Centralized control device, method, controller, air conditioning system, and storage medium

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a centralized control device, method, controller, air conditioning system and storage medium, and relates to the field of control. The centralized control device comprises a controller configured to generate cooling tower control instructions; and a cooling tower processing group connected with the controller, the cooling tower processing group comprising at least one cooling tower processing device, each of the at least one cooling tower processing device corresponding to one cooling tower, comprising: a cooling tower module configured to receive the cooling tower control instructions sent by the controller and send the cooling tower control instructions to a control element module; and the control element module connected with the cooling tower module, wherein the control element module is connected with at least one control element and is configured to control the at least one control element according to the cooling tower control instructions. The present disclosure can realize centralized and efficient automatic control of the cooling tower.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of control, and more particularly to a centralized control device, method, controller, air conditioning system, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Modern large and medium-sized buildings are equipped with central air conditioning, and cooling towers are the main equipment of the central air conditioning system. They are responsible for dispersing the hot water generated by the main unit's cooling and cooling it by exchanging heat with the atmosphere, thereby meeting the requirement of water recycling.

[0003] Improving the stability and energy efficiency of cooling tower control is a primary goal of air conditioning design. Currently, cooling tower control is performed by automatic control systems, which suffer from low automation rates, poor stability, and long program development cycles. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One technical problem this disclosure aims to solve is to provide a centralized control device, method, controller, air conditioning system, and storage medium that enables centralized, efficient, and automated control of cooling towers.

[0005] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a centralized control device is proposed, comprising: a controller configured to generate cooling tower control commands; and a cooling tower processing group connected to the controller, the cooling tower processing group including at least one cooling tower processing device, each of the at least one cooling tower processing device corresponding to a cooling tower, comprising: a cooling tower module configured to receive cooling tower control commands sent by the controller and send the cooling tower control commands to a control element module; and a control element module connected to the cooling tower module, wherein the control element module is connected to at least one control element and configured to control at least one control element according to the cooling tower control commands.

[0006] In some embodiments, the cooling tower control commands include fan control commands, and the control element module includes: a fan module connected to at least one cooling tower fan and configured to control at least one cooling tower fan according to the fan control commands.

[0007] In some embodiments, the cooling tower control instructions further include valve control instructions, wherein at least a portion of the control element modules of the cooling tower treatment device further include: a valve module connected to at least one pipeline valve and configured to control at least one pipeline valve according to the valve control instructions.

[0008] In some embodiments, the valve control command includes at least one of a first water valve control command and a second water valve control command, and the valve module includes at least one of an inlet valve module and an outlet valve module, wherein the inlet valve module is connected to at least one cooling tower inlet valve and is configured to control at least one cooling tower inlet valve according to the first water valve control command; the outlet valve module is connected to at least one cooling tower outlet valve and is configured to control at least one cooling tower outlet valve according to the second water valve control command.

[0009] In some embodiments, the centralized control device further includes at least one of a temperature and humidity sensor and a flow collector, wherein the temperature and humidity sensor, connected to the controller, is configured to collect outdoor temperature and humidity information and send the temperature and humidity information to the controller, wherein the controller controls the frequency of the cooling tower fan based on the temperature and humidity information; and the flow collector, connected to the controller, is configured to collect water flow data of the cooling water main and send the water flow data to the controller.

[0010] In some embodiments, the controller includes: a human-machine interface unit configured to receive first data related to cooling tower control set by a user; a communication circuit configured to receive second data related to cooling tower control provided by a control system; a data storage circuit configured to store third data related to the cooling tower; an arithmetic circuit connected to the human-machine interface unit, the communication circuit, and the data storage circuit, respectively, configured to perform calculations on at least one of the first data, the second data, and the third data to generate cooling tower control instructions; and a control circuit connected to the arithmetic circuit configured to send cooling tower control instructions to the cooling tower module.

[0011] In some embodiments, the cooling tower module includes: a cooling tower centralized control circuit configured to acquire status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan through a fan control circuit, and send the status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan to a controller, and receive fan control commands sent by the controller, and send the fan control commands to the fan control circuit; and a fan control circuit configured to acquire status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan, send the status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, and send fan control commands to the fan module.

[0012] In some embodiments, the fan control commands include fan start / stop control commands and fan frequency control commands. The fan module includes: a frequency converter circuit configured to control the operating frequency of each cooling tower fan in at least one cooling tower fan according to the fan frequency control commands, and to send the operating frequency of each cooling tower fan to the fan control circuit; and a first I / O processing circuit configured to control the start / stop of each cooling tower fan in at least one cooling tower fan according to the fan start / stop control commands, and to identify the number of at least one cooling tower fan, and to send the status information of each cooling tower fan to the fan control circuit.

[0013] In some embodiments, the cooling tower module includes: a cooling tower centralized control circuit configured to acquire status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan through a fan control circuit, acquire status information of at least one pipeline valve through a valve control circuit, and send the status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan and the status information of at least one pipeline valve to a controller; and to receive fan control commands and valve control commands sent by the controller, and send the fan control commands to the fan control circuit and the valve control commands to the valve control circuit; a fan control circuit configured to acquire the status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan, send the status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, and send the fan control commands to the fan module; and a valve control circuit configured to acquire the status information of at least one pipeline valve, send the status information of at least one pipeline valve to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, and send the valve control commands to the valve module.

