JPWO2020070891A1 - Air conditioner, control method and program of air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

To enable proper cleaning operation in the air conditioner. Therefore, the air conditioner performs a refrigeration cycle having a compressor for compressing the refrigerant and an indoor heat exchanger for cooling or heating the air in the air conditioning chamber, and a cleaning operation for cleaning the surface of the indoor heat exchanger. The control device is provided with a control device for controlling the refrigeration cycle, an indoor fan for blowing air to the indoor heat exchanger, and an air condition sensor for detecting the temperature or humidity of the air flowing in from the air conditioning room. The cleaning operation is performed on the condition that the function of driving the indoor fan for a predetermined time (S102, S104) before executing the operation and the detection result of the air condition sensor after driving the indoor fan are within the first predetermined range. Has a function (S110, S120) for executing the above.

Description

The present invention relates to an air conditioner, a control method and a program of the air conditioner.

Regarding the cleaning operation of the air conditioner, Patent Document 1 below states that "the air conditioner has a refrigeration cycle having a heat exchanger that cools or heats the surrounding air, and the execution of heating operation, cooling operation, dehumidifying operation, etc. It is possible and includes a control device 130 that controls the refrigeration cycle so as to perform a cleaning operation for cleaning the surface of the heat exchanger. Here, the control device 130 performs a cleaning operation when a predetermined condition occurs. It has a regulatory control unit 138 that regulates execution. "(See summary).
Further, in Patent Document 1, regarding the temperature detection of the air conditioning room, that is, the indoor space where the indoor unit is installed, "The room temperature detecting unit 161 detects the temperature in the air conditioning room, and is a far infrared sensor such as a thermopile. It is preferable to be able to detect a room temperature in a range similar to the imaging range by the imaging unit 110 by applying the above (see the specification, paragraph 0020).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6296633

Generally, the indoor unit of an air conditioner is provided with a plurality of sensors, and as described in Patent Document 1, one of them is applied as a sensor for detecting the state of the air conditioning chamber. There are times. However, depending on the mode of the indoor unit, the deviation between the measurement result of the sensor and the actual state of the air-conditioning room may become large, which may make it impossible to properly perform the cleaning operation.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner capable of appropriately performing a cleaning operation, a control method and a program of the air conditioner.

In order to solve the above problems, the air conditioner of the present invention has a refrigeration cycle having a compressor for compressing a refrigerant and an indoor heat exchanger for cooling or heating the air in the air conditioning chamber, and a surface of the indoor heat exchanger. A control device that controls the refrigeration cycle so as to execute a cleaning operation, an indoor fan that blows air to the indoor heat exchanger, and an air state that detects the temperature or humidity of the air flowing in from the air conditioning chamber. The control device includes a sensor, and the control device has a function of driving the indoor fan for a predetermined time before executing the cleaning operation, and a first predetermined detection result of the air condition sensor after driving the indoor fan. It is characterized by having a function of executing the washing operation on condition that it is within the range.

According to the present invention, the cleaning operation can be appropriately performed.

It is a system diagram of the air conditioner 100 by 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a side sectional view of the indoor unit in 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart of the washing operation processing routine in 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart of the washing operation processing routine in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart of the washing operation processing routine in 3rd Embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
<Composition of air conditioner>
FIG. 1 is a system diagram of the air conditioner 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The air conditioner 100 includes an outdoor unit 30, an indoor unit 60, and a control device 20 for controlling them. The indoor unit 60 sets an operation mode (cooling, heating, dehumidification, ventilation, etc.), an indoor air volume (quick wind, strong wind, weak wind, etc.), a target indoor temperature, and the like according to a signal input from the remote controller 90.

(Control device 20)
The control device 20 includes hardware as a general computer such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a ROM (Read Only Memory). , A control program executed by the CPU, various data, and the like are stored. The control device 20 controls each part of the outdoor unit 30 and the indoor unit 60 based on the control program. The details will be described later.

(Outdoor unit 30)
The outdoor unit 30 includes a compressor 32, a four-way valve 34, and an outdoor heat exchanger 36. The compressor 32 includes a motor 32a and has a function of compressing the refrigerant flowing in through the four-way valve 34. The pipe a1 is provided with a suction side temperature sensor 41 that detects the temperature of the refrigerant sucked into the compressor 32 and a suction side pressure sensor 45 that detects the pressure of the refrigerant sucked into the compressor 32. .. Further, the pipe a2 is provided with a discharge side temperature sensor 42 that detects the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 32 and a discharge side pressure sensor 46 that detects the pressure of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 32. ing. Further, the compressor 32 is equipped with a compressor temperature sensor 43 that detects the temperature of the compressor 32.

The four-way valve 34 has a function of switching the direction of the refrigerant supplied to the indoor unit 60 depending on whether the indoor heat exchanger 64 functions as an evaporator or a condenser. When the indoor heat exchanger 64 functions as an evaporator, for example, during the cooling operation, the four-way valve 34 is switched to connect the pipes a2 and a3 and the pipes a1 and a6 along the solid line path. In this case, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 32 is cooled by the outdoor heat exchanger 36. The cooled refrigerant is supplied to the indoor unit 60 via the pipe a5.

