control the entire air conditioner 1. In this way, the outdoor unit control unit 51 functions as a control device for controlling the air conditioner 1.

The outdoor unit control unit 51 and the indoor unit control unit 53 control the operation of the air conditioner 1 based on the detection result of each sensor and the setting information of the air conditioner 1 set by the user. Specifically, the outdoor unit control unit 51 controls the drive frequency of the compressor 21, the switching of the four-way valve 22, the rotation speed of the outdoor blower 31, and the opening degree of the expansion valve 24. Further, the indoor unit control unit 53 controls the rotation speeds of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b. The outdoor unit control unit 51 may control the rotation speeds of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b, or the indoor unit control unit 53 may control the drive frequency of the compressor 21, the switching of the four-way valve 22, and the rotation speed of the outdoor blower 31. Alternatively, the opening degree of the expansion valve 24 may be controlled. In this way, the outdoor unit control unit 51 and the indoor unit control unit 53 output various operation commands to various devices in response to the operation commands given to the air conditioner 1.

A remote controller 55 is arranged in the indoor space 71. The remote controller 55 transmits and receives various signals to and from the indoor unit control unit 53 included in the indoor unit 13. The remote controller 55 is provided with a pressing button, a touch screen, a liquid crystal display, an LED (Light Emitting Diode), etc., and functions as a command receiving unit that receives various commands from the user and a display unit that displays various information to the user. To do. The user inputs a command to the air conditioner 1 by operating the remote controller 55. The command is, for example, a command for switching between operation and stop, or a command for switching operation mode, set temperature, set humidity, air volume, wind direction, timer, and the like. The air conditioner 1 operates according to the input command. As such a user interface, an information device such as a smartphone or tablet may be provided instead of the remote controller 55.

<Operation mode>
The air conditioner 1 has at least "(A) cooling", "(B) heating", "(C) dehumidification", "(D) hybrid", and "(E) automatic" operation modes. The indoor space 71 is air-conditioned in any of the operation modes.

(A) Cooling mode The operation mode of "cooling" is a mode for cooling the air in the indoor space 71 to lower the temperature. Upon receiving the "cooling" operation command, the control unit 101 switches the flow path of the four-way valve 22 so that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 21 flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 23, and appropriately adjusts the expansion valves 24 and 26. Open to. Then, the control unit 101 drives the compressor 21, the outdoor blower 31, and the indoor blowers 33a and 33b.

When the compressor 21 is driven, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 21 passes through the four-way valve 22 and flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 23. The refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 23 exchanges heat with the outdoor air sucked from the outdoor space 72 to be condensed and liquefied, and flows into the expansion valve 24. The refrigerant that has flowed into the expansion valve 24 is depressurized by the expansion valve 24 and then flows into the indoor heat exchanger 25. The refrigerant flowing into the indoor heat exchanger 25 exchanges heat with the indoor air sucked from the indoor space 71 and evaporates, then passes through the four-way valve 22 and is sucked into the compressor 21 again. By flowing the refrigerant in this way, the indoor air sucked from the indoor space 71 is cooled by the indoor heat exchanger 25.

(B) Heating mode The operation mode of "heating" is a mode for heating the air in the indoor space 71 to raise the temperature. Upon receiving the "heating" operation command, the control unit 101 switches the flow path of the four-way valve 22 so that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 21 flows into the indoor heat exchanger 25, and appropriately adjusts the expansion valves 24 and 26. Open to. Then, the control unit 101 drives the compressor 21, the outdoor blower 31, and the indoor blowers 33a and 33b.

When the compressor 21 is driven, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 21 passes through the four-way valve 22 and flows into the indoor heat exchanger 25. The refrigerant flowing into the indoor heat exchanger 25 exchanges heat with the indoor air sucked from the indoor space 71 to form a condensed liquid, and flows into the expansion valve 24. The refrigerant that has flowed into the expansion valve 24 is depressurized by the expansion valve 24 and then flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 23. The refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 23 exchanges heat with the outdoor air sucked from the outdoor space 72 and evaporates, then passes through the four-way valve 22 and is sucked into the compressor 21 again. In this way, the refrigerant flows in the direction opposite to that of "cooling" and "dehumidification", so that the indoor air sucked from the indoor space 71 is heated by the indoor heat exchanger 25.

<Starting and stopping the compressor>
In the cooling mode, when the room temperature Ti drops to the thermo-off temperature during the operation of the compressor 21, the control unit 101 stops the operation of the compressor 21 in order to prevent overcooling. Then, when the room temperature Ti rises to the thermo-on temperature while the compressor 21 is stopped, the operation of the compressor 21 is restarted in order to prevent overheating. Similarly, in the heating mode, when the room temperature Ti rises to the thermo-off temperature during the operation of the compressor 21, the control unit 101 stops the operation of the compressor 21 in order to prevent overheating. Then, when the room temperature Ti drops to the thermoon temperature while the compressor 21 is stopped, the control unit 101 restarts the operation of the compressor 21 in order to prevent overcooling. The thermo-off temperature and the thermo-on temperature are preset to temperatures within a specified range with respect to the set temperature Tm, which is the target temperature. In this way, the control unit 101 maintains the room temperature Ti at the set temperature Tm by repeating the operation and the stop of the compressor 21.

(C) Dehumidification mode The operation mode of "dehumidification" is a mode for lowering the humidity of the indoor space 71. Upon receiving the operation command of "dehumidification", the control unit 101 switches the flow path of the four-way valve 22 so that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 21 flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 23, as in the case of "cooling". The expansion valves 24 and 26 are opened appropriately. Then, the control unit 101 drives the compressor 21, the outdoor blower 31, and the indoor blowers 33a and 33b. As a result, the refrigerant circulates in the refrigerant pipe 61 in the same direction as “cooling”.

More specifically, the operation modes of "dehumidification" are "(C1) weak cooling dehumidification", "(C2) double fan dehumidification", "(C3) dew point temperature dehumidification", "(C4) partial cooling dehumidification", and "(C4) partial cooling dehumidification". It can be divided into six operation modes: (C5) extended dehumidification and (C6) reheat dehumidification. These are collectively referred to as the dehumidification mode. In the actual product, the dehumidification mode may be described as a part of the cooling mode, but if the operation mode can obtain a sensible heat ratio SHF relatively lower than that of the cooling mode, the dehumidification described below will be described. Included in mode.

FIG. 3 shows the relationship between each operation mode and the air conditioning capacity. Here, the air conditioning capacity is an index indicating the strength of air conditioning by the air conditioner 1, and corresponds to the amount of heat exchange between the refrigerant and the indoor air in the indoor heat exchanger 25. The larger the amount of heat exchange between the refrigerant and air in the indoor heat exchanger 25, the higher the air conditioning capacity of the air conditioner 1. The air-conditioning capacity during cooling is called the cooling capacity, and the air-conditioning capacity during heating is called the heating capacity.

In FIG. 3, the horizontal axis represents the sensible heat capacity and the vertical axis represents the latent heat capacity. The sensible heat capacity corresponds to the capacity related to the temperature change of air in the air conditioning capacity. On the other hand, the latent heat capacity corresponds to the ability to be involved in the state change of moisture in the air, that is, the ability to be involved in dehumidification. The sum of the sensible heat capacity and the latent heat capacity is called the total heat capacity, and the ratio of the sensible heat capacity to the total heat capacity is called the sensible heat factor (SHF). The sensible heat ratio is expressed by the following equation (1).
Sensible heat ratio (SHF) = sensible heat capacity / total heat capacity ... (1)

In the following, the sensible heat capacity when cooling the air will be described as positive, and the latent heat capacity when dehumidifying the air will be described as positive. Specifically, in each operation mode of "dehumidification", the latent heat capacity increases because the dehumidification capacity increases as compared with "cooling", but the sensible heat capacity decreases because the cooling capacity decreases. Hereinafter, each operation mode of "dehumidification" will be described in detail.

(C1) Weak cooling dehumidification mode The operation mode of "weak cooling dehumidification" is the first dehumidification mode having a lower cooling capacity and a higher dehumidification capacity than "cooling". When the control unit 101 receives the operation command of "weak cooling dehumidification", the control unit 101 circulates the refrigerant in the same direction as "cooling". On top of that, the control unit 101 reduces the rotation speeds of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b as compared with the case of "cooling". In other words, the control unit 101 reduces the amount of air blown to the indoor heat exchanger 25 by the indoor blowers 33a and 33b in the "weak cooling dehumidification" as compared with the "cooling".

In general, the larger the amount of air blown by the indoor blowers 33a and 33b, the higher the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 25, and the higher the efficiency of the refrigeration cycle. Therefore, in "cooling", the air conditioner 1 leads to energy saving by operating with a large air flow amount that does not cause noise. On the other hand, in the "weak cooling dehumidification", the control unit 101 lowers the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant by reducing the amount of air blown by the indoor blowers 33a and 33b as compared with the "cooling". As a result, the sensible heat capacity of the indoor heat exchanger 25 decreases, and the latent heat capacity increases. Therefore, the sensible heat ratio decreases. As a result, the room temperature Ti is less likely to decrease and the indoor humidity RHi is more likely to decrease in the "weak cooling dehumidification" than in the "cooling".

(C2) Double Fan Dehumidification Mode The operation mode of the "double fan dehumidification" is the second dehumidification mode in which the two indoor blowers 33a and 33b are driven at different rotation speeds to dehumidify the indoor space 71. When the control unit 101 receives the operation command of "double fan dehumidification", the control unit 101 circulates the refrigerant in the same direction as "cooling". Then, the control unit 101 makes the rotation speed of the first indoor blower 33a smaller than the rotation speed of the second indoor blower 33b.

Specifically, the control unit 101 drives the two indoor blowers 33a and 33b at the specified rotation speed W0 in the "weak cooling dehumidification", whereas the temperature sensor 41 in the "double fan dehumidification". And the first indoor blower 33a far from the humidity sensor 42 is driven at the first rotation speed W1 which is smaller than the specified rotation speed W0. On the other hand, in the "double fan dehumidification", the control unit 101 drives the second indoor blower 33b, which is close to the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42, at a second rotation speed W2 higher than the first rotation speed W1. .. The second rotation speed W2 is set to a rotation speed similar to that of the specified rotation speed W0. As a result, the control unit 101 sets the sum of the amount of air blown by the first indoor blower 33a and the second indoor blower 33b in the "double fan dehumidification" to the first indoor blower 33a and the second in the "weak cooling dehumidification". It is lower than the sum of the amount of air blown by the indoor blower 33b.

When the rotation speed of the second indoor blower 33b close to the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 is reduced, the amount of sucked air is reduced, so that it becomes difficult to accurately obtain the temperature of the sucked air, and the air conditioning of the air conditioning space. It becomes difficult to control properly. However, in the "double fan dehumidification", the temperature of the air sent to the indoor heat exchanger 25 by the second indoor blower 33b is maintained by keeping the rotation speed of the second indoor blower 33b at the same level as in the "weak cooling dehumidification". And humidity can be detected with high accuracy.

On the other hand, by lowering the rotation speed of the first indoor blower 33a far from the temperature sensor 41 and the humidity sensor 42 than the "weak cooling dehumidification", the amount of air blown by the indoor blowers 33a and 33b is smaller than that of the "weak cooling dehumidification". Decrease the sum. As a result, the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 25 is lowered, and the latent heat capacity is increased. On the other hand, since the sensible heat capacity decreases, the sensible heat ratio decreases. As a result, the room temperature Ti is less likely to decrease and the indoor humidity RHi is more likely to decrease in the "double fan dehumidification" than in the "weak cooling dehumidification".

In this way, in the "double fan dehumidification", by making a difference in the rotation speeds of the two indoor blowers 33a and 33b, the temperature and humidity of the indoor space 71 can be accurately detected and sent to the indoor heat exchanger 25. The air volume can be reduced. Therefore, the indoor space 71 can be dehumidified with a higher dehumidifying capacity than "weak cooling dehumidification".