[0014] In some embodiments, the valve control command includes at least one of a first water valve control command and a second water valve control command, and the valve module includes at least one of an inlet valve module and an outlet valve module. The valve control circuit includes: an inlet valve control circuit configured to acquire status information of at least one inlet valve and send the status information of at least one inlet valve to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, and to send the first water valve control command to the inlet valve module; and an outlet valve control circuit configured to acquire status information of at least one outlet valve and send the status information of at least one outlet valve to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, and to send the second water valve control command to the outlet valve module.

[0015] In some embodiments, the inlet valve module includes: a second IO processing circuit configured to identify the number of at least one inlet valve, acquire the status information of at least one inlet valve, send the number and status information of at least one inlet valve to the inlet valve control circuit, and control at least one inlet valve according to a first water valve control command.

[0016] In some embodiments, the outlet valve module includes: a third IO processing circuit configured to identify the number of at least one outlet valve, acquire the status information of at least one outlet valve, send the number and status information of at least one outlet valve to the outlet valve control circuit, and control at least one outlet valve according to a second water valve control command.

[0017] In some embodiments, the connection between the controller and the cooling tower processing unit includes: the power supply and data transmission interface of the controller being connected to the power supply and data transmission interface of the cooling tower module in each cooling tower processing unit.

[0018] In some embodiments, the cooling tower processing group includes N cooling tower processing devices, where N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2. The connection between the controller and the cooling tower processing group includes: the power supply and data transmission interface of the cooling tower module of the first cooling tower processing device among the N cooling tower processing devices is connected to the power supply and data transmission interface of the controller; the power supply and data transmission interface of the cooling tower module of the i-th cooling tower processing device among the N cooling tower processing devices is connected to the power supply and data transmission interface of the cooling tower module of the (i-1)-th cooling tower processing device, where i is a natural number greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to N.

[0019] In some embodiments, the first data includes one or more of the following: control mode, start / stop command, fan control frequency, maximum number of fans in operation, minimum number of fans in operation, increase fan time interval threshold, decrease fan time interval threshold, first fan frequency threshold, second fan frequency threshold, design water volume of each cooling water pump, and design water volume of each cooling tower; the second data includes one or more of the following: control mode, start / stop command, fan control frequency, cooling water main pipe temperature, and equipment status information; the third data includes outdoor temperature and humidity information, cooling water main pipe water flow data, number of cooling tower fans in operation, operating frequency of each cooling tower fan, and one or more of the first and second data.

[0020] In some embodiments, the cooling tower control commands include fan control commands, and the arithmetic circuit is further configured to: calculate the minimum required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the activated cooling towers and the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps; calculate the optimal required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps, the design water volume of each cooling tower, and the minimum flow coefficient; and generate fan control commands based on the minimum and optimal required numbers.

[0021] In some embodiments, the arithmetic circuit is further configured to: determine to add one cooling tower fan when the minimum demand quantity is less than 1; and determine the number of cooling tower fans to be operated based on the optimal demand quantity when the minimum demand quantity is greater than or equal to 1.

[0022] In some embodiments, the cooling tower control instructions include fan control instructions, and the arithmetic circuit is further configured to: calculate the minimum required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the already activated cooling tower and the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps; and generate fan control instructions based on the minimum required number, the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans.

[0023] In some embodiments, the arithmetic circuit is further configured to: determine whether to add a cooling tower fan when the minimum demand quantity is less than 1; and determine whether to add or remove a cooling tower fan when the minimum demand quantity is greater than or equal to 1, based on the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans.

[0024] In some embodiments, the arithmetic circuit is further configured to: determine to add one cooling tower fan when the maximum number of operating fans is greater than or equal to the number of operating cooling tower fans + 1, the difference between the current time and the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes is greater than or equal to an increase fan time interval threshold, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans is greater than or equal to a first fan frequency threshold; and determine to reduce one cooling tower fan when the minimum number of operating fans is less than the number of operating cooling tower fans, the difference between the current time and the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes is greater than or equal to a decrease fan time interval threshold, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans is less than a second fan frequency threshold.

[0025] In some embodiments, the cooling tower control commands include fan control commands, and the computing circuit is further configured to control the operating frequency of the cooling tower fan based on at least one of outdoor temperature information, humidity information, and cooling water main pipe temperature.

[0026] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a centralized control method is also proposed, comprising: generating a cooling tower control command; and sending the cooling tower control command to at least one cooling tower processing device in a cooling tower processing group, so that each cooling tower processing device in the at least one cooling tower processing device controls at least one control element of the corresponding cooling tower.

[0027] In some embodiments, generating a cooling tower control command includes: acquiring at least one of the following: user-set first data related to cooling tower control, second data related to cooling tower control provided by the control system, and stored third data related to cooling tower control; and calculating at least one of the first, second, and third data to generate a cooling tower control command.

[0028] In some embodiments, the first data includes one or more of the following: control mode, start / stop command, fan control frequency, maximum number of fans in operation, minimum number of fans in operation, increase fan time interval threshold, decrease fan time interval threshold, first fan frequency threshold, second fan frequency threshold, design water volume of each cooling water pump, and design water volume of each cooling tower; the second data includes one or more of the following: control mode, start / stop command, fan control frequency, cooling water main pipe temperature, and equipment status information; the third data includes outdoor temperature and humidity information, cooling water main pipe water flow data, number of cooling tower fans in operation, operating frequency of each cooling tower fan, and one or more of the first and second data.