Further, when the indoor heat exchanger 64 is made to function as a condenser, for example, during the heating operation, the four-way valve 34 connects the pipes a2 and a6 and also connects the pipes a1 and a3 along the path of the broken line. Can be switched. In this case, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 32 is supplied to the indoor unit 60 via the pipes a2 and a6. The outdoor fan 48 includes a motor 48a and blows air to the outdoor heat exchanger 36.

The outdoor heat exchanger 36 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the air sent from the outdoor fan 48 and the refrigerant, and is connected to the compressor 32 via a four-way valve 34. Further, the outdoor unit 30 includes an outdoor heat exchanger inlet temperature sensor 51 that detects the temperature of the air flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 36 and an outdoor heat exchanger that detects the temperature of the gas side refrigerant of the outdoor heat exchanger 36. A refrigerant gas temperature sensor 53 and an outdoor heat exchanger refrigerant liquid temperature sensor 55 that detects the temperature of the liquid side refrigerant of the outdoor heat exchanger 36 are mounted.

The power supply unit 54 receives a three-phase AC voltage from the commercial power supply 22. A power measuring unit 58 is connected to the power supply unit 54, whereby the power consumption of the air conditioner 100 is measured. The DC voltage output by the power supply unit 54 is supplied to the motor control unit 56. The motor control unit 56 includes an inverter (not shown), and supplies an AC voltage to the motor 32a of the compressor 32 and the motor 48a of the outdoor fan 48. Further, the motor control unit 56 controls the motors 32a and 48a without a sensor, thereby detecting the rotation speeds of the motors 32a and 48a.

(Indoor unit 60)
The indoor unit 60 includes an indoor expansion valve 62, an indoor heat exchanger 64, an indoor fan 66, a motor control unit 67, and a remote controller communication unit 68 that performs bidirectional communication between the remote controller 90 and the remote controller 90. ing. The indoor fan 66 includes a motor 66a and blows air to the indoor heat exchanger 64. The motor control unit 67 includes an inverter (not shown) and supplies an AC voltage to the motor 66a. Further, the motor control unit 67 controls the motor 66a without a sensor, thereby detecting the rotation speed of the motor 66a.

The indoor expansion valve 62 is inserted between the pipes a5 and a7 and has a function of adjusting the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the pipes a5 and a7 and reducing the pressure of the refrigerant on the secondary side of the indoor expansion valve 62. doing. The indoor heat exchanger 64 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the indoor air sent from the indoor fan 66 and the refrigerant, and is connected to the indoor expansion valve 62 via the pipe a7.

Further, the indoor unit 60 includes an indoor heat exchanger inlet air temperature sensor 70 (air condition sensor), an indoor heat exchanger exhaust air temperature sensor 72, an indoor heat exchanger inlet humidity sensor 74, and an indoor heat exchanger refrigerant liquid. It includes a temperature sensor 25 and an indoor heat exchanger refrigerant gas temperature sensor 26.
Here, the indoor heat exchanger inlet air temperature sensor 70 detects the temperature of the air sucked by the indoor fan 66. Further, the indoor heat exchanger exhaust air temperature sensor 72 detects the temperature of the air discharged from the indoor heat exchanger 64.

Further, the indoor heat exchanger inlet humidity sensor 74 (air condition sensor) detects the humidity of the air sucked by the indoor fan 66. Further, the indoor heat exchanger refrigerant liquid temperature sensor 25 and the indoor heat exchanger refrigerant gas temperature sensor 26 are provided at the connection points between the indoor heat exchanger 64 and the pipe a6, and determine the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the points. To detect. As described above, the compressor 32, the four-way valve 34, the outdoor heat exchanger 36, the indoor expansion valve 62, the indoor heat exchanger 64, and the pipes a1 to a7 form the refrigeration cycle RC.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the indoor unit 60. The indoor unit 60 is a thing called a "ceiling cassette type" that is embedded in the ceiling 130 and exposes the lower surface to the air conditioning room.
In FIG. 2, the indoor heat exchanger 64 is formed in a plate shape bent in a substantially V shape, and is installed in the central portion of the indoor unit 60. The indoor fan 66 has fins arranged in a substantially cylindrical shape, and is arranged in front of the indoor heat exchanger 64. Below the indoor heat exchanger 64 and the indoor fan 66, a dew tray 140 that receives the condensed water is arranged.

An inclined air filter 142 is provided behind the indoor heat exchanger 64. Further, the lower surface of the indoor unit 60 is covered with a decorative plate 143. An air suction port 144 formed by carving a slit in the decorative plate 143 is formed below the air filter 142. The indoor heat exchanger inlet air temperature sensor 70 is provided between the indoor heat exchanger 64 and the air filter 142.