(C3) Dew Point Temperature Dehumidification Mode The operation mode of "dew point temperature dehumidification" is a third dehumidification mode in which the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant is lowered below the dew point temperature of air in order to enhance the dehumidification capacity. When the control unit 101 receives the operation command of "dew point temperature dehumidification", the control unit 101 circulates the refrigerant in the same direction as "cooling". Then, the control unit 101 controls the rotation speed of the compressor 21 to a rotation speed at which the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant detected by the evaporation temperature sensor becomes lower than the dew point temperature of the air.

In "cooling", "weak cooling dehumidification" and "double fan dehumidification", the control unit 101 controls the rotation speed of the compressor 21 according to the temperature difference ΔT between the room temperature Ti and the set temperature Tm. The lower the number, the lower the rotation speed of the compressor 21. When the number of revolutions of the compressor 21 decreases, the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 25 rises as a matter of course, and both the sensible heat capacity and the latent heat capacity decrease. Therefore, although the room temperature Ti is stable at the set temperature Tm, the indoor humidity RHi may not be lowered and the comfort may be lowered.

Therefore, in the "dew point temperature dehumidification", the control unit 101 sets the evaporation temperature from the dew point temperature according to the difference between the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 25 and the dew point temperature of the air sucked into the indoor heat exchanger 25. The rotation speed of the compressor 21 is controlled so as to decrease the temperature. As a result, the latent heat capacity can be maintained so as not to decrease. The indoor humidity RHi is more likely to decrease in "dew point temperature dehumidification" than in "weak cooling dehumidification".

(C4) Partial Cooling Dehumidification Mode In the operation mode of "partial cooling dehumidification", the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant is lowered below the dew point temperature of the air on the inlet side of the indoor heat exchanger 25, and the outlet side of the indoor heat exchanger 25 This is the fourth dehumidification mode in which the degree of superheat of the refrigerant is increased. When the control unit 101 receives the operation command of "partial temperature dehumidification", the control unit 101 circulates the refrigerant in the same direction as "cooling". Then, the control unit 101 controls the opening degree of the expansion valve 24 to an opening degree at which the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant at the inflow port where the refrigerant flows into the indoor heat exchanger 25 becomes lower than the dew point temperature of the air.

In "cooling", "weak cooling dehumidification" and "double fan dehumidification", the control unit 101 adjusts the opening degree of the expansion valve 24 to the extent that the refrigerant becomes a saturated gas at the outlet of the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 25, that is, The degree of superheat in the vicinity of the outlet of the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 25 is controlled to be close to zero. As a result, the total heat capacity of the air conditioner 1 can be efficiently output. On the other hand, in the "partial cooling dehumidification", the control unit 101 sets the opening degree of the expansion valve 24 and the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant near the inlet of the refrigerant of the indoor heat exchanger 25 to be sucked into the indoor heat exchanger 25. It is controlled to be lower than the dew point temperature of.

Specifically, the control unit 101 narrows the opening degree of the expansion valve 24 in "partial cooling dehumidification" rather than in "cooling" and "weak cooling dehumidification". As a result, the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant near the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger 25 decreases, and most of the refrigerant evaporates near the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger 25, so that the degree of overheating near the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger 25 increases. growing. As a result, the air can be dehumidified at a low temperature on the inlet side of the indoor heat exchanger 25, and the air is not cooled too much on the outlet side. Room temperature Ti is less likely to decrease and indoor humidity RHi is more likely to decrease in "partial cooling dehumidification" than in "weak cooling dehumidification" and "dew point temperature dehumidification".

(C5) Extended dehumidification mode The operation mode of "extended dehumidification" is two or three of the above-mentioned "(C2) double fan dehumidification", "(C3) dew point temperature dehumidification" and "(C4) partial cooling dehumidification". It is a mode that combines the two. By combining two or three of these three operation modes, the sensible heat capacity and the latent heat capacity can be continuously and widely adjusted. Therefore, it is possible to provide comfortable air conditioning with little fluctuation in room temperature and humidity under various weather conditions, building conditions and living conditions. In addition, "extended dehumidification" is more energy efficient than the following "reheat dehumidification".

(C6) Reheat dehumidification mode The operation mode of "reheat dehumidification" is a fifth dehumidification mode in which the humidity is lowered while suppressing the temperature drop of the indoor space 71. When the control unit 101 receives the operation command of "reheat dehumidification", the control unit 101 circulates the refrigerant in the same direction as "cooling". Then, the control unit 101 appropriately closes the expansion valve 26 between the two heat exchangers 25a and 25b in the indoor heat exchanger 25.

By narrowing the opening degree of the expansion valve 26, the first heat exchanger 25a located on the upstream side of the expansion valve 26 functions as a condenser for condensing the refrigerant, and is supplied by the second indoor blower 33b. Warm the air. On the other hand, the second heat exchanger 25b located on the downstream side of the expansion valve 26 functions as an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant, and lowers the humidity of the air supplied by the second indoor blower 33b. Since the humidity is lowered while warming the air, the room temperature Ti is less likely to be lowered and the indoor humidity RHi is more likely to be lowered in the "reheat dehumidification" than in other dehumidification modes.

(D) Hybrid mode The operation mode of the "hybrid" is a mode in which cooling and ventilation are combined, and is also referred to as a "blower" mode. Each operation mode included in the above-mentioned "(C) dehumidification" may be referred to as a first operation mode, and the operation mode of the "(D) hybrid" may be referred to as a second operation mode.

Specifically, the flow of processing in the hybrid mode will be described with reference to FIG. First, while the compressor 21 is operating, the control unit 101 determines whether or not the room temperature Ti has dropped below the thermo-off temperature (step S11). When the room temperature Ti is higher than the thermoon temperature (step S11; NO), the control unit 101 keeps the compressor 21 in operation. On the other hand, when the room temperature Ti drops below the thermo-off temperature (step S11; YES), the control unit 101 stops the operation of the compressor 21 (step S12). Then, when the operation of the compressor 21 is stopped, the control unit 101 increases the rotation speed of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b from the rotation speed immediately before the compressor 21 stops the operation (step S13).

Specifically, in an operation mode other than "hybrid", when the compressor 21 stops operation, the control unit 101 reduces the rotation speed of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b, or the indoor blowers 33a and 33b. The rotation speeds of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b are not increased in order to stop the driving of the indoor blowers. On the other hand, in the "hybrid" mode, when the compressor 21 stops operating, the control unit 101 increases the rotation speeds of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b. As a result, the occupants of the indoor space 71 can obtain an appropriate feeling of coolness without suddenly feeling the heat.

Further, after stopping the operation of the compressor 21, the control unit 101 adjusts the rotation speeds of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b according to the change in the room temperature Ti (step S14). For example, when the room temperature Ti rises while the compressor 21 is stopped, the control unit 101 gradually increases the rotation speeds of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b. As a result, the sensible temperature in the indoor space 71 is lowered.

While the compressor 21 is stopped, the control unit 101 adjusts the wind directions of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b (step S15). Specifically, although not shown, the indoor unit 13 has a left and right wind direction plate that allows the wind direction of the air flow blown from the indoor unit 13 to be changed to the left and right, and a vertical wind direction that allows the wind direction to be changed up and down. It is equipped with a board. When the compressor 21 is stopped, the control unit 101 swings at least one of the left and right wind direction plates and the up and down wind direction plates to swing the direction of the air blown by the indoor blowers 33a and 33b. As a result, the entire interior space 71 is evenly air-conditioned.

Further, in step S15, when the infrared sensor 43 detects an object such as a person or an object existing in the indoor space 71, the control unit 101 rotates and controls the left and right wind direction plates and the up and down wind direction plates to rotate the indoor blower 33a. , 33b directs the direction of the air blow to the detected target position. As a result, the feeling of coolness can be enhanced and the comfort can be improved.

Secondly, in the state where the compressor 21 is stopped, the control unit 101 determines whether or not the room temperature Ti has risen above the thermoon temperature (step S16). When the room temperature Ti is lower than the thermoon temperature (step S16; NO), the control unit 101 keeps the compressor 21 stopped. On the other hand, when the room temperature Ti rises above the thermoon temperature (step S16; YES), the control unit 101 determines that comfort cannot be maintained unless it is in the cooling mode, and starts the operation of the compressor 21 (step S17). .. Then, when the operation of the compressor 21 is started, the control unit 101 reduces the rotation speed of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b from the rotation speed immediately before the compressor 21 starts the operation (step S18). Here, the thermo-on temperature is set to, for example, a set temperature Tm, or a temperature obtained by adding a decrease in the sensible temperature due to blowing of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b to the set temperature Tm.

Specifically, in an operation mode other than the "hybrid", when the compressor 21 starts operation, the control unit 101 increases the rotation speed of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b, so that the indoor blowers 33a and 33b Does not reduce the number of revolutions. On the other hand, in the "hybrid" mode, when the compressor 21 starts operation, the control unit 101 reduces the rotation speeds of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b. As a result, the occupants of the indoor space 71 can obtain an appropriate feeling of coolness without suddenly feeling cold.

Further, after starting the operation of the compressor 21, the control unit 101 adjusts the rotation speeds of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b according to the change in the room temperature Ti (step S19). For example, when the room temperature Ti drops during the operation of the compressor 21, the control unit 101 gradually reduces the rotation speeds of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b. As a result, the sensible temperature in the indoor space 71 is raised.

After that, the control unit 101 returns the process to step 11 and repeats the process from step S11 to step S19. When increasing or decreasing the rotation speeds of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b, the control unit 101 may gradually change the rotation speeds of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b without suddenly changing them to the target rotation speeds. ..

As described above, in the "hybrid" operation mode, the control unit 101 increases or decreases the rotation speed of the indoor blowers 33a and 33b when switching between the operation and the stop of the compressor 21. Since the amount of air blown by the indoor blowers 33a and 33b increases while the compressor 21 is stopped, the user's sensible temperature is lowered by the air flow, so that comfort is ensured even when the compressor 21 is stopped. As a result, it is possible to suppress a situation in which the user lowers the set temperature and causes an increase in power consumption while the compressor 21 is stopped. As a result, the operating time of the compressor 21 can be reduced, and both comfort and energy saving can be achieved. In particular, the "hybrid" operation mode is suitable when the temperature and humidity of the outdoor space 72 are not high and air conditioning can be performed by either the air conditioner or the electric fan, as in early summer or late summer. Further, since it is not necessary to separately install a fan, the design of the indoor space 71 is improved.

(E) Automatic mode The "automatic" operation modes are "(A) cooling", "(C1) weak cooling dehumidification", "(C2) double fan dehumidification", "(C3) dew point temperature dehumidification", and "(C3) dew point temperature dehumidification". This mode automatically switches the operation mode from "(C4) partial cooling dehumidification", "(C5) extended dehumidification", "(C6) reheat dehumidification", and "(D) hybrid". The user can change the operation mode to "(E) automatic mode" by pressing a single button on the user interface. The notation of "(E) automatic mode" in the user interface may be a comprehensive name such as "automatic", "automatic", "AI". Hereinafter, a case where the air conditioner 1 air-conditions the indoor space 71 in the “(E) automatic” operation mode will be described.

<Function of air conditioner 1>
Next, the functional configuration of the air conditioner 1 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the air conditioner 1 functionally includes an acquisition unit 510, an estimation unit 520, a determination unit 530, an air conditioning control unit 540, and a notification unit 550. Each of these functions is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. The software and firmware are described as a program and stored in the ROM or the storage unit 102. Then, in the control unit 101, the CPU realizes each function shown in FIG. 5 by executing the program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 102.

The acquisition unit 510 acquires load information regarding the heat load of the indoor space 71. The heat load is the amount of heat required for the air conditioner 1 to change and maintain the environment such as temperature and humidity of the indoor space 71 in the target environment. The acquisition unit 510 acquires information such as temperature and humidity detected by each sensor including the temperature sensor 41, the humidity sensor 42, and the infrared sensor 43 as load information.

Specifically, the acquisition unit 510 acquires the room temperature Ti detected by the temperature sensor 41 from the temperature sensor 41, acquires the indoor humidity RHi detected by the humidity sensor 42 from the humidity sensor 42, and uses the infrared sensor 43 to acquire the room temperature Ti. The detected window temperature Tw and the position information of the target in the indoor space 71 are acquired from the infrared sensor 43. Further, the acquisition unit 510 acquires the outside air temperature To and the outside air humidity RHo detected by the outside air temperature sensor and the outside air humidity sensor, and the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant detected by the evaporation temperature sensor from each of these sensors.