[0029] In some embodiments, the cooling tower control instructions include fan control instructions. Generating cooling tower control instructions includes: calculating the minimum required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the activated cooling towers and the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps; calculating the optimal required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps, the design water volume of each cooling tower, and the minimum flow coefficient; and generating fan control instructions based on the minimum and optimal required numbers.

[0030] In some embodiments, generating fan control instructions based on the minimum demand quantity and the optimal demand quantity includes: determining to add one cooling tower fan when the minimum demand quantity is less than 1; and determining the number of cooling tower fans to be operated based on the optimal demand quantity when the minimum demand quantity is greater than or equal to 1.

[0031] In some embodiments, the cooling tower control instructions include fan control instructions. Generating cooling tower control instructions includes: calculating the minimum required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the already activated cooling tower and the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps; and generating fan control instructions based on the minimum required number, the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans.

[0032] In some embodiments, generating fan control instructions based on the minimum required quantity, the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans includes: determining to add one cooling tower fan when the minimum required quantity is less than 1; and determining whether to add or remove one cooling tower fan when the minimum required quantity is greater than or equal to 1, based on the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of operating cooling tower fans changes, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans.

[0033] In some embodiments, determining whether to add or remove a cooling tower fan includes: adding a cooling tower fan when the maximum number of operating fans is greater than or equal to the number of operating cooling tower fans + 1, the difference between the current time and the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes is greater than or equal to a time interval threshold for adding fans, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans is greater than or equal to a first fan frequency threshold; and removing a cooling tower fan when the minimum number of operating fans is less than the number of operating cooling tower fans, the difference between the current time and the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes is greater than or equal to a time interval threshold for removing fans, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans is less than a second fan frequency threshold.

[0034] In some embodiments, the cooling tower control instructions include fan control instructions, and generating the cooling tower control instructions includes controlling the operating frequency of the cooling tower fan based on at least one of outdoor temperature information, humidity information, and cooling water main pipe temperature.

[0035] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a controller is also provided, comprising: an instruction generation module configured to generate cooling tower control instructions; and an instruction sending module configured to send the cooling tower control instructions to at least one cooling tower processing device in a cooling tower processing group, so that each of the at least one cooling tower processing device controls at least one control element of the corresponding cooling tower.

[0036] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a controller is also proposed, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to execute the centralized control method as described above based on instructions stored in the memory.

[0037] According to another aspect of this disclosure, an air conditioning system is also provided, comprising: the aforementioned centralized control device; or the aforementioned controller.

[0038] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is also proposed, on which computer program instructions are stored, which, when executed by a processor, implement the above-described centralized control method.

[0039] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0040] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of this disclosure and, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0041] This disclosure will become clearer with reference to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, wherein:

[0042] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the centralized control device disclosed herein;

[0043] Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure of some other embodiments of the centralized control device disclosed herein;

[0044] Figure 3 The diagram shows the structure of some other embodiments of the centralized control device disclosed herein;

[0045] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the controller in the centralized control device of this disclosure;

[0046] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the cooling tower module in the centralized control device of this disclosure;

[0047] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the fan module in the centralized control device of this disclosure;

[0048] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the water inlet valve module in the centralized control device of this disclosure;

[0049] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the water outlet valve module in the centralized control device of this disclosure;

[0050] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating some embodiments of the centralized control method disclosed herein;

[0051] Figure 10 The following are schematic flowcharts illustrating other embodiments of the centralized control method disclosed herein;

[0052] Figure 11 The following are schematic flowcharts illustrating other embodiments of the centralized control method disclosed herein;

[0053] Figure 12 The following are schematic flowcharts illustrating other embodiments of the centralized control method disclosed herein;

[0054] Figure 13 The following are schematic flowcharts illustrating other embodiments of the centralized control method disclosed herein;

[0055] Figure 14 The diagram shows the structure of some embodiments of the controller disclosed herein;

[0056] Figure 15 The diagram shows the structure of some other embodiments of the controller disclosed herein. Detailed Implementation

[0057] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0058] At the same time, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the accompanying drawings are not drawn according to actual scale.

[0059] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure or its application or use.

[0060] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0061] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0062] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0063] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

[0064] Figure 1 The diagram below illustrates the structure of some embodiments of the centralized control device disclosed herein. The centralized control device includes a controller 10 and a cooling tower processing group 20, which are connected. The cooling tower processing group 20 includes at least one cooling tower processing device 21, with each of the at least one cooling tower processing device 21 corresponding to a cooling tower.

[0065] In some embodiments, for different projects, only the cooling tower processing device 21 needs to be selected based on the actual number of cooling towers. The cooling tower processing device 21 includes a cooling tower module 210 and a control element module 220 connected to the cooling tower module.

[0066] The controller 10 generates cooling tower control commands, the cooling tower module 210 receives the cooling tower control commands sent by the controller 10, and sends the cooling tower control commands to the control element module 220. The control element module 220 is connected to at least one control element and controls at least one control element according to the cooling tower control commands.