An air blowing passage 146 is formed in front of the indoor fan 66. The left and right wind direction plates 148 are provided in the middle of the air blowing passage 146, and control the direction of the air flow in the left-right direction (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface). The vertical wind direction plate 150 is provided at the outlet portion of the air blowing passage 146, rotates around the fulcrum 150a, and controls the direction of the air flow in the vertical direction. The left and right wind direction plates 148 and the up and down wind direction plates 150 are rotationally driven by the control device 20 (see FIG. 1). The vertical wind direction plate 150 shown by a solid line in FIG. 2 shows the position when it is in the fully open state.

When the air conditioner 100 is stopped, the vertical wind direction plate 150 is rotated to the fully closed position 152 indicated by the alternate long and short dash line. Further, when the cleaning operation described later is executed, the vertical wind direction plate 150 is rotated to the position 156 indicated by the alternate long and short dash line, and then rotated to the cleaning operation position 154. Then, as the opening degree of the vertical wind direction plate 150 increases, the pipeline resistance of the air blowing passage 146 decreases. However, even when the vertical wind direction plate 150 is closed at the fully closed position 152, a gap FS is formed between the vertical wind direction plate 150 and the decorative plate 143, and a slight gap FS is formed through the gap FS. Air is allowed to flow.

<Operation of the embodiment>
(Overview of cleaning operation)
Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
In this embodiment, the "cleaning operation" is executed automatically or according to a user's instruction. Here, the "cleaning operation" is an operation in which the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 64 is frosted or condensed, and the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 64 is washed with the frosted or condensed water. Further, the case where the washing operation is automatically executed is, for example, a case where the washing operation is set to be executed periodically at predetermined time intervals. The washing operation is classified into a "freezing washing operation" and a "condensation washing operation".

In the freeze-cleaning operation, the control device 20 (see FIG. 1) switches the four-way valve 34 in the direction shown by the solid line so that the indoor heat exchanger 64 becomes an evaporator. Next, the control device 20 is an air conditioner such as the rotation speed of the compressor 32, the opening degree of the indoor expansion valve 62, the rotation speed of the indoor fan 66, etc. so that the surface temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 64 is below the freezing point. The state of each part of 100 is set. If this state is continued, frost will form on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 64.

Next, the control device 20 switches the four-way valve 34 in the direction indicated by the broken line so that the indoor heat exchanger 64 becomes a condenser, and heats the indoor heat exchanger 64. Then, the frost adhering to the indoor heat exchanger 64 melts, and the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 64 is washed away. After that, the control device 20 heats the indoor heat exchanger 64 for a while and continues to drive the indoor fan 66. As a result, the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 64 dries. Through the above process, the freeze-washing operation is completed.

Further, also in the dew condensation cleaning operation, the control device 20 (see FIG. 1) switches the four-way valve 34 in the direction shown by the solid line so that the indoor heat exchanger 64 becomes an evaporator. Next, the control device 20 sets the state of each part of the air conditioner 100 so that the surface temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 64 is lower than the dew point temperature and higher than zero degree. If this state is continued, the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 64 will condense, and the condensed water will wash away the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 64. After that, the control device 20 switches the four-way valve 34 in the direction indicated by the broken line so that the indoor heat exchanger 64 becomes a condenser, heats the indoor heat exchanger 64, and continues to drive the indoor fan 66. As a result, the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 64 is dried. Through the above process, the dew condensation cleaning operation is completed.

(Operation by cleaning operation processing routine)
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the cleaning operation processing routine in the present embodiment.
This routine is executed according to the instruction of the user when the user commands the execution of the washing operation on the remote controller 90 or when the execution timing of the automatic operation of the washing operation comes.

When the process proceeds to step S101 in FIG. 3, the vertical wind direction plate 150 is opened to the position 156 shown in FIG. Next, when the process proceeds to step S102, the rotary drive of the indoor fan 66 is started. Next, when the process proceeds to step S104, the process waits for a predetermined time. This predetermined time is the time when the temperature and humidity around the indoor heat exchanger inlet air temperature sensor 70 (see FIG. 2) and the indoor heat exchanger inlet humidity sensor 74 approach the temperature and humidity of the air conditioning room. This predetermined time may be, for example, about 30 seconds or more and 5 minutes or less.

When the process proceeds to step S106 after the elapse of the predetermined time, the process branches based on the range of the relative humidity H which is the detection result of the indoor heat exchanger inlet humidity sensor 74. More specifically, the process is branched based on the comparison result between the relative humidity H and the constants H10, H12, H14, and H16. It should be noted that these constants have a relationship of "H10 <H12 <H14 <H16". Here, the constants H12 and H14 are the minimum and maximum values of relative humidity in which it is preferable to perform the freeze-washing operation.

If the relative humidity H is less than the constant H12, the relative humidity H is too low, and even if a freeze cleaning operation is performed, a sufficient amount of frost does not form on the indoor heat exchanger 64, and sufficient cleaning is performed. The effect will not be obtained. Further, when the relative humidity H is too high, dew condensation may occur in a place other than the indoor heat exchanger 64 when the freeze washing operation is attempted. For example, when dew condensation occurs on the indoor fan 66 or the air blowing passage 146, there arises a problem that the condensed water leaks to the air conditioning room through the air blowing passage 146.