Each sensor periodically transmits the detected information to the outdoor unit control unit 51 at a predetermined cycle. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 510 may transmit a request to each sensor as needed, and each sensor may transmit the detected information in a manner that responds to this request. In this way, the acquisition unit 510 acquires information such as temperature and humidity detected by each sensor via the indoor unit control unit 53 and the communication line 63. The acquisition unit 510 is realized by the control unit 101 cooperating with the communication unit 104. The acquisition unit 510 functions as an acquisition means.

The estimation unit 520 estimates the heat load of the indoor space 71 based on the information such as temperature and humidity acquired by the acquisition unit 510. Here, the heat load includes a sensible heat load caused by sensible heat and a latent heat load caused by latent heat.

<Relationship and definition of heat load and air conditioning capacity>
The sensible heat load is classified into a non-stationary sensible heat load Ps represented by the following equation (2) and a steady sensible heat load Qs represented by the following equation (3). The sum of the unsteady sensible heat load Ps and the steady sensible heat load Qs is the sensible heat capacity for the air conditioner 1 to change the room temperature Ti to the set temperature Tm and maintain it as expressed by the following equation (4). Corresponds to.
Unsteady sensible heat load Ps = sensible heat capacity / unit time x (room temperature Ti-set temperature Tm) ... (2)
Steady sensible heat load Qs = α (outside air temperature To-room temperature Ti) + β (window temperature Tw-room temperature Ti) + internal calorific value Qn… (3)
Sensible heat capacity = unsteady sensible heat load Ps + steady sensible heat load Qs ... (4)

In the above equation (2), the sensible heat capacity is the sensible heat capacity of the wall, floor, furniture, etc. of the indoor space 71. Further, in the above equation (3), α is a coefficient indicating the heat insulating performance of the indoor space 71, β is a coefficient indicating the ease of solar radiation, and the internal calorific value Qn exists in the indoor space 71. It is the amount of heat generated by lighting, home appliances, people, etc. These values are preset to appropriate values and stored in the storage unit 102.

The unsteady sensible heat load Ps is determined by the temperature difference ΔT between the room temperature Ti and the set temperature Tm, as shown in the above equation (2). The unsteady sensible heat load Ps corresponds to the amount of heat for changing the room temperature Ti to the set temperature Tm, and is the first sensible heat load that becomes dominant when the room temperature Ti is separated from the set temperature Tm.

On the other hand, as shown in the above equation (3), the steady sensible heat load Qs is the window temperature Tw and the room temperature, which are parameters depending on the difference between the outside air temperature To and the room temperature Ti and the amount of solar radiation in the outdoor space 72. It is determined by the difference from Ti and the internal calorific value Qn. The steady sensible heat load Qs is a sensible heat load mainly generated by the difference between the environment of the indoor space 71 and the environment of the outdoor space 72, and maintains the room temperature Ti at the set temperature Tm when the room temperature Ti is equal to the set temperature Tm. It corresponds to the amount of heat that is constantly required for this purpose. The steady sensible heat load Qs is the second sensible heat load that becomes dominant when the room temperature Ti is close to the set temperature Tm.

The latent heat load is classified into a non-stationary latent heat load Pl represented by the following equation (5) and a steady latent heat load Ql represented by the following equation (6). The sum of the unsteady latent heat load Pl and the steady latent heat load Ql is the latent heat for the air conditioner 1 to change the humidity RHi of the indoor space 71 to the set humidity RHm and maintain it as expressed by the following equation (7). Corresponds to ability.
Unsteady latent heat load Pl = latent heat capacity / unit time x (indoor absolute humidity-target absolute humidity) ... (5)
Steady latent heat load Ql = α'(absolute outdoor humidity-absolute indoor humidity) + internal evaporation ... (6)
Latent heat capacity = unsteady latent heat load Pl + steady latent heat load Ql ... (7)

In the above equation (5), the latent heat capacity is the heat capacity related to the latent heat of the walls, floors, furniture, etc. of the indoor space 71. Further, in the above equation (6), α'is a coefficient indicating the ease of inflow of water from the outdoor space 72 to the indoor space 71. That is, the first term of the above equation (6) represents the amount of water entering the indoor space 71 from the outdoor space 72 by ventilation. The internal evaporation amount is the amount of water evaporated in the indoor space 71 due to the human body, cooking, or the like. These values are preset and stored in the storage unit 102.

The unsteady latent heat load Pl is determined by the difference between the indoor absolute humidity and the target absolute humidity, as shown in the above equation (5). The target absolute humidity is the absolute humidity when the room temperature Ti is equal to the set temperature Tm and the indoor humidity RHi, which is the relative humidity of the indoor space 71, is equal to the set humidity RHm, which is the target humidity. That is, the unsteady latent heat load Pl corresponds to the amount of heat for changing the indoor humidity RHi to the set humidity RHm when the room temperature Ti is equal to the set temperature Tm. The unsteady latent heat load Pl is the first latent heat load that becomes dominant when the indoor absolute humidity deviates from the target absolute humidity.

On the other hand, the steady latent heat load Ql is determined by the difference between the absolute outdoor humidity and the absolute indoor humidity and the amount of internal evaporation, as shown in the above equation (6). The steady latent heat load Ql is a latent heat load mainly generated by the difference between the environment of the indoor space 71 and the environment of the outdoor space 72, and maintains the indoor humidity RHi at the set humidity RHm when the indoor absolute humidity is equal to the target absolute humidity. Corresponds to the amount of heat for The steady latent heat load Ql is the second latent heat load that becomes dominant when the indoor absolute humidity is close to the target absolute humidity.

The estimation unit 520 uses the values of temperature, humidity, etc. acquired by the acquisition unit 510 according to the above equations (2) to (7), and the unsteady sensible heat load Ps, steady sensible heat load Qs, sensible heat capacity, and unsteady. Calculate the latent heat load Pl, the steady latent heat load Ql, and the latent heat capacity. As a result, the estimation unit 520 estimates the heat load of the indoor space 71. The estimation unit 520 is realized by the control unit 101 cooperating with the storage unit 102. The estimation unit 520 functions as an estimation means.

The determination unit 530 determines the operation mode of the air conditioner based on the heat load estimated by the estimation unit 520. FIG. 6 shows the relationship between the heat load and the operation mode. As shown in FIG. 6, when the air conditioner 1 air-conditions the indoor space 71 in the operation mode of "(E) automatic", the air conditioner depends on the magnitude of the steady sensible heat load Qs and the magnitude of the steady latent heat load Ql. The operation mode to be executed by 1 is defined. The determination unit 530 determines the operation mode according to the steady sensible heat load Qs and the steady latent heat load Ql estimated by the estimation unit 520.

<Example of operation mode judgment>
First, the determination unit 530 determines the magnitude relationship between the steady latent heat load Ql estimated by the estimation unit 520 and the latent heat threshold value Ql1. When the steady latent heat load Ql is larger than the latent heat threshold value Ql1, it corresponds to the case where a "high humidity condition" in which the outside air humidity RHo is relatively high is established, for example, on a rainy or cloudy day. On the other hand, when the steady latent heat load Ql is smaller than the latent heat threshold value Ql1, it corresponds to the case where a "low humidity condition" in which the outside air humidity RHo is relatively low is satisfied, for example, on a dry day.

When the steady latent heat load Ql is larger than the latent heat threshold Ql1, that is, when the high humidity condition is satisfied, the determination unit 530 secondly determines the magnitude relationship between the steady heat load Qs and the sensible heat thresholds Qs1 to Qs3. .. The values of the three sensible heat thresholds Qs1 to Qs3 are set in advance so that Qs1> Qs2> Qs3.

(High humidity condition 1)
Under high humidity conditions, when the steady sensible heat load Qs is larger than the first sensible heat threshold Qs1, it corresponds to the case where the outside air temperature To or the window temperature Tw is relatively high, so that the room temperature Ti tends to rise. I can say. In this case, in order to maintain the room temperature Ti at the set temperature Tm, the cooling capacity is mainly required as compared with the dehumidifying capacity. Therefore, the determination unit 530 determines that the operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 is "(A) cooling".

(High humidity condition 2)
When the steady sensible heat load Qs is smaller than the first sensible heat threshold Qs1 and larger than the second sensible heat threshold Qs2 under the high humidity condition, the cooling capacity is not required as much as the high humidity condition 1. Therefore, in this case, the determination unit 530 determines that the operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 is "(A) weak cooling dehumidification". As a result, the determination unit 530 increases the dehumidifying capacity at the cost of lowering the cooling capacity than the high humidity condition 1.

(High humidity condition 3)
In the high humidity condition, when the steady sensible heat load Qs is smaller than the second sensible heat threshold Qs2 and larger than the third sensible heat threshold Qs3, the cooling capacity is not required more than the high humidity condition 2. Therefore, in this case, the determination unit 530 determines that the operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 is "(C2) double fan dehumidification", "(C3) dew point temperature dehumidification", or "(C4) partial cooling dehumidification". To do. As a result, the determination unit 530 further lowers the cooling capacity and further enhances the dehumidifying capacity as compared with the high humidity condition 2.

More specifically, when the steady latent heat load Ql is relatively low in the high humidity condition 3, the operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 is "(C2) double fan dehumidification" in the determination unit 530. Is determined. In the high humidity condition 3, when the steady latent heat load Ql is relatively high and the steady sensible heat load Qs is relatively high, the determination unit 530 determines that the operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 is "(C3). ) Dew point temperature dehumidification ”. In the high humidity condition 3, when the steady latent heat load Ql is relatively high and the steady sensible heat load Qs is relatively low, the determination unit 530 determines that the operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 is "(C4). ) Partial cooling and dehumidification ”. In the vicinity of the boundary between these three operation modes, the determination unit 530 performs an operation in which the air conditioner 1 should execute "(C5) extended dehumidification" in which at least two of these three operation modes are combined. Judge as a mode. As described above, under the high humidity condition 3, the operation mode is continuously switched according to the steady sensible heat load Qs and the steady latent heat load Ql.

(High humidity condition 4)
When the steady sensible heat load Qs is smaller than the third sensible heat threshold Qs3 under high humidity conditions, that is, when the steady sensible heat load Qs becomes a negative value, cooling the indoor space 71 makes it too cool and comfortable. Decrease sex. Therefore, in this case, the determination unit 530 determines that the compressor 21 should be stopped to stop the air conditioning.

When the steady latent heat load Ql is smaller than the latent heat threshold Ql1, that is, when the low humidity condition is satisfied, the determination unit 530 secondly determines the magnitude relationship between the steady latent heat load Qs and the sensible heat threshold Qs4.

(Low humidity condition 1)
When the steady sensible heat load Qs is larger than the fourth sensible heat threshold Qs4 under low humidity conditions, it corresponds to a situation in which room temperature Ti tends to rise. In this case, in order to maintain the room temperature Ti at the set temperature Tm, the cooling capacity is mainly required as compared with the dehumidifying capacity. Therefore, the determination unit 530 determines that the operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 is "(A) cooling" as in the high humidity condition 1.

(Low humidity condition 2)
When the steady sensible heat load Qs is smaller than the fourth sensible heat threshold Qs4 under the low humidity condition, the cooling capacity is not required as much as the low humidity condition 1, and a large dehumidifying capacity is not required. In this case, the determination unit 530 determines that the operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 is "(D) hybrid" in order to suppress the power consumption.

In this way, the determination unit 530 determines the operation mode of the air conditioner based on the steady sensible heat load Qs and the steady latent heat load Ql estimated by the estimation unit 520. The latent heat threshold value Ql1 and the sensible heat threshold value Qs1 to Qs4 are preset to appropriate values and are stored in the storage unit 102. The determination unit 530 is realized by the control unit 101 cooperating with the storage unit 102. The determination unit 530 functions as a determination means.

Returning to FIG. 5, the air conditioning control unit 540 controls the air conditioning unit 110 to cause the air conditioning unit 110 to air-condition the indoor space 71. The air conditioner 110 includes a compressor 21, a four-way valve 22, an outdoor heat exchanger 23, an expansion valve 24 and an outdoor blower 31 in the outdoor unit 11, and an indoor heat exchanger 25 and indoor blowers 33a and 33b in the indoor unit 13. It has and functions as an air conditioning means for air-conditioning the indoor space 71.