[0067] Cooling tower control commands may include, for example, fan control commands and valve control commands. The fan control commands may include, for example, fan start / stop commands and a DC operating frequency. The valve control commands may include, for example, first water valve control commands and second water valve control commands. The control elements may include, for example, a cooling tower fan and pipeline valves, with the pipeline valves including, for example, an inlet valve and an outlet valve. Some cooling towers include a fan, an inlet valve, and an outlet valve; in this case, the controller sends fan control commands, first water valve control commands, and second water valve control commands to the corresponding cooling tower module. Some cooling towers include a fan and an inlet valve; in this case, the controller sends fan control commands and first water valve control commands to the corresponding cooling tower module. Some cooling towers include a fan and an outlet valve; in this case, the controller sends fan control commands and second water valve control commands to the corresponding cooling tower module. Some cooling towers only include a fan and do not have inlet and outlet valves; in this case, the controller sends fan control commands to the corresponding cooling tower module.

[0068] In the above embodiments, a modular design is adopted. Different projects only need to select cooling tower processing devices according to the actual number of cooling towers to form a cooling tower processing group. This cooling tower processing group is connected to a controller, which sends cooling tower control commands to the cooling tower processing devices corresponding to one or more cooling towers, realizing centralized, efficient, and automated control of the cooling towers. Furthermore, because this centralized control device is based on a modular design and centralized control, the number of cooling tower processing devices is determined according to the actual number of cooling towers. The controller can automatically and quickly identify the cooling tower processing devices, thus eliminating the need to develop non-standard programs for different cooling tower processing devices based on orders, thereby reducing program development cycle and costs.

[0069] In some embodiments, the power supply and data transmission interface of the controller is connected to the power supply and data transmission interface of the cooling tower module in each cooling tower processing unit.

[0070] Because the controller and the cooling tower module, as well as the cooling tower modules themselves, are connected through power supply and data transmission interfaces, it is convenient to power each module and to transmit data between modules.

[0071] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the cooling tower processing group 20 includes N cooling tower processing devices 21, where N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2. The power supply and data transmission interface of the cooling tower module of the first cooling tower processing device among the N cooling tower processing devices is connected to the power supply and data transmission interface of the controller 10; the power supply and data transmission interface of the cooling tower module of the i-th cooling tower processing device among the N cooling tower processing devices is connected to the power supply and data transmission interface of the cooling tower module of the (i-1)-th cooling tower processing device, where i is a natural number greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to N.

[0072] In this embodiment, the controller is connected to the first cooling tower module, and the other cooling tower modules are connected in sequence. The controller can transmit cooling tower control commands to each cooling tower processing device through a power supply and data transmission line, thereby reducing the number of cables and lowering the construction difficulty and maintenance cost.

[0073] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the power supply and data transmission interface of the controller 10 is connected to the power supply and data transmission interface of the cooling tower module 210 in each cooling tower processing unit 21.

[0074] That is, multiple cooling tower treatment devices 21 are connected in parallel to the controller 10, so that if any one cooling tower treatment device fails, it will not affect the normal operation of the other cooling tower treatment devices.

[0075] In some embodiments, the controller is connected to the cooling tower module, the cooling tower module is connected to the other cooling tower module, and the cooling tower module is connected to the control element module via pluggable terminals. This simplifies troubleshooting and allows for timely replacement of any damaged module without affecting the normal operation of other modules.

[0076] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of some other embodiments of the centralized control device of this disclosure, in which the control element module 220 is described.

[0077] In some embodiments, the control element module 220 includes a fan module 221, which is connected to at least one cooling tower fan and controls at least one cooling tower fan according to fan control commands.

[0078] In this embodiment, by setting up a fan module and connecting the fan module to the cooling tower fan, the controller can send fan control commands to the fan module through the cooling tower module, and then the fan module can control one or more cooling tower fans, such as controlling the start-up, shutdown and operating frequency of each cooling tower fan, thus realizing centralized control of the cooling tower fans.

[0079] In some embodiments, the control element module 220 includes a valve module 222, which is connected to at least one pipeline valve and controls at least one pipeline valve according to valve control commands.

[0080] In this embodiment, by setting up a valve module and connecting the valve module to the pipeline valve, the controller can send valve control commands to the valve module through the cooling tower module, and then the valve module can control the pipeline valve, such as controlling the opening and closing of the pipeline valve and the valve opening degree, thus realizing centralized control of the cooling tower valve.

[0081] In some embodiments, the valve module 222 includes an inlet valve module 2221 and an outlet valve module 2222. The inlet valve module 2221 is connected to at least one cooling tower inlet valve and controls the at least one cooling tower inlet valve according to a first water valve control command. The outlet valve module 2222 is connected to at least one cooling tower outlet valve and controls the at least one cooling tower outlet valve according to a second water valve control command.

[0082] In this embodiment, if the cooling tower includes an inlet valve, the inlet valve module is selected; if the cooling tower includes an outlet valve, the outlet valve module is selected. The controller sends valve control commands to the inlet valve module or the outlet valve module through the cooling tower module, thereby realizing centralized control of the inlet and outlet valves of the cooling tower.

[0083] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the centralized control device further includes a temperature and humidity sensor 30. Figure 3 For example, the temperature and humidity sensor 30 is connected to the controller 10 and is configured to collect outdoor temperature and humidity information and send it to the controller. The controller then controls the frequency of the cooling tower fans based on the temperature and humidity information. The temperature and humidity sensor includes an interface for connecting to the controller and has an internal data acquisition circuit that collects outdoor temperature and humidity data, transmitting this information to the controller so that the controller can control the operating frequency and number of cooling tower fans based on the outdoor temperature and humidity.