The constant H14 is a value of relative humidity H in which dew condensation generated in a place other than the indoor heat exchanger 64 does not matter so much. In other words, the range in which the relative humidity H is “H12 ≦ H <H14” is a range in which it is preferable to execute the freeze-washing operation. Further, the constant H10 is a relative humidity at which it is considered difficult to condense a sufficient amount of water on the indoor heat exchanger 64 to perform the dew condensation cleaning operation. Further, the constant H16 is a relative humidity at which dew condensation may occur in a place other than the indoor heat exchanger 64 even when the dew condensation cleaning operation is attempted.

In step S106, if the relative humidity H is in the range of “H12 ≦ H <H14”, the process proceeds to step S110. If the relative humidity H is in the range of “H10 ≦ H <H12” or “H14 ≦ H <H16”, the process proceeds to step S120. If the relative humidity H is in the “other” range, that is, “H <H10” or “H16 ≦ H”, the process proceeds to step S130.

In step S110, the process branches based on the range of room temperature T, which is the detection result of the indoor heat exchanger inlet air temperature sensor 70. More specifically, the process is branched based on the comparison result between the room temperature T and the constants T10, T12, T14, and T16. It should be noted that these constants have a relationship of "T10 <T12 <T14 <T16".

If the room temperature T is in the range of "T10 ≦ T <T12", the process proceeds to step S112, and the "freeze washing operation F1" is executed. If the room temperature T is in the range of "T12 ≦ T <T14", the process proceeds to step S114, and the "freeze washing operation F2" is executed. If the room temperature T is in the range of "T14 ≦ T <T16", the process proceeds to step S116, and "freeze washing operation F3" is executed. In other cases, that is, when the room temperature T is less than the constant T10 or exceeds T16, the process proceeds to step S130.

Here, the constant T10 is a value near 0 ° C., for example, a value of about 1 ° C. to 6 ° C. The dew tray 140 (see FIG. 2) of the indoor unit 60 is equipped with a drain pipe, a drain pump, and the like (not shown) for discharging the condensed water. If there is a place where the temperature of the condensed water becomes 0 ° C. or lower, the drain pipe or the like is clogged at that place. Therefore, the constant T10 is set to a value of about 1 ° C. to 6 ° C. with a slight margin with respect to "0 ° C.", and the washing operation is stopped when the room temperature T becomes less than the constant T10. Further, if the room temperature T is too high, there is a possibility that the cooling capacity cannot be secured to the extent that the indoor heat exchanger 64 can be sufficiently frosted. The constant T16 may be set to a temperature at which the indoor heat exchanger 64 can be sufficiently frosted.

The freeze-washing operations F1, F2, and F3 are set so that the cooling capacity increases as the range of room temperature T increases. More specifically, assuming that the rotation speeds of the compressors 32 (see FIG. 1) in the freeze-cleaning operations F1, F2, and F3 are NF1, NF2, and NF3, respectively, these rotation speeds are set to "NF1 <NF2 <NF3". There is a relationship. Further, in any of the freeze-washing operations F1, F2, and F3, the control device 20 sets the position of the vertical wind direction plate 150 to the washing operation position 154 (see FIG. 2).

Further, when the process proceeds from step S106 to step S120, the process branches based on the range of room temperature T. More specifically, the process is branched based on the comparison result between the room temperature T and the constants T20, T22, T24, and T26. It should be noted that these constants have a relationship of "T20 <T22 <T24 <T26".

If the room temperature T is in the range of “T20 ≦ T <T22”, the process proceeds to step S122, and “condensation washing operation C1” is executed. If the room temperature T is in the range of “T22 ≦ T <T24”, the process proceeds to step S124, and the “condensation washing operation C2” is executed. If the room temperature T is in the range of "T24 ≦ T <T26", the process proceeds to step S126, and "condensation washing operation C3" is executed. In other cases, that is, when the room temperature T is less than the constant T20 or exceeds T26, the process proceeds to step S130.

Here, the constant T20 is, for example, a value of about 1 ° C. to 6 ° C., similar to the above-mentioned constant T10. The constant T20 may be the same as the constant T10. Further, the constant T26 may be set to a temperature at which the indoor heat exchanger 64 can sufficiently condense dew. Therefore, the constant T26 may be higher than the above-mentioned constant T16.

The dew condensation cleaning operation C1, C2, and C3 are set so that the cooling capacity increases as the range of the room temperature T increases. More specifically, assuming that the rotation speeds of the compressors 32 (see FIG. 1) in the dew condensation cleaning operations C1, C2, and C3 are NC1, NC2, and NC3, respectively, these rotation speeds are set to "NC1 <NC2 <NC3". There is a relationship. Further, since the dew condensation cleaning operation has a lower cooling capacity than the freeze-cleaning operation, when the rotation speeds NF1, NF2, and NF3 during the freeze-cleaning operation described above are also combined, these rotation speeds include "NC1 <NC2 <NC3 <NF1". There is a relationship of <NF2 <NF3 ". Further, in any of the dew condensation cleaning operations C1, C2, and C3, the control device 20 sets the position of the vertical wind direction plate 150 at the cleaning operation position 154 (see FIG. 2).