The air conditioning control unit 540 communicates with the indoor unit control unit 53 via the communication unit 104 and cooperates with the indoor unit control unit 53 to cause the air conditioning unit 110 to air-condition the indoor space 71. Specifically, the air conditioning control unit 540 switches the flow path of the four-way valve 22 according to the instructed operation mode, adjusts the opening degree of the expansion valve 24, and adjusts the compressor 21, the outdoor blower 31 and the indoor blower 33a. , 33b is driven. As a result, the air conditioning control unit 540 has "(A) cooling", "(B) heating", "(C1) weak cooling dehumidification", "(C2) double fan dehumidification", and "(C2) double fan dehumidification" described in the above <operation mode>. The processing of (C3) dehumidification point temperature dehumidification, "(C4) partial cooling dehumidification", "(C5) extended dehumidification", "(C6) reheat dehumidification" or "(D) hybrid" is executed. The air conditioning control unit 540 is realized by the control unit 101 cooperating with the communication unit 104. The air conditioning control unit 540 functions as an air conditioning control means.

When the operation mode of "(E) automatic" is instructed, the air conditioning control unit 540 causes the air conditioning unit 110 to air-condition the indoor space 71 in the operation mode determined by the determination unit 530. Specifically, when any of the above-mentioned high humidity conditions 1, 2 and 3 and the low humidity conditions 1 and 2 is satisfied, the air conditioning control unit 540 "(A)" according to the satisfied conditions. "Cooling", "(C1) Weak cooling dehumidification", "(C2) Double fan dehumidification", "(C3) Dew point temperature dehumidification", "(C4) Partial cooling dehumidification", "(C5) Extended dehumidification" or "(D) ) The indoor space 71 is air-conditioned by the air-conditioning unit 110 in the "hybrid" operation mode. When the high humidity condition 4 is satisfied, the air conditioning control unit 540 stops the operation of the compressor 21.

Further, when the determination unit 530 newly determines an operation mode different from the current operation mode according to the load information such as temperature and humidity acquired by the acquisition unit 510, the air conditioning control unit 540 newly determines from the current operation mode. The indoor space 71 is air-conditioned by switching to the operation mode determined in.

For example, under high humidity conditions, under the assumption that the outside temperature To is constant and the steady sensible heat load Qs depends substantially only on room temperature Ti, the air conditioning control unit 540 has the room temperature Ti as the first temperature. In the case of, the air-conditioning unit 110 is air-conditioned in the cooling mode, and when the room temperature Ti is a second temperature lower than the first temperature, the air-conditioning unit 110 is air-conditioned in the operation mode of weak cooling dehumidification, and the room temperature Ti is the second temperature. When the third temperature is lower than the temperature of 2, the air conditioning unit 110 is air-conditioned in an operation mode such as double fan dehumidification. On the other hand, under low humidity conditions, the air conditioner control unit 540 causes the air conditioner unit 110 to air-condition in the cooling mode when the room temperature Ti is the first temperature, and when the room temperature Ti is a fourth temperature lower than the first temperature. , The air conditioner 110 is air-conditioned in the hybrid operation mode.

Further, under the assumption that the outdoor humidity RHo is constant and the steady latent heat load Ql substantially depends only on the indoor humidity RHi, the air conditioning control unit 540 determines that the indoor humidity RHi is the first humidity. When the air-conditioning unit 110 is air-conditioned in the dehumidification mode, which is the operation mode of 1, and the indoor humidity RHi is the second humidity lower than the first humidity, the air-conditioning unit 110 is air-conditioned in the hybrid mode, which is the second operation mode. Let me. In this way, the air conditioning control unit 540 switches the operation mode according to the room temperature Ti and the humidity RHi.

Hereinafter, the process of air-conditioning the indoor space 71 while the air-conditioning control unit 540 switches the operation mode will be described by taking the case where the high humidity condition is satisfied and the case where the low humidity condition is satisfied as an example.

<High humidity conditions>
7 (a) to 7 (f) and 8 (g) to 8 (j) show changes in various parameters on a cloudy day when high humidity conditions are established, as a first example. As shown in FIG. 7A, the amount of solar radiation varies depending on the amount of clouds, but increases from about 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock and decreases from 12 o'clock to 18 o'clock. Although not shown, the window temperature Tw changes in the same manner as the increase or decrease in the amount of solar radiation. Since the outside air temperature To shown in FIG. 7B is warmed by solar radiation, it changes later than the amount of solar radiation and reaches a peak around 13:00. The outside air humidity RHo shown in FIG. 7 (c) changes relatively high under high humidity conditions. Further, assuming that it does not rain and the absolute humidity of the outside air hardly changes, the outside air humidity RHo decreases as the outside air temperature To increases during the daytime.

FIG. 7D shows a change in the steady sensible heat load Qs when the room temperature Ti is constant at the set temperature Tm. When the room temperature Ti is constant at the set temperature Tm, the steady-state sensible heat load Qs is estimated by the estimation unit 520 according to the above equation (3). As shown in FIG. 7D, the steady-state sensible heat load Qs gradually increases from 6 o'clock as the amount of solar radiation and the outside air temperature To rise, peaks around noon, and then gradually decreases.

FIG. 7 (e) shows the steady latent heat load Ql when the room temperature Ti and the indoor humidity RHi are constant. The steady latent heat load Ql is estimated by the estimation unit 520 according to the above equation (6). When the outdoor absolute humidity and the ventilation volume are constant, and the internal evaporation amount is also constant, the steady latent heat load Ql becomes constant as shown in FIG. 7 (e).

7 (f) and 8 (g) to 8 (j) show the operation mode, sensible heat capacity, latent heat capacity, and room temperature Ti when air conditioning in the "automatic" mode by the air conditioner 1 starts at 16:00, respectively. And the change of indoor humidity RHi is shown. The determination unit 530 determines the operation mode based on the steady sensible heat load Qs shown in FIG. 7 (d) and the steady latent heat load Ql shown in FIG. 7 (e). The air conditioning control unit 540 executes air conditioning in the air conditioning mode determined by the determination unit 530.

Specifically, at the start of air conditioning at 16:00, the steady latent heat load Ql is larger than the latent heat threshold Ql1, and the steady sensible heat load Qs is larger than the first sensible heat threshold Qs1. Therefore, the air conditioning control unit 540 starts air conditioning in the "cooling" operation mode as shown in FIG. 7 (f). After that, when the outside air temperature To decreases with the passage of time, the steady-state sensible heat load Qs decreases. For example, when the steady sensible heat load Qs drops below the first sensible heat threshold value Qs1 at 17:00, the air conditioning control unit 540 switches the operation mode from "cooling" to "weak cooling dehumidification". Further, for example, when the steady sensible heat load Qs drops below the second sensible heat threshold Qs2 at 23:00, the air conditioning control unit 540 changes from "weak cooling dehumidification" to "double fan dehumidification", "dew point temperature dehumidification", and "partial". Switch the operation mode to "cooling dehumidification" or "extended dehumidification".

The sensible heat capacity shown in FIG. 8 (g) becomes large when the air conditioning starts in the "cooling" mode at 16:00 because the room temperature Ti shown in FIG. 8 (i) is higher than the set temperature Tm. After that, the sensible heat capacity becomes smaller as the room temperature Ti approaches the set temperature Tm, and is controlled by the air conditioning control unit 540 so that the room temperature Ti stabilizes at the set temperature Tm. After the room temperature Ti stabilizes at the set temperature Tm, the outside air temperature To decreases at night, so that the steady sensible heat load Qs shown in FIG. 7D gradually decreases. Along with this, the sensible heat capacity shown in FIG. 8 (g) becomes about the same as the steady sensible heat load Qs, and as a result, the room temperature Ti becomes stable at about the same as the set temperature Tm as shown in FIG. 8 (i). ..

The latent heat capacity shown in FIG. 8 (h) changes as it happens because the sensible heat capacity is controlled so that the room temperature Ti becomes the set temperature Tm in the “cooling” mode. For a while after the start of air conditioning, the latent heat capacity changes significantly as the sensible heat capacity increases, so that the indoor humidity RHi shown in FIG. 8 (j) decreases. However, when operated in the "cooling" mode, the latent heat capacity decreases as the sensible heat capacity decreases as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 8 (h). Therefore, the amount of dehumidification decreases, and the indoor humidity RHi starts to increase as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 8 (j).

In order to avoid such an increase in indoor humidity RHi, the air conditioning control unit 540 sequentially changes from "cooling" mode to "weak cooling dehumidification" mode, and from "weak cooling dehumidification" mode to "extended dehumidification" mode. Switch. By switching the operation mode in this way, the latent heat capacity changes at the same level as the steady latent heat load Ql. Therefore, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 8 (j), the indoor humidity RHi is stable at the same level as the set humidity RHm. ..

<Low humidity conditions>
9 (a) to 9 (f) and FIGS. 10 (g) to 10 (j) show changes in various parameters on a sunny day when low humidity conditions are established as a second example. As shown in FIG. 9A, the amount of solar radiation varies depending on the amount of clouds, but increases from about 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock and decreases from 12 o'clock to 18 o'clock. Although not shown, the window temperature Tw changes in the same manner as the increase or decrease in the amount of solar radiation. Since the outside air temperature To shown in FIG. 9B is warmed by solar radiation, it changes later than the amount of solar radiation and reaches a peak around 13:00. The outside air humidity RHo shown in FIG. 9 (c) changes relatively lower under low humidity conditions than under high humidity conditions shown in FIG. 7 (c).

FIG. 9D shows the change in the steady sensible heat load Qs when the room temperature Ti is constant at the set temperature Tm. As shown in FIG. 9D, the steady-state sensible heat load Qs gradually increases from 6 o'clock as the amount of solar radiation and the outside air temperature To increase, peaks around noon, and then gradually decreases.

FIG. 9E shows a steady latent heat load Ql when the room temperature Ti and the indoor humidity RHi are constant. When the outdoor absolute humidity and the ventilation volume are constant, and the internal evaporation amount is also constant, the steady latent heat load Ql becomes constant as shown in FIG. 9 (e). Further, under the low humidity condition, the steady latent heat load Ql is smaller than that under the high humidity condition shown in FIG. 7 (e).

9 (f) and 10 (g) to 10 (j) show the operation mode, sensible heat capacity, latent heat capacity, and room temperature Ti when air conditioning in the "automatic" mode by the air conditioner 1 starts at 16:00, respectively. And the change of indoor humidity RHi is shown.

At the start of air conditioning at 16:00, the steady latent heat load Ql is smaller than the latent heat threshold Ql1 and the steady sensible heat load Qs is larger than the fourth sensible heat threshold Qs4. Therefore, the air conditioning control unit 540 starts air conditioning in the "cooling" operation mode as shown in FIG. 9 (f). After that, when the outside air temperature To decreases with the passage of time, the steady-state sensible heat load Qs decreases. For example, when the steady sensible heat load Qs drops below the fourth sensible heat threshold value Qs4 at 17:00, the air conditioning control unit 540 switches the operation mode from "cooling" to "hybrid".

The sensible heat capacity shown in FIG. 10 (g) is increased because the room temperature Ti shown in FIG. 10 (i) is higher than the set temperature Tm when the air conditioning is started in the "cooling" mode at 16:00. After that, the sensible heat capacity becomes smaller as the room temperature Ti approaches the set temperature Tm, and is controlled by the air conditioning control unit 540 so that the room temperature Ti stabilizes at the set temperature Tm. After the room temperature Ti stabilizes at the set temperature Tm, the outside air temperature To decreases at night, so that the steady sensible heat load Qs shown in FIG. 9D gradually decreases. Along with this, the sensible heat capacity shown in FIG. 10 (g) becomes about the same as the steady sensible heat load Qs, and as a result, the room temperature Ti is maintained at the set temperature Tm as shown in FIG. 10 (i).