[0084] In some embodiments, the centralized control device further includes a flow collector 40. Figure 3 For example, the flow collector 40 is connected to the controller 10 and is configured to collect water flow data from the cooling water main and send the data to the controller for display and manual assessment of the appropriate number of cooling tower fans operating. The flow collector includes an interface for connection to the controller and has an internal data acquisition circuit capable of collecting water flow data.

[0085] The controller 10, cooling tower module 210, fan module 221, inlet valve module 2221, and outlet valve module 2222 will be introduced below.

[0086] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the controller in the centralized control device of this disclosure. The controller 10 includes a human-machine interaction unit 101, a communication circuit 102, a data storage circuit 103, a computing circuit 104, and a control circuit 105.

[0087] The human-machine interface unit 101 is configured to receive first data related to cooling tower control set by the user. The first data includes one or more of the following: control mode, start / stop command, fan control frequency, maximum number of operating fans, minimum number of operating fans, fan interval threshold for increasing fan frequency, fan interval threshold for decreasing fan frequency, first fan frequency threshold, second fan frequency threshold, design water volume for each cooling water pump, and design water volume for each cooling tower. The first fan frequency threshold is the fan frequency setting value when increasing the number of fans, and the second fan frequency threshold is the fan frequency setting value when decreasing the number of fans. The human-machine interface unit can also display the cooling tower operating status, relevant power data, and frequency. The control mode, for example, is a cooling tower fan frequency control mode, selected by the user, including two modes: main pipe return water temperature control and wet-bulb temperature control. The main pipe return water temperature mode controls the fan frequency based on the main pipe return water temperature, while the wet-bulb temperature control mode controls the fan frequency based on temperature and humidity.

[0088] The communication circuit 102 is configured to receive second data related to cooling tower control provided by the control system. The second data includes one or more of the following: control mode, start / stop commands, fan control frequency, cooling water main temperature, and equipment status information. Equipment status information may include, for example, the operating status of the air conditioning chiller unit, water pumps, etc., the number of units in operation, and fault information.

[0089] The control system is, for example, a third-party control system, whose signals are used to achieve the coordinated control of the cooling tower, as well as other equipment such as the chiller, water pump, etc.

[0090] The data storage circuit 103 is configured to store third data related to the cooling tower. The third data includes outdoor temperature and humidity information, water flow data of the cooling water main, number of cooling tower fans in operation, operating frequency of each cooling tower fan, and one or more of the first and second data.

[0091] The arithmetic circuit 104 is connected to the human-machine interaction unit, the communication circuit, and the data storage circuit, and is configured to calculate at least one of the first data, the second data, and the third data to generate cooling tower control commands.

[0092] In some embodiments, the computing circuit 104 calculates the number of cooling tower fans in operation, the required operating time, the average frequency, and fits and calculates control commands such as fan start / stop and operating frequency.

[0093] The control circuit 105 is connected to the arithmetic circuit and is configured to send cooling tower control commands to the cooling tower module.

[0094] In the above embodiments, the controller can receive data set by the user or data output by a third-party control system, and then generate fan control commands and valve control commands to facilitate centralized and automated control of the cooling tower.

[0095] This controller enables remote data transmission with third-party control systems or automatic control systems. Only one communication line is needed between the two. Different interface modules can be selected according to specific needs, and the controller can automatically match the third-party communication protocol, thereby reducing the use of cables, construction difficulty, and maintenance costs.

[0096] In some embodiments, the controller further includes a first interface 106, a second interface 107, a third interface 108, a fourth interface 109, and a fifth interface 1010.

[0097] The first interface 106 is a power input for obtaining 24V power, the power of which depends on the number of cooling tower modules. The second interface 107 is a third-party communication interface for communicating with a third-party control system, providing data and receiving control commands; the communication circuit communicates with the control system through this second interface 107. The third interface 108 is an outdoor temperature and humidity acquisition interface for connecting an outdoor temperature and humidity sensor. The fourth interface 109 is a flow rate acquisition interface for connecting a flow rate acquisition device to obtain the main water flow data. The fifth interface 1010 is a power supply and data transmission interface for power supply and data transmission between cooling tower modules; the control circuit connects to the cooling tower modules through this fifth interface 1010.

[0098] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the cooling tower module in the centralized control device of this disclosure. The cooling tower module 210 includes a cooling tower centralized control circuit 211 and a fan control circuit 212.

[0099] The cooling tower centralized control circuit 211 is configured to acquire the status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan through the fan control circuit, send the status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan to the controller, and receive fan control commands sent by the controller and send the fan control commands to the fan control circuit.

[0100] The fan control circuit 212 is connected to the cooling tower centralized control circuit 211 and is configured to acquire the status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan, send the status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, and send fan control commands to the fan module.

[0101] In this embodiment, by cooperating with the cooling tower centralized control circuit and the fan control circuit, centralized control of the cooling tower fan can be achieved, and the operating status of the cooling tower fan can be sent to the controller so that the controller can generate targeted fan control commands.

[0102] In some embodiments, the status information of the cooling tower fan includes operating status, fault status, and local / remote status. The fan control circuit sends the cooling tower fan status information and operating frequency to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, which then sends the cooling tower fan status information and operating frequency to the controller, so that the controller can generate fan start / stop commands and frequency control commands, etc.