When any of the processes of steps S112 to S116 and S122 to S126 described above is completed, the process proceeds to step S130, and the control device 20 executes the cleaning operation stop process. That is, the control device 20 stops the refrigeration cycle RC, also stops the indoor fan 66, and rotates the vertical wind direction plate 150 to the fully closed position 152 (see FIG. 2). If it is determined to be "other" in any of steps S106, S110, and S120 described above, neither the freeze cleaning operation nor the dew condensation cleaning operation is executed, and the stop process of step S130 is executed. This completes the processing of this routine.

(Operation of watching driving)
In the present embodiment, an operation called "watching operation" is also executed. In general, "watching operation" means that when the temperature of the air conditioning room exceeds a predetermined temperature, the cooling operation is automatically executed. In the present embodiment, when the user instructs the execution of the "watching operation" via the remote controller 90, the control device 20 performs the "room temperature acquisition process" at each predetermined monitoring cycle during the period when the refrigeration cycle RC is stopped. Is executed. This "room temperature acquisition process" means that the air in the air conditioning room is taken into the indoor unit 60 by driving the indoor fan 66 for a predetermined time, and the detection result of the indoor heat exchanger inlet air temperature sensor 70 is acquired as the room temperature T. Point to. Next, the control device 20 determines whether or not the acquired room temperature T is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, and executes the cooling operation when the determination result is "affirmative".

As described above, the "room temperature acquisition process" in the "watching operation" is a cleaning operation (see FIG. 3) in that the indoor fan 66 is driven to take in the air in the air conditioning room into the indoor unit 60 to acquire the room temperature T. This is similar to the processing of steps S101, S102, S104, and S106.
However, as described above, in step S101 of the washing operation, the vertical wind direction plate 150 is opened to the position 156 (see FIG. 2), whereas in the "room temperature acquisition process" in the "watching operation", the vertical wind direction plate 150 is opened. Is different in that it stays at the fully closed position 152.

Further, the driving time of the indoor fan 66 in the cleaning operation (standby time in step S104) is longer than the driving time of the indoor fan 66 in the room temperature acquisition process of the watching operation. Further, the rotation speed of the indoor fan 66 in the cleaning operation (rotational speed in step S104) is higher than the rotation speed of the indoor fan 66 in the room temperature acquisition process of the watching operation.

As described above, in the processing of steps S101 to S106 in the cleaning operation, the opening degree of the vertical wind direction plate 150 is large, the driving time of the indoor fan 66 is long, and the rotation speed of the indoor fan 66 is high. It is different from processing. One of the reasons for such a difference is that in the room temperature acquisition process of the watching operation, only the room temperature T needs to be acquired, and the relative humidity H does not need to be measured. In particular, when the inside of the indoor unit 60 is dry, in order to match the relative humidity inside the indoor unit 60 with the relative humidity of the air conditioning room, the indoor fan 66 is compared with the case where only the temperature is adjusted. It is preferable to increase the driving time.

<Effect of the first embodiment>
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the control device (20) has a function (S102, S104) for driving the indoor fan (66) for a predetermined time and an indoor fan (66) before executing the cleaning operation. It has a function (S110, S120) of executing a cleaning operation on condition that the detection result of the air condition sensor (70, 74) is within the first predetermined range after being driven.
As a result, according to the present embodiment, the detection result of the air condition sensor (70,74) can be made accurate, and the cleaning operation can be appropriately executed.

Further, the predetermined time is 30 seconds or more, and even when detecting whether or not the detection result of the air condition sensor (70,74) is within the first predetermined range, the indoor fan (66) Is continuing to drive. As a result, the detection result of the air condition sensor (70, 74) can be made more accurate, and the cleaning operation can be performed more appropriately.

Further, the control device (20) further has a function (S101) of making the vertical wind direction plate (150) open rather than closed within a predetermined time period. As a result, the passage of air in the air conditioner (100) can be promoted, the detection result of the air condition sensor (70,74) can be made more accurate, and the cleaning operation can be performed more appropriately. be able to.

The control device (20) has a monitoring operation function that automatically executes a cooling operation according to the detection result of the air condition sensor (70, 74) after rotating the indoor fan (66), and performs a cleaning operation. The rotational speed at which the indoor fan (66) is rotated before the execution is higher than the rotational speed at which the indoor fan (66) is rotated before the monitoring operation function is executed. As a result, the detection result of the air condition sensor (70, 74) can be made more accurate than when the watching operation is executed, and the cleaning operation can be executed more appropriately.

Further, the control device (20) has a function (S110, S120) of setting the rotation speed of the compressor (32) based on the detection result of the air condition sensor (70, 74) after driving the indoor fan (66). ) Further. Thereby, an appropriate cooling capacity can be imparted to the air conditioner (100) depending on the situation.