The latent heat capacity shown in FIG. 10 (h) changes as it happens because the sensible heat capacity is controlled so that the room temperature Ti becomes the set temperature Tm in the "cooling" mode. For a while after the start of air conditioning, the latent heat capacity changes significantly as the sensible heat capacity increases, so that the indoor humidity RHi shown in FIG. 10 (j) decreases. When operated in the "cooling" mode, the latent heat capacity decreases as the sensible heat capacity decreases. However, under low humidity conditions, the indoor humidity RHi tends to decrease, so even if the latent heat capacity is small, the effect on comfort is small. Therefore, the air conditioning control unit 540 switches the operation mode from "cooling" to "hybrid" according to the decrease in the sensible heat capacity.

Since the constant sensible heat load Qs can be switched from "cooling" to "hybrid" on condition that it is smaller than the fourth sensible heat threshold Qs4, even if the sensible heat capacity is insufficient after switching to "hybrid", the room temperature It is unlikely that Ti will rise significantly above the set temperature Tm. Further, since the humidity is low, it is unlikely that the indoor humidity RHi will increase due to the moisture adhering to the indoor heat exchanger 25 being re-evaporated by blowing air after switching to the "hybrid". Therefore, by switching to "hybrid", both comfort and energy saving can be achieved.

Although not shown, various parameters are shown in FIG. 7 and when the high humidity condition and the low humidity condition are switched in one day, such as when it rains suddenly and the outside air humidity RHo changes. A transition in which the change under the high humidity condition shown in FIG. 8 and the change under the low humidity condition shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 are mixed is shown.

For example, when the outside air humidity RHo rises during air conditioning in a "hybrid" under low humidity conditions and a high humidity condition is satisfied, the air conditioning control unit 540 sets the operation modes to "double fan dehumidification", "dew point temperature dehumidification", and "partial". Switch to "cooling dehumidification" or "extended dehumidification". On the contrary, when the outside air humidity RHo decreases during dehumidification by "double fan dehumidification", "dew point temperature dehumidification", "partial cooling dehumidification" or "extended dehumidification" under high humidity conditions, the air conditioning control unit is used. The 540 switches the operation mode to "hybrid". As a result, if the comfort of the indoor space 71 can be ensured without dehumidification while switching to the "dehumidifying" operation mode under high humidity conditions, the "hybrid" operation mode can be ensured. It is possible to reduce power consumption by switching to.

<Notification function>
When the air conditioning operation mode is switched by the air conditioning control unit 540, the notification unit 550 notifies the user by display or voice that the operation mode has been switched. For example, when the determination unit 530 determines that the condition for switching to the dehumidification mode is satisfied during operation in the cooling mode, the notification unit 550 displays a notification screen as shown in FIG. 11 on the display unit 130 of the remote controller 55. .. More specifically, the notification unit 550 displays on the display unit 130 that the operation mode has been switched from "cooling" to "dehumidification" together with a message indicating the reason.

Alternatively, when the determination unit 530 determines that the condition for switching to the hybrid mode is satisfied during operation in the dehumidification mode, the notification unit 550 displays a notification screen as shown in FIG. 12 on the display unit 130 of the remote controller 55. .. More specifically, the notification unit 550 displays on the display unit 130 that the operation mode has been switched from "dehumidification" to "hybrid" together with a message indicating the reason.

The notification unit 550 displays such a notification screen on the display unit 130 when the operation mode is switched while the air conditioner 1 is operating in the automatic mode. Alternatively, the notification unit 550 may notify the current operation mode when the remote controller 55 receives a command from the user. In particular, during operation in the automatic mode, it is difficult for the user to grasp the current operation mode, so that the user may feel uncomfortable due to air conditioning in an operation mode not expected by the user. However, since the notification unit 550 notifies the operation mode so that the user can easily grasp the current situation, it is possible to suppress air conditioning in an operation mode that the user does not anticipate. The notification unit 550 is realized by the control unit 101 cooperating with the communication unit 104. The notification unit 550 functions as a notification means.

Next, the flow of the control process in the automatic mode executed by the air conditioner 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

When the operation in the automatic mode is instructed, the control unit 101 functions as the acquisition unit 510, and sensors such as room temperature Ti, outside air temperature To, window temperature Tw, room humidity RHi, and outside air humidity RHo detected by each sensor. Acquire information (step S101). Then, the control unit 101 functions as an estimation unit 520 and estimates the heat load of the indoor space 71 (step S102). Specifically, the control unit 101 has the unsteady sensible heat load Ps, the sensible heat load Qs, the sensible heat capacity, and the unsteady latent heat load Pl from the acquired sensor information according to the above equations (2) to (7). , Steady latent heat load Ql, and latent heat capacity are calculated.

When the heat load is estimated, the control unit 101 functions as the determination unit 530 and determines the operation mode of the air conditioner based on the estimated heat load (step S103). Then, the control unit 101 functions as an air conditioning control unit 540 and air-conditions in the determined operation mode (step S104). Specifically, the control unit 101 compares the magnitude relationship between the steady heat load Qs and the sensible heat thresholds Qs1 to Qs4, and the magnitude relationship between the steady latent heat load Ql and the latent heat threshold Ql1. Then, the control unit 101 selects an operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 from the plurality of operation modes based on the determination criteria shown in FIG. 6, and the indoor space 71 in the air conditioner unit 110 in the selected operation mode. To air-condition.

Further, the control unit 101 notifies, if necessary, information on switching the operation mode or information on the operating mode being executed (step S105), as shown in FIG. 11 or FIG. 12, for example. After that, the control unit 101 returns the process to step S101. Then, the control unit 101 repeats the processes of steps S101 to S105 while the operation in the automatic mode is instructed.

As described above, the air conditioner 1 according to the first embodiment is required to maintain the steady heat load Qs required to maintain the room temperature Ti at the set temperature Tm and the indoor humidity RHi to the set humidity RHm. The indoor space 71 is air-conditioned by switching the operation mode according to the steady latent heat load Ql. As a result, compared with the case where the operation mode is switched only according to the unsteady heat load caused by the temperature difference ΔT between the room temperature Ti and the set temperature Tm or the humidity difference ΔRH between the indoor humidity RHi and the set humidity RHm. It is possible to switch the operation mode by predicting changes in room temperature Ti and indoor humidity RHi. Therefore, the decrease in comfort due to overcooling of the indoor space 71 is suppressed, leading to an improvement in comfort. Moreover, the increase in power consumption can be suppressed.

Further, the air conditioner 1 according to the first embodiment includes operation modes of "double fan dehumidification", "dew point temperature dehumidification" and "partial cooling dehumidification" capable of dehumidifying with a latent heat capacity higher than that of "weak cooling dehumidification". Then, the air conditioner 1 according to the first embodiment dehumidifies the indoor space 71 by switching these plurality of dehumidifying modes according to the steady sensible heat load Qs in the "automatic" operation mode. As a result, the sensible heat capacity related to temperature control and the latent heat capacity related to humidity control can be continuously output, so when switching the operation mode according to various conditions such as weather conditions, building conditions, living conditions, etc. Comfortable air conditioning can be provided with little fluctuation in temperature and humidity. Further, under the condition that the sensible heat capacity or the latent heat capacity of a plurality of operation modes overlaps, the power consumption can be reduced by selecting a more energy-saving operation mode.

Further, the air conditioner 1 according to the first embodiment includes a "hybrid" operation mode in which cooling and ventilation are combined. Then, the air conditioner 1 according to the first embodiment sets the operation mode to "hybrid" when the low humidity condition is satisfied and the steady sensible heat load Qs is relatively small in the "automatic" operation mode. It is switched to air-condition the indoor space 71. As a result, it is possible to improve energy saving while ensuring the comfort of the indoor space 71.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment, the determination unit 530 determines the operation mode of air conditioning to be executed by the air conditioner 1 according to the steady sensible heat load Qs and the steady latent heat load Ql. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the determination unit 530 sets the operation mode according to the temperature difference ΔT between the room temperature Ti and the set temperature Tm and the humidity difference ΔRH between the indoor humidity RHi and the set humidity RHm. judge.

In the second embodiment, the estimation unit 520 calculates the temperature difference ΔT between the room temperature Ti and the set temperature Tm based on the room temperature Ti acquired by the acquisition unit 510. Further, the estimation unit 520 calculates the humidity difference ΔRH between the indoor humidity RHi and the set humidity RHm based on the indoor humidity RHi acquired by the acquisition unit 510. The temperature difference ΔT is an index of the unsteady sensible heat load Ps as shown by the above equation (2). Further, the humidity difference ΔRH uses the difference between the outdoor absolute humidity and the indoor absolute humidity in the above equation (5), but can be approximately said to be an index of the unsteady latent heat load Pl.

FIG. 14 shows the relationship between temperature, humidity, and operation mode. As shown in FIG. 14, when the air conditioner 1 air-conditions the indoor space 71 in the “(E) automatic” operation mode, the operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 according to the temperature difference ΔT and the humidity difference ΔRH. Is stipulated. The determination unit 530 determines the operation mode according to the temperature difference ΔT and the humidity difference ΔRH calculated by the estimation unit 520.

The operation mode determination process by the determination unit 530 in the second embodiment is carried out by replacing the unsteady sensible heat load Qs in the first embodiment with the temperature difference ΔT and replacing the steady latent heat load Ql with the humidity difference ΔRH. This can be described in the same manner as in Form 1.

Specifically, first, the determination unit 530 determines the magnitude relationship between the humidity difference ΔRH calculated by the estimation unit 520 and the humidity threshold value ΔRH1. When the humidity difference ΔRH is larger than the humidity threshold value ΔRH1, it corresponds to the case where the high humidity condition is satisfied. On the other hand, when the humidity difference ΔRH is smaller than the humidity threshold value ΔRH1, it corresponds to the case where the low humidity condition is satisfied.

When the high humidity condition is satisfied, the determination unit 530 determines the magnitude relationship between the temperature difference ΔT and the first to third temperature thresholds ΔT1 to ΔT3. When the temperature difference ΔT is larger than the first temperature threshold value ΔT1, the determination unit 530 determines that the operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 is “(A) cooling”. When the temperature difference ΔT is smaller than the first temperature threshold value ΔT1 and larger than the second temperature threshold value ΔT2, the determination unit 530 determines that the operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 is “(C1) weak cooling dehumidification”. Is determined to be. When the temperature difference ΔT is smaller than the second temperature threshold ΔT2 and larger than the third temperature threshold ΔT3, the determination unit 530 determines that the operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 is “(C2) double fan dehumidification”. , "(C3) Dew point temperature dehumidification" or "(C4) Partial cooling dehumidification" is determined. When the temperature difference ΔT is smaller than the third temperature threshold value ΔT3, the determination unit 530 determines that the compressor 21 should be stopped.

When the low humidity condition is satisfied, the determination unit 530 determines the magnitude relationship between the temperature difference ΔT and the fourth temperature threshold value ΔT4. When the temperature difference ΔT is larger than the fourth temperature threshold value ΔT4, the determination unit 530 determines that the operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 is “(A) cooling”. When the temperature difference ΔT is smaller than the fourth temperature threshold value ΔT4, the determination unit 530 determines that the operation mode to be executed by the air conditioner 1 is “(D) hybrid”. The fourth temperature threshold value ΔT4 is set to 0 ° C. or a value obtained by adding about 1 to 2 ° C., which is a decrease in the sensible temperature obtained in the ventilation mode, to 0 ° C.

Similar to the first embodiment, the air conditioning control unit 540 causes the air conditioning unit 110 to air-condition the indoor space 71 in the operation mode determined by the determination unit 530. Further, when the determination unit 530 newly determines an operation mode different from the current operation mode according to the load information such as temperature and humidity acquired by the acquisition unit 510, the air conditioning control unit 540 newly determines from the current operation mode. The indoor space 71 is air-conditioned by switching to the operation mode determined in.

As described above, by using the temperature difference ΔT and the humidity difference ΔRH, it is not necessary to acquire the information of the outside air temperature To, the window temperature Tw, and the outside air humidity RHo for determining and switching the operation mode. Therefore, the indoor space 71 can be air-conditioned by switching the operation mode with a simpler configuration. In particular, when the unsteady sensible heat load Ps and the unsteady latent heat load Pl are dominant as compared with the steady sensible heat load Qs and the steady latent heat load Ql, the operation mode is determined according to the temperature difference ΔT and the humidity difference ΔRH. Therefore, it is possible to perform air conditioning by appropriately switching the operation mode.