[0103] In some embodiments, the cooling tower module 210 further includes a valve control circuit 213, which is connected to the cooling tower centralized control circuit and configured to acquire status information of at least one pipeline valve, send the status information of at least one pipeline valve to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, and send valve control commands to the valve module so that the valve module controls the pipeline valve according to the valve control commands.

[0104] In some embodiments, the status information of pipeline valves includes the valve's local and remote status, as well as its on / off status.

[0105] In this embodiment, the valve control circuit sends the status information of the pipeline valves to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, which in turn sends the status information of the pipeline valves to the controller, thereby enabling the controller to generate valve control commands.

[0106] In some embodiments, the valve control circuit 213 includes: an inlet valve control circuit 2131 and an outlet valve control circuit 2132.

[0107] The inlet valve control circuit 2131 is configured to acquire the status information of at least one inlet valve and send the status information of at least one inlet valve to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, and send a first water valve control command to the inlet valve module; the outlet valve control circuit 2132 is configured to acquire the status information of at least one outlet valve and send the status information of at least one outlet valve to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, and send a second water valve control command to the outlet valve module.

[0108] In the above embodiments, the fan control circuit, the inlet valve control circuit, and the outlet valve control circuit send the collected information to the cooling tower centralized control circuit. The cooling tower centralized control circuit then transmits the data to the controller, which generates corresponding cooling tower control commands and sends these commands to the cooling tower centralized control circuit. The cooling tower centralized control circuit then sends the corresponding commands to the fan module, the inlet valve module, and the outlet valve module via the fan control circuit, the inlet valve control circuit, and the outlet valve control circuit, thereby achieving centralized control of the cooling tower.

[0109] In some embodiments, the cooling tower module further includes a sixth interface 214, a seventh interface 215, an eighth interface 216, and a ninth interface 217.

[0110] The sixth interface 214 is a power supply and data transmission interface, used for power supply and data transmission between cooling tower modules; the seventh interface 215 is a fan module interface, used for collecting fan status information and issuing fan control commands, etc., that is, the fan control module is connected to the fan module through this seventh interface; the eighth interface 216 is a water inlet valve interface, that is, the water inlet valve control circuit is connected to the water inlet valve module through this eighth interface; the ninth interface 217 is a water outlet valve interface, that is, the water outlet valve control circuit is connected to the water outlet valve module through this ninth interface.

[0111] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the fan module in the centralized control device of this disclosure. The fan module 221 includes a frequency conversion circuit 2211 and a first IO processing circuit 2212.

[0112] The frequency converter circuit 2211 is configured to control the operating frequency of each cooling tower fan in at least one cooling tower fan according to the fan frequency control command, and send the operating frequency of each cooling tower fan to the fan control circuit; the first IO processing circuit 2212 is configured to control the start and stop of each cooling tower fan in at least one cooling tower fan according to the fan start and stop control command, and identify the number of at least one cooling tower fan, and send the status information of each cooling tower fan to the fan control circuit.

[0113] The fan module is connected to the cooling tower fan, enabling control of the fan frequency and start / stop. It can also feed back the actual operating frequency and status information of the fan to the cooling tower module, which in turn feeds back the actual operating frequency and status information of the fan to the controller, which then generates fan control commands.

[0114] In some embodiments, the fan module further includes a tenth interface 2213 and an eleventh interface 2214. The tenth interface 2213 is the interface between the fan module and the cooling tower module, and the eleventh interface 2214 is the interface between the fan module and the fan. Each fan module can connect to 1-4 control points of the fan. Each fan control point includes, for example, six points: operation, fault, local / remote, start / stop, frequency control, and feedback. Since the composition of cooling towers varies in different projects—some have one fan, some have two fans, some have three fans, and some have four fans—each fan module can connect to one or more fan control points.

[0115] This fan module uses interfaces, frequency converter circuits, and I / O processing circuits to collect equipment status information and issue control commands.

[0116] Figure 7 The diagram below shows a schematic of the structure of some embodiments of the water inlet valve module in the centralized control device of this disclosure. The water inlet valve module 2221 includes a second IO processing circuit 22211, which is configured to identify the number of at least one water inlet valve, collect the status information of at least one water inlet valve, send the number and status information of at least one water inlet valve to the water inlet valve control circuit, and control at least one water inlet valve according to a first water valve control command.

[0117] The second IO processing circuit 22211 sends the number and status information of the inlet valves to the cooling tower module, which then sends the number and status information of the inlet valves to the controller so that the controller can generate a first water valve control command and send the first water valve control command to the second IO processing circuit through the cooling tower module, so that the second IO processing circuit can control the inlet valves.

[0118] In some embodiments, the inlet valve module 2221 further includes a twelfth interface 22212 and a thirteenth interface 22213. The twelfth interface 22212 is the interface between the inlet valve module and the cooling tower module, and the thirteenth interface 22213 is the interface between the inlet valve module and the inlet valve. Each inlet valve module can be connected to 1-4 control points of inlet valves.

[0119] This inlet valve module uses an interface and I / O processing circuit to collect the status information of the inlet valve and issue control commands.

[0120] Figure 8The diagram below shows a schematic of the structure of some embodiments of the water outlet valve module in the centralized control device disclosed herein. The water outlet valve module 2222 includes a third IO processing circuit 22221, which is configured to identify the number of at least one water outlet valve, collect the status information of at least one water outlet valve, send the number and status information of at least one water outlet valve to the water outlet valve control circuit, and control at least one water outlet valve according to a first water valve control command.