Further, the control device (20) is subjected to a freeze-cleaning operation in which the indoor heat exchanger (64) is frosted based on the detection result of the air condition sensor (70, 74) after driving the indoor fan (66). Further, it has a function (S106) of selecting one of the dew condensation washing operations in which the indoor heat exchanger (64) is condensing without frosting. Thereby, depending on the situation, the appropriate side of the freeze washing operation or the dew condensation washing operation can be selected.

[Second Embodiment]
<Structure and operation of the second embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The hardware configuration of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment (see FIGS. 1 and 2). However, in the present embodiment, the cleaning operation processing routine shown in FIG. 4 is executed instead of the cleaning operation processing routine shown in FIG.
This routine is also executed when the user commands the execution of the cleaning operation on the remote controller 90 (see FIG. 1) or when the execution timing of the automatic operation of the cleaning operation is reached.

When the process proceeds to step S12 in FIG. 4, it is determined whether or not the relative humidity H, which is the detection result of the indoor heat exchanger inlet humidity sensor 74, satisfies the condition of “H60 ≦ H <H62”. However, since the indoor fan 66 is not driven at this time, the relative humidity H may be different from the actual relative humidity in the air conditioning room. Here, H60 and H62 are predetermined constants. The constant H60 has a value slightly lower than the constant H10 described in step S106 of FIG. Further, the constant H62 has a slightly higher value than the constant H16 described in step S106. That is, the range of the constants H60 to H62 is wider than the range of the constants H10 to H16.

If "Yes" is determined in step S12, the process proceeds to step S14, and whether the outside air temperature TD, which is the detection result of the outdoor heat exchanger inlet temperature sensor 51, satisfies the condition of "TD0≤TD <TD2". Whether or not it is determined. Here, TD0 and TD2 are predetermined constants. The constant TD0 is a value near 0 ° C., for example, a value of about 1 ° C. to 6 ° C., similar to the constants T10 and T20 described in steps S110 and S120. Further, if the outside air temperature is too high, it may not be possible to secure the cooling capacity to the extent that the indoor heat exchanger 64 can be sufficiently frosted or condensed. The constant TD2 may be set to a temperature at which the indoor heat exchanger 64 can sufficiently frost or condense.

If "Yes" is determined in step S14, the process proceeds to step S16, and whether or not the room temperature T, which is the detection result of the indoor heat exchanger inlet air temperature sensor 70, satisfies the condition of "T80≤T <T82". Is judged. However, since the indoor fan 66 is not driven at this point, the room temperature T may be different from the actual room temperature in the air conditioning room, as in the above-mentioned relative humidity H. Here, T80 and T82 are predetermined constants. The constant T80 is a value near 0 ° C., but is set to a value lower than the constants T10 and T20 described in steps S110 and S120. Further, the constant T82 is set to a value higher than the constant T26 described in step S120. That is, the range of the constants T80 to T82 is wider than the range of the constants T10 to T20.

If "Yes" is determined in step S16, the same processing as in step S100 and subsequent steps of FIG. 3 is executed. On the other hand, if "No" is determined in any of steps S12, S14, and S16, the process proceeds to step S20. Here, the control device 20 executes the stop processing of the washing operation, and the processing of this routine is completed.

<Effect of the second embodiment>
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the indoor fan (66) is set on the condition that the detection result of the air condition sensor (70,74) is within the second predetermined range before the indoor fan (66) is driven. It further has a function (S12 to S16) for driving 66). Further, the second predetermined range is wider than the first predetermined range. As a result, when the detection result of the air condition sensor (70, 74) is not within the second predetermined range, the electric power for operating the indoor fan (66) becomes unnecessary, and energy saving can be realized.

Further, once the indoor fan (66) is driven, the user often recognizes that the cleaning operation has started. However, if it is determined as "other" in steps S106, S110, and S120 (see FIG. 3), the stop process of step S130 is executed without executing the freeze washing operation and the dew condensation washing operation. In this case, the user may be suspicious that "the air conditioner (100) may have failed". According to the present embodiment, once the indoor fan (66) is driven, it is possible to increase the possibility that the freeze washing operation or the dew condensation washing operation is executed, and it is possible to reduce the frequency of suspicion by the user. it can.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The hardware configuration of the third embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment (see FIGS. 1 and 2). However, in the present embodiment, the cleaning operation processing routine shown in FIG. 5 is executed instead of the cleaning operation processing routine shown in FIG. This routine is also executed when the user commands the execution of the cleaning operation on the remote controller 90 (see FIG. 1) or when the execution timing of the automatic operation of the cleaning operation is reached.

When the routine of FIG. 5 is started, the control device 20 executes the processes of steps S140, S142, and S144. The contents of these steps are the same as those of steps S101, S102, and S104 (see FIG. 3) in the first embodiment. Next, when the process proceeds to step S150, the process branches based on the range of room temperature T, which is the detection result of the indoor heat exchanger inlet air temperature sensor 70. More specifically, the process is branched based on the comparison result between the room temperature T and the constants T50, T52, T54, T56, T58, T60, T62. It should be noted that these constants have a relationship of "T50 <T52 <T54 <T56 <T58 <T60 <T62".