In addition, the determination unit 530 performs the determination process by the steady sensible heat load Qs and the steady latent heat load Ql shown in FIG. 6 and the determination process by the temperature difference ΔT and the humidity difference ΔRH shown in FIG. 14 under AND condition or OR condition. You may combine them. In this case, the air conditioning control unit 540 switches the operation mode between the cooling mode and the dehumidifying mode and between the cooling mode and the blowing mode according to both the temperature difference ΔT and the steady heat load Qs. The operation mode is switched between the dehumidification mode and the ventilation mode according to both the humidity difference ΔRH and the steady latent heat load Ql. Alternatively, the determination unit 530 determines the latent heat capacity, which is the sum of the unsteady sensible heat load Ps and the steady sensible heat load Qs, or the latent heat capacity, which is the sum of the unsteady latent heat load Pl and the steady sensible heat load Ql. The operation mode may be determined. By switching the operation mode by appropriately combining the judgment process by the temperature difference ΔT and the humidity difference ΔRH and the judgment process by the steady sensible heat load Qs and the steady latent heat load Ql, the operation mode is frequently switched, the room temperature Ti fluctuates, and Fluctuations in indoor humidity RHi can be suppressed. Therefore, both comfort and energy saving can be achieved at the same time.

(Embodiment 3)
Next, Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment, the estimation unit 520 estimates the steady sensible heat load Qs and the steady latent heat load Ql based on the current temperature, humidity, and the like acquired by the acquisition unit 510. On the other hand, in the third embodiment, the estimation unit 520 describes each of the steady sensible heat load Qs and the steady latent heat load Ql based on the tendency of change in a predetermined length period prior to the present time. , Estimate the heat load after the specified time from the present time.

Specifically, the estimation unit 520 calculates the estimated sensible heat load Qs'according to the following equation (8) after the room temperature Ti approaches the set temperature Tm. Further, the estimation unit 520 calculates the estimated latent heat load Ql'according to the following equation (9) after the indoor humidity RHi approaches the set humidity RHm.
Estimated sensible heat load Qs'= steady sensible heat load Qs + predicted fluctuation amount ΔQs ... (8)
Estimated latent heat load Ql'= Steady latent heat load Ql + Predicted fluctuation amount ΔQl ... (9)

In the above equation (8), the predicted fluctuation amount ΔQs is the fluctuation amount of the steady sensible heat load Qs in the latest predetermined time. For example, when the current time is 18:00, the estimation unit 520 estimates that the steady-state sensible heat load Qs will continue to decrease because the steady-state sensible heat load Qs continues to decrease for a long period of time. To do. In this way, when the environment of the outdoor space 72 changes from the present time to the same time as immediately before after the specified time, the steady sensible heat load Qs is pre-read by extending the change tendency of the steady sensible heat load Qs in the immediately preceding period. Is possible.

Specifically, the estimation unit 520 estimates the predicted fluctuation amount ΔQs by calculating the difference between the current steady sensible heat load Qs and the steady sensible heat load Qs a predetermined time before the current time. For example, if the steady-state sensible heat load Qs increases by 10% in 1 hour before the present time, the estimation unit 520 estimates that the predicted fluctuation amount ΔQs 1 hour after the present time is also 10%. Then, the estimation unit 520 calculates the estimated sensible heat load Qs'by adding the predicted fluctuation amount ΔQs to the current steady sensible heat load Qs. The same applies to the estimated latent heat load Ql'expressed in the above equation (9).

The determination unit 530 replaces the steady sensible heat load Qs and the steady latent heat load Ql in the first embodiment with the estimated sensible heat load Qs'and the estimated latent heat load Ql' estimated by the estimation unit 520 after a specified time from the present time. The operation mode is determined according to. The air conditioning control unit 540 air-conditions the indoor space 71 in the operation mode determined by the determination unit 530.

As described above, the air conditioner 1 according to the third embodiment estimates future values for each of the steady sensible heat load Qs and the steady latent heat load Ql from the latest change tendency, and sets the operation mode according to the estimated values. Switch. As a result, it is possible to more accurately predict the state ahead of the heat load in the indoor space 71 while suppressing the influence of the variation in the sensor information in a short time, as compared with using only the current sensor information. As a result, the room temperature Ti and the indoor humidity RHi can be maintained accurately by the set temperature Tm and the set humidity RHm, which leads to the improvement of comfort.

(Embodiment 4)
Next, Embodiment 4 of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment, when the estimation unit 520 calculates the steady sensible heat load Qs according to the above equation (3), α indicating the heat insulating performance, β indicating the ease of entering solar radiation, and the internal calorific value Qn are known. Met. On the other hand, the air conditioner 1 according to the fourth embodiment learns the values of α, β, and Qn based on the past information detected by each sensor.

FIG. 15 shows a functional configuration of the outdoor unit control unit 51a provided in the air conditioner 1 according to the fourth embodiment. Since the outdoor unit control unit 51a has the same hardware configuration as that of the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 15, the outdoor unit control unit 51a functionally includes an acquisition unit 510, an estimation unit 520, a determination unit 530, an air conditioner control unit 540, a notification unit 550, and an information update unit 560. It includes a learning unit 570. Since the functions of the acquisition unit 510, the estimation unit 520, the determination unit 530, the air conditioning control unit 540, and the notification unit 550 are the same as those in the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

The information update unit 560 updates the history information 150 stored in the storage unit 102 by the detection information of each sensor acquired by the acquisition unit 510. The history information 150 is information showing the history of room temperature Ti, window temperature Tw, outside air temperature To, air conditioning capacity, and the like.

FIG. 16 shows a specific example of the history information 150. As shown in FIG. 16, the history information 150 is a sensor including room temperature Ti detected by the temperature sensor 41, window temperature Tw detected by the infrared sensor 43, and outside air temperature To detected by the outside air temperature sensor. The information detected by is stored in chronological order. Further, the history information 150 stores values indicating the air conditioning capacity controlled by the air conditioning control unit 540 in chronological order. Further, the history information 150 stores the operation modes controlled by the air conditioning control unit 540 in chronological order.

The information update unit 560 stores the information newly detected by each sensor in the history information 150 in association with the air conditioning capacity at predetermined time intervals. As a result, the information update unit 560 updates the history information 150. The information update unit 560 is realized by the control unit 101 collaborating with the storage unit 102. The information updating unit 560 functions as an information updating means.

The learning unit 570 learns the thermal characteristics of the indoor space 71. The thermal characteristics of the indoor space 71 are properties related to the heat of the indoor space 71, and specifically, the heat insulating performance of the indoor space 71, the ease with which sunlight enters the indoor space 71, and the like. The learning unit 570 learns the thermal characteristics of the indoor space 71 based on the past room temperature Ti, window temperature Tw, outside air temperature To, and air conditioning capacity recorded in the history information 150. The learning unit 570 is realized by the control unit 101. The learning unit 570 functions as a learning means.

<Learning function>
Hereinafter, the learning function of the learning unit 570 will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 17, heat is transferred between the indoor space 71 and the outdoor space 72 through the walls, windows, gaps, ventilation equipment, and the like of the house 3. Therefore, the steady sensible heat load Qs, which is the amount of heat required for the air conditioner 1 to maintain the room temperature Ti at the set temperature Tm, depends on the characteristics of the house 3 such as the wall thickness and the window size.

More specifically, the steady sensible heat load Qs includes a once-through load, a ventilation load, an internal calorific value, and a solar radiation load. The once-through load is a heat load transmitted through the exodermis according to the temperature difference ΔTio between the outside air temperature To and the room temperature Ti. The exodermis is a wall that isolates the indoor space 71 from the outdoor space 72. The ventilation load is a heat load due to ventilation or draft air inflow. The ventilation load is proportional to the temperature difference ΔTio. The internal calorific value Qn is a heat load by lighting, home appliances, and a person existing in the indoor space 71. The solar radiation load includes a first solar radiation load that heats the room through the window glass and a second solar radiation load that heats the exodermis and is transmitted from the exodermis into the indoor space 71. Divided.

The learning unit 570 learns the thermal characteristics of the indoor space 71 based on the load information regarding the heat load of the indoor space 71 acquired by the acquisition unit 510. Specifically, the learning unit 570 learns the relationship between the steady sensible heat load Qs, the room temperature Ti, the outside air temperature To, and the window temperature Tw as the thermal characteristics of the indoor space 71, and the above equation (3) Estimate the values of α, β and Qn in. The estimation unit 520 estimates the steady sensible heat load Qs by the above equation (3) using the values of α, β, and Qn learned by the learning unit 570. For ease of understanding, it is assumed that the room temperature Ti matches the set temperature Tm and the steady sensible heat load Qs matches the air conditioning capacity of the air conditioner 1.

In the above equation (3), α is a coefficient α indicating the heat insulating performance of the house 3, and is related to the once-through load and the ventilation load, which are heat loads required in proportion to the temperature difference ΔTio between the outside air temperature To and the room temperature Ti. It is a proportional coefficient. However, since the second solar radiation load is also a heat load transmitted through the exodermis, it is preferable to treat it in the same manner as the once-through load. Therefore, the learning unit 570 considers the increase ΔTo of the outside air temperature To as a parameter corresponding to the second solar radiation load, and uses the apparent outside air temperature To2 (= To + ΔTo) instead of the outside air temperature To to determine the heat load Q. estimate.

When the ventilation load is not taken into consideration, α is theoretically estimated by the following equation (10) using the average thermal transmission rate UA of the exodermis and the surface area A of the exodermis. In equation (10), the unit of α is W (watt) / K (Kelvin), the unit of thermal average thermal transmission rate UA of the outer skin is W / (m ² · K), and the unit of surface area A of the outer skin is m. It is ² . Further, 1.000 is a coefficient corresponding to the once-through load, and 0.034 is a coefficient corresponding to the second solar radiation load. However, it is often not possible to obtain information on the average thermal transmission rate UA of the exodermis and the surface area A of the exodermis, and it is often not possible to accurately determine α by the following equation (10) due to the influence of the ventilation load. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the learning unit 570 obtains the value of α from the actual values of various values by using the above equation (3).
α = U _A × A × (1.000 + 0.034)… (10)

In the above equation (3), the coefficient β indicating the ease with which solar radiation enters the indoor space 71 is a proportional coefficient related to the first solar radiation load, which is a heat load required in proportion to the amount of solar radiation. The value of β depends on the size of the window 75, the type of glass constituting the window 75, and the like.

The learning unit 570 analyzes the relationship between the room temperature Ti, the window temperature Tw, the outside air temperature To, and the air conditioning capacity with reference to the history information 150 stored in the storage unit 102. Then, the learning unit 570 estimates α, β, and Qn based on the result of the analysis.

First, a method of learning the coefficient α indicating the heat insulating performance of the indoor space 71 will be described. The learning unit 570 learns the coefficient α based on the data of the room temperature Ti, the outside air temperature To, and the air conditioning capacity acquired when the amount of solar radiation is sufficiently small. Specifically, when the amount of solar radiation is sufficiently small, the first solar radiation load and the second solar radiation load can be ignored as compared with the once-through load and the ventilation load. In this case, in the above equation (3), β = 0 can be approximated, and ΔTo = 0, that is, To = To2. Therefore, the above equation (3) can be approximated to the following equation (11). The learning unit 570 learns the coefficient α based on the relationship between the temperature difference ΔTio between the room temperature Ti and the outside air temperature To represented by the following equation (11) and the air conditioning capacity.
Qs = α (To-Ti) + Qn ... (11)

FIG. 18A shows the relationship between the temperature difference ΔTio between the room temperature Ti and the outside air temperature To and the air conditioning capacity. FIG. 18A shows the actual value of the temperature difference ΔTio and the air conditioning on a coordinate plane having a horizontal axis which is a coordinate axis representing the temperature difference ΔTio between the room temperature Ti and the outside air temperature To and a vertical axis which is a coordinate axis representing the air conditioning capacity. An example is shown when a plurality of data points corresponding to the actual value of the ability are plotted. Since the once-through load and the ventilation load are proportional to the temperature difference ΔTio, the relationship between the temperature difference ΔTio and the air conditioning capacity can be expressed by a linear approximation formula. The learning unit 570 obtains an approximate straight line L0 showing the relationship between the temperature difference ΔTio and the air conditioning capacity by applying an appropriate regression method such as the least squares method to a plurality of data points plotted on the coordinate plane. From the correspondence between the approximate straight line L0 and the equation (11), the slope of the approximate straight line L0 corresponds to the coefficient α indicating the heat insulating performance, and the intercept of the approximate straight line L0 corresponds to the internal calorific value Qn.