[0121] The third IO processing circuit 22221 sends the number and status information of the water outlet valves to the cooling tower module, which then sends the number and status information of the water outlet valves to the controller so that the controller can generate a second water valve control command and send the second water valve control command to the third IO processing circuit through the cooling tower module, so that the third IO processing circuit can control the water outlet valves.

[0122] In some embodiments, the outlet valve module 2222 further includes a fourteenth interface 22222 and a fifteenth interface 22223. The fourteenth interface 22222 is the interface between the outlet valve module and the cooling tower module, and the fifteenth interface 22223 is the interface between the outlet valve module and the outlet valve. Each outlet valve module can be connected to 1-4 control points of the outlet valve.

[0123] This outlet valve module uses an interface and I / O processing circuit to collect the status information of the outlet valve and issue control commands.

[0124] In the above embodiments, the interfaces can be connected to each other via pluggable terminals, which improves the convenience of module replacement and facilitates troubleshooting, ensuring that a failure of a single module does not affect the normal operation of other modules.

[0125] In related technologies, cooling towers typically employ one-to-one variable frequency control with the refrigeration unit, without dynamic matching control based on the characteristics of the cooling tower, resulting in energy-inefficient control.

[0126] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the controller is further configured to calculate the minimum required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the activated cooling towers and the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps; calculate the optimal required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps, the design water volume of each cooling tower, and the minimum flow coefficient; and generate fan control commands based on the minimum and optimal required numbers.

[0127] For example, the ratio of the total design water volume of the already activated cooling towers to the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps is the minimum required number of cooling tower fans; the product of the design water volume and the minimum flow coefficient of each cooling tower is the minimum flow rate of that cooling tower, and the ratio of the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps to the minimum flow rate of that cooling tower is the optimal required number of cooling tower fans.

[0128] The cooling tower fans are frequency converter controlled fans. For every 1 degree Celsius decrease in cooling water temperature, the unit's energy consumption will decrease significantly. Therefore, based on the minimum flow characteristics of the cooling tower, appropriately increasing the number of cooling towers can greatly help the overall system operate at energy efficiency. In this embodiment, the minimum and optimal number of cooling tower fans are used to control the cooling tower fans, which can effectively reduce the energy consumption of the cooling tower.

[0129] For example, if the minimum demand is less than 1, it is determined to add one cooling tower fan; and if the minimum demand is greater than or equal to 1, the number of cooling tower fans to be operated is determined based on the optimal demand.

[0130] When the minimum required number of cooling tower fans is met, the number of cooling tower fans is calculated based on the minimum design water volume of the cooling tower. In this embodiment, the number of fans and the number of refrigeration units are usually in a many-to-one relationship. By operating more fans and keeping them at a lower frequency as much as possible, the energy consumption of the cooling tower can be effectively reduced.

[0131] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to calculate the minimum required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the activated cooling towers and the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps; and to generate fan control commands based on the minimum required number, the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the frequency feedback value.

[0132] In this embodiment, a dynamic matching control strategy based on the characteristics of the cooling tower can be realized by determining whether to add or remove fans based on the minimum fan demand data, the fan operating frequency, and the cumulative operating time.

[0133] For example, if the minimum required number of cooling tower fans is less than 1, it is determined to add one cooling tower fan; if the minimum required number of fans is greater than or equal to 1, it is determined whether to add or remove one cooling tower fan based on the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the frequency feedback value. This embodiment can ensure that the minimum flow requirement of the cooling tower is met while minimizing the number of operating fans by increasing the fan frequency, thus minimizing the energy consumption of the cooling tower.

[0134] In some embodiments, if the maximum number of operating fans is greater than or equal to the number of operating cooling tower fans + 1, the difference between the current time and the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes is greater than or equal to an increase fan time interval threshold, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans is greater than or equal to a first fan frequency threshold, then it is determined that one cooling tower fan will be added. If the minimum number of operating fans is less than the number of operating cooling tower fans, the difference between the current time and the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes is greater than or equal to a decrease fan time interval threshold, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans is less than a second fan frequency threshold, then it is determined that one cooling tower fan will be removed.

[0135] For example, the cumulative time for adding a cooling tower fan is calculated based on the time it took to add the previous cooling tower fan. The average operating frequency of all cooling tower fans is calculated based on their operating frequencies. The operating frequency of the cooling tower fans can be transmitted from the fan module to the centralized control circuit of the cooling tower, and then to the controller. If the maximum allowable number of operating and available cooling tower fans is greater than or equal to the number of operating fans + 1, and the cumulative time for adding a cooling tower fan is greater than or equal to the fan addition time interval threshold, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans is greater than or equal to the first fan frequency threshold, then one cooling tower fan is added.

[0136] For example, the cumulative time for reducing the cooling tower fan is calculated based on the time it takes to reduce the previous cooling tower fan. The average operating frequency of all cooling tower fans is calculated based on their operating frequencies. If the minimum allowable limit for a cooling tower fan is less than the number of cooling tower fans that can operate, and the cumulative time for reducing a cooling tower fan is greater than or equal to the fan reduction time interval threshold, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans is less than the second fan frequency threshold, then one cooling tower fan is removed.

[0137] In the above embodiments, based on the minimum required number of cooling tower fans, the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans, it is dynamically determined whether to add or remove a cooling tower fan, so as to minimize the number of fans and thus reduce the energy consumption of the cooling tower.