If the room temperature T is in the range of “T50 ≦ T <T52”, the process proceeds to step S152, and the “condensation washing operation C1” is executed. If the room temperature T is in the range of "T52 ≦ T <T54", the process proceeds to step S154, and the "condensation washing operation C2" is executed. If the room temperature T is in the range of "T54 ≦ T <T56", the process proceeds to step S156, and "freeze washing operation F1" is executed.

If the room temperature T is in the range of “T56 ≦ T <T58”, the process proceeds to step S158, and the “freezing and washing operation F2” is executed. If the room temperature T is in the range of "T58 ≦ T <T60", the process proceeds to step S160, and "freeze washing operation F3" is executed. If the room temperature T is in the range of "T60 ≦ T <T62", the process proceeds to step S162, and the "condensation washing operation C3" is executed. In other cases, that is, when the room temperature T is less than the constant T50 or exceeds T62, the process proceeds to step S170.

The contents of the dew condensation cleaning operations C1 to C3 and the freeze cleaning operations F1 to F3 executed in steps S152 to S162 are the same as those of the first embodiment. When any of the processes of steps S152 to S162 is completed, the process proceeds to step S170, and the control device 20 executes the process of stopping the cleaning operation. The content of this stop process is the same as that of step S130 (see FIG. 3) of the first embodiment. The control device 20 stops the refrigeration cycle RC, the indoor fan 66 also stops, and the vertical wind direction plate 150 is pressed. Rotate to the fully closed position 152 (see FIG. 2). Further, when it is determined to be "other" in step S150 described above, the freeze washing operation or the dew condensation washing operation is not executed, and the stop process of step S170 is executed. This completes the processing of this routine.

In the processes of steps S140 to S170 described above, the determination based on the relative humidity is not performed. This is based on the fact that the temperature and the relative humidity have a correlation according to the installation area of the air conditioner 100. For example, assume that the air conditioner 100 is set in Japan. Considering the climate of Japan, the temperature tends to be low in winter and high in summer. At the same time, the relative humidity tends to be low in winter and high in summer. Then, the relative humidity has a monotonous increasing tendency correlation with the temperature.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, if the room temperature T is in the range of “T54 ≦ T <T60”, it can be estimated that the relative humidity H is also in a preferable range for the freeze-cleaning operation. F1 to F3 are being executed. Further, if the room temperature T is in the range of “T50 ≦ T <T54” or “T60 ≦ T <T62” above and below it, it can be estimated that the relative humidity H is also in a preferable range for the dew condensation cleaning operation, so that the control device 20 is used. , Condensation cleaning operations C1 to C3 are being executed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the detection result of the indoor heat exchanger inlet air temperature sensor 70 can be made accurate and the cleaning operation can be appropriately executed, as in the case of the first embodiment. it can. Further, in the processes of steps S140 to S170 of the present embodiment, since the determination based on the relative humidity is not performed, the indoor heat exchanger inlet humidity sensor 74 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be omitted, and air conditioning can be performed. It is possible to reduce the cost of the machine 100.

Further, in the present embodiment, the same processing as in steps S14, S16, and S20 of the second embodiment (see FIG. 4) described above may be executed before the processing in step S140 is executed. That is, if "Yes" is determined in both steps S14 and S16, the processes after step S140 are executed, and if "No" is determined in any of steps S14 and S16, step S20 is stopped. The process may be executed.

As a result, as in the second embodiment, the electric power for operating the indoor fan 66 can be reduced, and energy saving can be realized. Further, once the indoor fan 66 is driven, the possibility that the freeze washing operation or the dew condensation washing operation is executed can be increased, and the frequency of suspicion by the user can be reduced.

[Modification example]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible. The above-described embodiments are exemplified for easy understanding of the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Further, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Further, it is possible to delete a part of the configuration of each embodiment, or add / replace another configuration. In addition, the control lines and information lines shown in the figure show what is considered necessary for explanation, and do not necessarily show all the control lines and information lines necessary for the product. In practice, it can be considered that almost all configurations are interconnected. Possible modifications to the above embodiment are, for example, as follows.

(1) In each of the above embodiments, the cooling capacity, that is, the rotation speed of the compressor 32 is set corresponding to the room temperature T. However, even if the rotation speed of the compressor 32 is feedback-controlled so that an appropriate refrigerant temperature can be realized based on the detected values of the indoor heat exchanger refrigerant liquid temperature sensor 25 or the indoor heat exchanger refrigerant gas temperature sensor 26. Good.

(2) In each of the above embodiments, various judgments are made based on the relative humidity H, but instead of the relative humidity H, various judgments may be made based on the absolute humidity.

(3) Since the hardware of the control device 20 in the above embodiment can be realized by a general computer, the programs and the like related to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 are stored in a storage medium or distributed via a transmission line. You may.

(4) The processes shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 have been described as software-like processes using a program in the above embodiment, but some or all of them are ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits; ICs for specific applications). Alternatively, it may be replaced with hardware-like processing using FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or the like.