Here, the better the performance of the heat insulating material used for the outer skin of the house 3 and the smaller the area of the outer skin, the smaller the once-through load. Further, the smaller the gap between the outer skins that separate the indoor space 71 and the outdoor space 72, the smaller the ventilation load. Therefore, the smaller the once-through load and the smaller the ventilation load, the smaller the slope of the approximate straight line. Specifically, FIG. 18B shows how the slope of the approximate straight line differs depending on the heat insulating performance of the house 3. As shown in FIG. 18B, the slope of the approximate straight line L11 required for the house 3 having poor heat insulation performance is larger than the slope of the approximate straight line L12 required for the house 3 having good heat insulation performance. Therefore, the learning unit 570 acquires the heat insulating performance of the indoor space 71 from the inclination of the approximate straight line.

Further, the smaller the internal calorific value Qn, the smaller the intercept of the approximate straight line. Specifically, FIG. 18C shows how the intercept of the approximate straight line differs depending on the internal calorific value Qn. As shown in FIG. 18C, the intercept of the approximate straight line L21 obtained for the house 3 having a large internal calorific value Qn is larger than the intercept of the approximate straight line L22 obtained for the house 3 having a small internal calorific value Qn. Therefore, the learning unit 570 acquires the internal calorific value Qn of the indoor space 71 from the intercept of the approximate straight line. In this way, the learning unit 570 refers to the history information 150 stored in the storage unit 102, and is a coefficient indicating the heat insulating performance based on the relationship between the temperature difference ΔTio between the room temperature Ti and the outside air temperature To and the air conditioning capacity. Obtain α and the internal calorific value Qn.

Here, in order to improve the accuracy and speed of learning, it is necessary to collect a large number of history information 150 in a short period of time. Therefore, the learning unit 570 considers that the required air conditioning capacity is the same when the temperature difference ΔTio is the same even when the outside air temperature To and the room temperature Ti are different, and the same temperature difference ΔTio. Plot on the coordinate plane as data points. In such a configuration, it is not necessary to obtain the thermal characteristic formula for each outside air temperature To or room temperature Ti, so that the accuracy and speed of learning can be improved. By repeating the update and learning of the history information 150 during the air-conditioning operation, it is possible to grasp the change in the thermal characteristics of the indoor space 71, and the accuracy of control can be improved. The change in thermal characteristics is caused, for example, by starting to use an electric carpet in winter and increasing the internal calorific value Qn, or by partitioning the rooms to reduce the once-through load.

Secondly, a method of learning the coefficient β indicating the ease with which solar radiation enters the indoor space 71 will be described. The learning unit 570 learns the coefficient β based on the data of the room temperature Ti, the window temperature Tw, and the air conditioning capacity acquired when the temperature difference ΔTio between the room temperature Ti and the outside air temperature To is the same.

When the temperature difference ΔTio is the same, the term α (To2-Ti) in the above equation (11) can be treated as a constant. In this case, the learning unit 570 can estimate the relationship between the temperature difference ΔTiw between the room temperature Ti and the window temperature Tw and the air conditioning capacity based on the β (Tw—Ti) term in the above equation (11). Specifically, on a coordinate plane having a horizontal axis which is a coordinate axis representing the temperature difference ΔTiw between the room temperature Ti and the window temperature Tw and a vertical axis which is a coordinate axis representing the air conditioning capacity, the actual value of the temperature difference ΔTiw and the air conditioning capacity When a plurality of data points corresponding to the actual values are plotted, the relationship between the temperature difference ΔTiw and the air conditioning capacity can be expressed by a linear approximation formula as in FIG. 18A.

Here, the easier it is for sunlight to enter the indoor space 71, the greater the inclination of the approximate straight line, and the more difficult it is for sunlight to enter the indoor space 71, the smaller the inclination of the approximate straight line. Therefore, in FIG. 18B, the same applies by replacing "a house with poor heat insulation performance" with "a house where sunlight easily enters" and "a house with good heat insulation performance" with "a house where sunlight does not easily enter". It can be explained to. The learning unit 570 obtains an approximate straight line showing the relationship between the temperature difference ΔTiw and the air conditioning capacity by applying an appropriate regression method such as the least squares method to a plurality of data points plotted on the coordinate plane. Then, the learning unit 570 learns the coefficient β indicating the ease with which solar radiation enters the indoor space 71 from the slope of the approximate straight line.

Hereinafter, a method for improving the learning accuracy will be described. The learning unit 570 learns the heat insulating performance based on the room temperature Ti, the outside air temperature To, and the air conditioning capacity when the amount of solar radiation is equal to or less than the threshold value. Specifically, a plurality of data points plotted on a coordinate plane having a horizontal axis representing the temperature difference ΔTio and a vertical axis representing the air conditioning capacity are obtained when the amount of solar radiation is equal to or less than the threshold value. Limited to acquired data points. Before plotting the data points corresponding to the temperature difference ΔTio and the air conditioning capacity on the coordinate plane, the learning unit 570 determines the amount of solar radiation for the data points of the temperature difference ΔTio and the air conditioning capacity corresponding to the data points to be plotted. It is determined whether or not the data is acquired when the value is equal to or less than the threshold value. Then, when the learning unit 570 determines that the data of the temperature difference ΔTio and the air conditioning capacity corresponding to the data points to be plotted is acquired when the amount of solar radiation is equal to or less than the threshold value, the learning unit 570 plots the data points on the coordinate plane. On the other hand, when the learning unit 570 determines that the data of the temperature difference ΔTio and the air conditioning capacity corresponding to the data points to be plotted is acquired when the amount of solar radiation is larger than the threshold value, the learning unit 570 does not plot the data points on the coordinate plane.

That is, the learning unit 570 plots the data points acquired when the amount of solar radiation is equal to or less than the threshold value among the plurality of data points corresponding to the temperature difference ΔTio and the air conditioning capacity on the coordinate plane. For example, the learning unit 570 determines that the amount of solar radiation is equal to or less than the threshold value when the window temperature Tw is smaller than the room temperature Ti, and determines that the amount of solar radiation is larger than the threshold value when the window temperature Tw is larger than the room temperature Ti.

In this way, when learning the correlation between the temperature difference ΔTio and the air conditioning capacity, it is preferable to obtain the relationship between the temperature difference ΔTio and the air conditioning capacity from the data acquired when the influence of solar radiation is small. According to such a configuration, the variation of data due to the influence of the solar radiation load is suppressed. Therefore, the coefficient α indicating the heat insulating performance represented by the inclination and the internal calorific value Qn represented by the intercept can be accurately obtained. That is, when using the data acquired when the amount of solar radiation is equal to or less than the threshold value, α can be easily obtained by using the equation (11) instead of the equation (3). It should be noted that the learning unit 570 only needs to be able to obtain the slope and intercept of the approximate straight line from the data of the temperature difference ΔTio and the air conditioning capacity, and of course, it is not necessary to actually plot the data points on some coordinate plane. Is.

Further, the learning unit 570 may learn the heat insulating performance based on the room temperature Ti, the outside air temperature To, and the air conditioning capacity when the amount of change in the room temperature Ti is equal to or less than the reference value. Further, the learning unit 570 may learn the ease of entering sunlight based on the room temperature Ti, the window temperature Tw, and the air conditioning capacity when the amount of change in the room temperature Ti is equal to or less than the reference value.

Specifically, in a transient state where the room temperature Ti is not stable, the exerted air conditioning capacity is generally not stable. For example, while the room temperature Ti changes significantly immediately after the start of air conditioning, the air conditioning capacity includes the portion that processes the heat capacity of the room, so that the apparent air conditioning capacity increases. Therefore, the learning unit 570 may limit the plurality of data points plotted on the coordinate plane to the data points acquired when the amount of change in room temperature Ti in the specified time is equal to or less than the reference value. As a result, the learning unit 570 can obtain an approximate straight line by using the data acquired when the room temperature Ti is stable. Therefore, the heat insulating performance or the ease of solar radiation represented by the slope of the approximate straight line and the internal calorific value Qn represented by the intercept can be accurately obtained.

The learning unit 570 calculates the air conditioning capacity for sensible heat, for example, by the ε-NTU (Number of Transfer Unit) method. The total heat capacity, sensible heat capacity and latent heat capacity are expressed by the following equations (12) to (14).
Total heat capacity = enthalpy efficiency, air density, air volume, (suction air enthalpy of indoor unit 13-saturated air enthalpy of piping temperature of indoor heat exchanger 25) ... (12)
Sensible heat capacity = temperature efficiency, air density, specific air heat, air volume, (suction air temperature of indoor unit 13-pipe temperature of indoor heat exchanger 25) ... (13)
Latent heat capacity = total heat capacity-sensible heat capacity ... (14)

Next, with reference to FIG. 19, a data processing method for improving the learning accuracy will be described. When the learning unit 570 actually learns based on the history information 150, the data points are not always plotted uniformly on the coordinate plane. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 19, the data points are unevenly distributed in a region where the temperature difference ΔTio is large, specifically, in a region where the temperature difference ΔTio is between T3 and T4. All plotted data points are indicated by black circles. Here, when the approximate straight line is obtained using all the data points, the slope and intercept of the approximate straight line may not be accurately obtained due to the strong influence of the region where there are many data points. FIG. 19 shows an example in which the slope of the approximate straight line L31 obtained by using all the data points is small and the intercept is large. That is, in this case, it is regarded as the house 3 having good heat insulation performance and a large internal calorific value Qn, and the error becomes large.

Therefore, it is preferable that the learning unit 570 obtains an approximate straight line by using representative data points represented by white circles instead of all data points represented by black circles. FIG. 19 shows an example in which the region of the temperature difference ΔTio is classified into a plurality of categories according to a predetermined temperature range, and one representative data point is obtained for each classified temperature range. The representative data point is, for example, a data point representing an average value of all data points belonging to one category. The average value is obtained for each of the temperature difference ΔTio and the air conditioning capacity. In other words, the learning unit 570 is included in this one division by averaging the actual value of the temperature difference Δ and the actual value of the air conditioning capacity in one of the plurality of divisions in the coordinate plane. A plurality of data points are integrated into one representative data point. Then, the learning unit 570 obtains an approximate straight line from the representative data points after integration.

In the example of FIG. 19, the slope of the approximate straight line L32 obtained by using the representative data points is larger than the slope of the approximate straight line L31 obtained by using all the data points. Further, the intercept of the approximate straight line L32 is smaller than the intercept of the approximate straight line L31. By using the representative data points obtained for each division in this way, it is possible to obtain the slope and intercept of the approximate straight line with higher accuracy than using all the data points. Further, according to such a method, even when the number of data is small or the conditions are biased, for example, when the air conditioner 1 is first used, it is possible to learn with high accuracy.

As described above, the air conditioner 1 according to the fourth embodiment learns the thermal characteristics of the indoor space 71 and estimates the steady sensible heat load Qs based on the learning result. As a result, the steady-state sensible heat load Qs for maintaining the room temperature Ti at the set temperature Tm can be estimated accurately. For example, when the room temperature Ti is 27 ° C., air conditioning is generally performed in the cooling mode, but in a situation where the steady sensible heat load Qs is small such as in a house with high heat insulation performance, the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 25 is used in the cooling mode. The evaporation temperature of the air conditioner becomes high and the air conditioner is not sufficiently dehumidified. In such a case, switching to the dehumidification mode enhances comfort. Since the air conditioner 1 according to the fourth embodiment estimates the thermal characteristics of the indoor space 71 by learning, it is comfortable because there is little room temperature fluctuation when switching between various operation modes under various weather conditions, building conditions, and living conditions. Air conditioning can be provided.

(Modification example)
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various modifications and applications are possible in carrying out the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, the air conditioner 1 includes "weak cooling dehumidification", "double fan dehumidification", "dew point temperature dehumidification", "partial cooling dehumidification", "extended dehumidification", "reheat dehumidification" and "hybrid". The indoor space 71 was air-conditioned in each operation mode. However, in the present invention, the air conditioner 1 does not have to have a function of air conditioning in any of these operation modes. When the air conditioner 1 does not have the function of "reheat dehumidification", the indoor unit 13 does not have to be provided with the two heat exchangers 25a and 25b and the expansion valve 26, and the air and the refrigerant in the indoor space 71 It suffices to have one indoor heat exchanger that exchanges heat between them. Further, when the air conditioner 1 does not have the function of "double fan dehumidification", the indoor unit 13 does not have to be provided with two indoor blowers 33a and 33b, and one indoor blower that blows air to the indoor heat exchanger 25 is provided. All you have to do is prepare. "Extended dehumidification" may be replaced with "reheat dehumidification" for control.

In the above embodiment, the acquisition unit 510 has acquired the window temperature Tw detected by the infrared sensor 43 as an index indicating the amount of solar radiation. However, in the present invention, the acquisition unit 510 may acquire any information as an index indicating the amount of solar radiation, as long as it is information that directly or indirectly indicates the amount of solar radiation, not limited to the window temperature Tw. For example, the acquisition unit 510 acquires the illuminance of the indoor space 71 detected by the illuminance sensor or the image of the indoor space 71 taken by the camera, and estimates the amount of solar radiation to be inserted into the indoor space 71 from the illuminance or the image. Is also good. Further, the acquisition unit 510 may acquire information on the amount of power generated by the photovoltaic power generation facility via an external communication network, or may acquire information indicating weather data including information on the amount of solar radiation via an external communication network. You may get it.

In the above embodiment, the outdoor unit control unit 51 has the functions of each unit shown in FIG. 5 or 15, and functions as a control device for controlling the air conditioner 1. However, in the present invention, a part or all of each of these functions may be provided by the indoor unit control unit 53, or may be provided by an external device of the air conditioner 1.

For example, as shown in FIG. 20, in the air conditioning system S including the air conditioner 1 and the control device 100, the control device 100 connected to the air conditioner 1 via the communication network N is shown in FIG. 5 or 15. It may have the function of each part. For example, the communication network N may be a home network conforming to ECHONET Lite, and the control device 100 may be a controller of a HEMS (Home Energy Management System) that manages electric power in the house 3. Alternatively, the communication network N may be a wide area network such as the Internet, and the control device 100 may be a server that controls the air conditioner 1 from the outside of the house 3.

When the control device 100 has each of the above functions, the air conditioning system S may include a plurality of air conditioning devices 1 as control targets by the control device 100. In this case, the number of air conditioners 1 is not limited. The control target of the control device 100 may be a device provided with a refrigeration cycle, such as the air conditioner 1, and its detailed configuration is not limited.

In the above-described embodiment, the house 3 has been described as an example of the object in which the air conditioner 1 is installed. However, in the present invention, the object in which the air conditioner 1 is installed may be an apartment house, an office building, a facility, a factory, or the like. The air-conditioned space is not limited to the room in the house 3, and may be any space as long as it is a space to be air-conditioned by the air-conditioning device 1. The air conditioner 1 is not limited to the one provided with one outdoor unit 11 and one indoor unit 13, and may be provided with one outdoor unit 11 and a plurality of indoor units 13. The indoor unit 13 for cooling and the indoor unit 13 for heating may be mixed and operated in the plurality of indoor units 13.

In the above embodiment, the user operates the remote controller 55 to input the numerical values of the set temperature Tm and the set humidity RHm. However, the corresponding set temperature Tm or set humidity RHm may be determined by the user specifying the strength / medium / weakness of cooling or dehumidification with the remote controller 55. Further, a user interface other than the remote controller 55 may be used to accept the user's input, or the notification information by the notification unit 550 may be output.

In the above embodiment, in the control unit 101, the CPU functions as each unit shown in FIG. 5 or 15 by executing the program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 102. However, in the present invention, the control unit 101 may be dedicated hardware. Dedicated hardware is, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof. When the control unit 101 is dedicated hardware, the functions of each unit may be realized by individual hardware, or the functions of each unit may be collectively realized by a single hardware.

Further, some of the functions of each part may be realized by dedicated hardware, and the other part may be realized by software or firmware. In this way, the control unit 101 can realize each of the above-mentioned functions by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

By applying the program that regulates the operation of the control unit 101 according to the present invention to an existing computer such as a personal computer or an information terminal device, the computer can function as the air conditioner 1 or the control device 100 according to the present invention. It is also possible.

The distribution method of such a program is arbitrary, and for example, a computer-readable recording such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk ROM), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), an MO (Magneto Optical Disk), or a memory card. It may be stored in a medium and distributed, or may be distributed via a communication network such as the Internet.

The present invention allows for various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present invention. Moreover, the above-described embodiment is for explaining the present invention, and does not limit the scope of the present invention. That is, the scope of the present invention is indicated not by the embodiment but by the claims. And various modifications made within the scope of the claims and within the equivalent meaning of the invention are considered to be within the scope of the invention.

The present invention is applicable to air conditioners.

1 Air conditioner, 3 House, 11 Outdoor unit, 13 Indoor unit, 21 Compressor, 22 Four-way valve, 23 Outdoor heat exchanger, 24, 26 Expansion valve, 25 Indoor heat exchanger, 25a, 25b Heat exchanger, 31 Outdoor Blower, 33a, 33b Indoor blower, 41 Temperature sensor, 42 Humidity sensor, 43 Infrared sensor, 51, 51a Outdoor unit control unit, 53 Indoor unit control unit, 55 Remote controller, 61 Refrigerant piping, 63 Communication line, 71 Indoor space, 72 Outdoor space, 75 windows, 100 control device, 101 control unit, 102 storage unit, 103 timing unit, 104 communication unit, 110 air conditioner unit, 130 display unit, 150 history information, 510 acquisition unit, 520 estimation unit, 530 judgment unit 540 air conditioning control unit, 550 notification unit, 560 information update unit, 570 learning unit, N communication network, S air conditioning system

Claims (12)

The air conditioner has a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the air in the air conditioning space and the refrigerant flowing through the air conditioner pipe, and a first blower and a second blower that send the air to the heat exchanger, respectively. Air conditioning means to air-condition the space and
An acquisition means for acquiring the temperature of the air sent to the heat exchanger by a temperature sensor installed at a position closer to the second blower than the first blower.
The air conditioning means is provided with an air conditioning control means that switches between a first dehumidifying mode and a second dehumidifying mode according to the temperature acquired by the acquiring means, and dehumidifies the air conditioning space.
In the first dehumidification mode, the air conditioning control means drives the first blower and the second blower at a predetermined rotation speed, and in the second dehumidification mode, the first blower is driven by the first blower. The second blower is driven at a second rotation speed higher than the first rotation speed while being driven at a first rotation speed smaller than the specified rotation speed.
Air conditioner. When the sensible heat load of the air conditioning space determined according to the temperature of the air acquired by the acquisition means is larger than the sensible heat threshold, the air conditioning control means applies the air conditioning means to the air conditioning means in the first dehumidification mode. When the air-conditioned space is dehumidified and the sensible heat load is smaller than the sensible heat threshold, the air-conditioned means dehumidifies the air-conditioned space in the second dehumidifying mode.
The air conditioner according to claim 1. The acquisition means further acquires the temperature of the external space outside the air-conditioned space.
The sensible heat load is determined according to the difference between the temperature of the air in the air-conditioned space and the temperature of the external space acquired by the acquisition means.
The air conditioner according to claim 2. The acquisition means acquires the humidity of the air sent to the heat exchanger by the second blower by a humidity sensor installed at a position closer to the second blower than the first blower.
The air conditioning control means is described when the latent heat load of the air conditioning space determined according to the humidity acquired by the acquisition means is larger than the latent heat threshold and the sensible heat load is larger than the sensible heat threshold. In the first dehumidification mode, when the air conditioning means dehumidifies the air conditioning space and the latent heat load is larger than the latent heat threshold and the sensible heat load is smaller than the sensible heat threshold, the second dehumidification mode To dehumidify the air-conditioned space with the air-conditioned means.
The air conditioner according to claim 2 or 3. When the temperature difference between the temperature acquired by the acquisition means and the set temperature of the air conditioning space is larger than the temperature threshold, the air conditioning control means dehumidifies the air conditioning means in the first dehumidification mode. When the temperature difference is smaller than the temperature threshold, the air conditioning means is dehumidified in the second dehumidification mode.
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The sum of the amount of air blown by the first blower and the second blower in the second dehumidification mode is the sum of the amount of air blown by the first blower and the second blower in the first dehumidification mode. Smaller than
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The air conditioning means further includes a compressor that compresses the refrigerant and circulates the refrigerant pipe.
The air conditioning control means switches between the first dehumidification mode, the second dehumidification mode, and the third dehumidification mode according to the temperature acquired by the acquisition means, and provides the air conditioning space to the air conditioning means. Dehumidify,
In the third dehumidification mode, the air conditioning control means controls the rotation speed of the compressor to a rotation speed at which the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger becomes lower than the dew point temperature of the air. Let the air conditioning means dehumidify the air conditioning space.
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The air conditioning means further includes an expansion valve that depressurizes and expands the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe.
The air conditioning control means switches between the first dehumidification mode, the second dehumidification mode, and the fourth dehumidification mode according to the temperature acquired by the acquisition means, and provides the air conditioning space to the air conditioning means. Dehumidify,
In the fourth dehumidification mode, the air conditioning control means sets the opening degree of the expansion valve so that the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant at the inflow port where the refrigerant flows into the heat exchanger is lower than the dew point temperature of the air. By controlling the opening degree, the air conditioning means dehumidifies the air conditioning space.
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 7. Further provided is a notification means for notifying that the operation mode has been switched when the operation mode of the air conditioner is switched by the air conditioning control means.
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The air conditioner has a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the air in the air conditioning space and the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe, and a first blower and a second blower that send the air to the heat exchanger, respectively. A control device that controls an air conditioner that air-conditions a space.
An acquisition means for acquiring the temperature of the air sent to the heat exchanger by a temperature sensor installed at a position closer to the second blower than the first blower.
The air-conditioning apparatus is provided with an air-conditioning control means for switching between a first dehumidification mode and a second dehumidification mode according to the temperature acquired by the acquisition means to dehumidify the air-conditioning space.
In the first dehumidification mode, the air conditioning control means drives the first blower and the second blower at a predetermined rotation speed, and in the second dehumidification mode, the first blower is driven by the first blower. The second blower is driven at a second rotation speed higher than the first rotation speed while being driven at a first rotation speed smaller than the specified rotation speed.
Control device. The air conditioning is performed by using a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the air in the air conditioning space and the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe, and a first blower and a second blower that send the air to the heat exchanger, respectively. It is an air conditioning method that air-conditions the space.
The temperature of the air sent to the heat exchanger is acquired by a temperature sensor installed at a position closer to the second blower than the first blower.
The air-conditioned space is dehumidified by switching between the first dehumidifying mode and the second dehumidifying mode according to the acquired temperature.
In the first dehumidification mode, the first blower and the second blower are driven at a specified rotation speed, and in the second dehumidification mode, the first blower is driven at a speed higher than the specified rotation speed. It is driven by a small first rotation speed, and the second blower is driven by a second rotation speed higher than the first rotation speed.
Air conditioning method. The air conditioner has a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the air in the air conditioning space and the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe, and a first blower and a second blower that send the air to the heat exchanger, respectively. A computer that controls an air conditioner that air-conditions a space
An acquisition means for acquiring the temperature of the air sent to the heat exchanger by a temperature sensor installed at a position closer to the second blower than the first blower.
The first dehumidification mode and the second dehumidification mode are switched according to the temperature acquired by the acquisition means, and the air conditioner is made to function as an air conditioning control means for dehumidifying the air conditioning space.
In the first dehumidification mode, the air conditioning control means drives the first blower and the second blower at a predetermined rotation speed, and in the second dehumidification mode, the first blower is driven by the first blower. The second blower is driven at a second rotation speed higher than the first rotation speed while being driven at a first rotation speed smaller than the specified rotation speed.
program.

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