(5) The present invention is suitable for use in a ceiling cassette type indoor unit in which the environment in the air conditioning room and the environment in the indoor unit are likely to differ, but the present invention is not limited to the type of the indoor unit. For example, the present invention may be applied to a wall-mounted indoor unit or a window-type air conditioner in which an indoor unit and an outdoor unit are integrated.

20 Control device 30 Outdoor unit 32 Compressor 64 Indoor heat exchanger 66 Indoor fan 70 Indoor heat exchanger Inlet air temperature sensor (air condition sensor)
74 Indoor heat exchanger inlet humidity sensor (air condition sensor)
100 Air conditioner 150 Vertical wind direction plate RC refrigeration cycle

In order to solve the above problems, the air conditioner of the present invention has a refrigeration cycle having a compressor for compressing a refrigerant and an indoor heat exchanger for cooling or heating the air in the air conditioning chamber, and a surface of the indoor heat exchanger. A control device that controls the refrigeration cycle so as to execute a freezing operation in which the temperature falls below the freezing point, an indoor fan that blows air to the indoor heat exchanger, and a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the air flowing in from the air conditioning chamber. And a humidity sensor that detects the humidity of the air flowing in from the air conditioning chamber , the control device has a function of driving the indoor fan for a predetermined time before executing the freezing operation , and the indoor fan. Ri temperature first predetermined range in der of the air after driving, and, on condition that the relative humidity of the air is within a third predetermined range, or the temperature of the air is first given It is characterized by having a function of executing the freezing operation on condition that the absolute humidity of the air is within the range and the absolute humidity of the air is within the fourth predetermined range .

Claims (10)

A refrigeration cycle with a compressor that compresses the refrigerant and an indoor heat exchanger that cools or heats the air in the air conditioning chamber.
A control device that controls the refrigeration cycle to perform a cleaning operation that cleans the surface of the indoor heat exchanger.
An indoor fan that blows air to the indoor heat exchanger,
An air condition sensor that detects the temperature or humidity of the air flowing in from the air conditioning room,
The control device is provided with
A function of driving the indoor fan for a predetermined time before executing the cleaning operation, and
An air conditioner having a function of executing the cleaning operation on condition that the detection result of the air condition sensor is within the first predetermined range after driving the indoor fan. The first aspect of the present invention is characterized in that it further has a function of driving the indoor fan, provided that the detection result of the air condition sensor is within the second predetermined range before driving the indoor fan. Air conditioner. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the second predetermined range is wider than the first predetermined range. The predetermined time is a time of 30 seconds or more, and is
The air conditioning according to claim 3, wherein the indoor fan continues to be driven even when detecting whether or not the detection result of the air condition sensor is within the first predetermined range. Machine. The control device is provided with a vertical wind direction plate that changes the airflow discharged to the air conditioning chamber in the vertical direction and is closed when the refrigeration cycle is stopped.
The air conditioner according to claim 4, further comprising a function of opening the vertical wind direction plate more than the closed state within the predetermined time period. The control device has a monitoring operation function that automatically executes a cooling operation according to a detection result of the air condition sensor after rotating the indoor fan.
The fifth aspect of claim 5, wherein the rotation speed for rotating the indoor fan before executing the cleaning operation is higher than the rotation speed for rotating the indoor fan before executing the watching operation function. Air conditioner. The control device is
The air conditioner according to claim 6, further comprising a function of setting the rotation speed of the compressor based on the detection result of the air condition sensor after driving the indoor fan. The control device is
Based on the detection result of the air condition sensor after driving the indoor fan, a freeze cleaning operation for frosting the indoor heat exchanger or a dew condensation cleaning operation for dew condensation without frosting the indoor heat exchanger. The air exchanger according to claim 7, further comprising a function of selecting one of them. A refrigeration cycle with a compressor that compresses the refrigerant and an indoor heat exchanger that cools or heats the air in the air conditioning chamber.
A control device that controls the refrigeration cycle to perform a cleaning operation that cleans the surface of the indoor heat exchanger.
An indoor fan that blows air to the indoor heat exchanger,
An air condition sensor that detects the temperature or humidity of the air flowing in from the air conditioning room,
It is a control method of an air conditioner equipped with
The process of driving the indoor fan for a predetermined time before executing the cleaning operation, and
A control method for an air conditioner, which comprises a process of executing the cleaning operation on condition that the detection result of the air condition sensor is within the first predetermined range after driving the indoor fan. .. A refrigeration cycle with a compressor that compresses the refrigerant and an indoor heat exchanger that cools or heats the air in the air conditioning chamber.
A computer that controls the refrigeration cycle to perform a cleaning operation that cleans the surface of the indoor heat exchanger.
An indoor fan that blows air to the indoor heat exchanger,
An air condition sensor that detects the temperature or humidity of the air flowing in from the air conditioning room,
The computer, which is applied to an air conditioner equipped with
A means for driving the indoor fan for a predetermined time before performing the cleaning operation.
A means for executing the cleaning operation on condition that the detection result of the air condition sensor is within the first predetermined range after driving the indoor fan.
A program to function as.

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