[0138] In some embodiments, the operating frequency of the cooling tower fan is controlled based on at least one of the outdoor temperature information, humidity information, and the cooling water main pipe temperature. In this embodiment, the operating frequency of the cooling tower fan can be automatically adjusted according to outdoor temperature and humidity and main pipe temperature, thereby reducing the number of fans in operation by increasing the fan frequency or increasing the number of fans in operation to reduce the energy consumption of the cooling tower.

[0139] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating some embodiments of the centralized control method of this disclosure. These embodiments are executed by a centralized control device.

[0140] In step 910, cooling tower control commands are generated.

[0141] In some embodiments, the centralized control device acquires at least one of the following: first data related to cooling tower control set by the user, second data related to cooling tower control provided by the control system, and third data related to cooling tower stored therein; and calculates at least one of the first, second, and third data to generate cooling tower control instructions.

[0142] This centralized control device can acquire information from both user settings and third-party control systems, increasing system selectivity. When transmitting data remotely with third-party systems, different interface modules can be selected as needed, automatically matching the third-party communication protocol, reducing cable usage, construction difficulty, and maintenance costs.

[0143] In some embodiments, the first data includes one or more of the following: control mode, start / stop command, fan control frequency, maximum number of fans in operation, minimum number of fans in operation, increase fan time interval threshold, decrease fan time interval threshold, first fan frequency threshold, second fan frequency threshold, design water volume of each cooling water pump, and design water volume of each cooling tower; the second data includes one or more of the following: control mode, start / stop command, fan control frequency, cooling water main pipe temperature, and equipment status information; the third data includes outdoor temperature and humidity information, cooling water main pipe water flow data, number of cooling tower fans in operation, operating frequency of each cooling tower fan, and one or more of the first and second data.

[0144] Based on the aforementioned data, the controller can generate fan control commands, including fan start / stop control and frequency control, as well as a first water valve control command to control the inlet valve and a second water valve control command to control the outlet valve.

[0145] In step 920, a cooling tower control command is sent to at least one cooling tower processing unit in the cooling tower processing group, so that each cooling tower processing unit in the at least one cooling tower processing unit controls at least one control element of the corresponding cooling tower.

[0146] In some embodiments, the control elements include a cooling tower fan, a cooling tower inlet valve, a cooling tower outlet valve, etc.

[0147] In some embodiments, the number of cooling tower processing devices is determined based on the number of cooling towers. The controller can automatically identify the number of cooling towers, generate corresponding control commands, and send the control commands to one or more cooling tower processing devices, thereby enabling the cooling tower processing devices to control the corresponding cooling tower fans, cooling tower inlet valves, cooling tower outlet valves, etc.

[0148] In this embodiment, a modular design is adopted. Different projects only need to select cooling tower processing devices according to the actual number of cooling towers to form a cooling tower processing group. The controller sends cooling tower control commands to the cooling tower processing devices corresponding to one or more cooling towers, thereby realizing centralized, efficient and automated control of the cooling towers.

[0149] Figure 10 The following are schematic flowcharts illustrating some other embodiments of the centralized control method disclosed herein.

[0150] In step 1010, the minimum required number of cooling tower fans is calculated based on the total design water volume of the already activated cooling tower and the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps.

[0151] For example, based on the design water volume of each cooling tower, the total design water volume of the currently operating cooling towers is obtained. Based on the design water volume of the cooling water pumps, the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps is obtained. The ratio of the total design water volume of the currently operating cooling towers to the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps represents the minimum required number of cooling tower fans.

[0152] In some embodiments, if the calculated result contains a decimal, it is rounded up to obtain the minimum required number of cooling tower fans. For example, if the calculated result is 0.0001 to 0.9999, the minimum required number is 1.

[0153] In some embodiments, when the number of planned cooling water pumps to be started is 0 and the number of cooling tower starts is greater than or equal to 1, the minimum required number of cooling tower fans after the cooling tower valve closing delay is 0. When the number of planned cooling water pumps to be started is greater than or equal to 1 and the number of cooling tower starts is 0, the minimum required number of cooling tower fans should be greater than or equal to 1 if it is equal to the minimum allowable limit.

[0154] In step 1020, the optimal number of cooling tower fans is calculated based on the total design water volume of the cooling water pumps to be started, as well as the design water volume and minimum flow coefficient of each cooling tower.

[0155] In some embodiments, the cooling tower fan is a variable frequency control fan. For every 1 degree the cooling water temperature drops, the unit's operating energy consumption will be significantly reduced. Therefore, based on the minimum flow characteristics of the cooling tower, appropriately increasing the number of cooling tower fans can greatly help the entire system operate at energy efficiency.

[0156] In some embodiments, the minimum flow rate of each cooling tower is obtained based on its design water volume and minimum flow coefficient, which is, for example, 0-50%, with a default value of, for example, 30%. The ratio of the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps to the minimum flow rate of the cooling tower is calculated to determine the optimal number of cooling tower fans required. If the calculated result contains a decimal, it is rounded down to the nearest integer to obtain the optimal number of cooling tower fans required, ensuring that the cooling tower fans operate within the minimum flow rate requirement. For example, if the calculated result is 1.0001 to 1.9999, the optimal number of fans required is 1.

[0157] If the optimal number of cooling tower fans is greater than or equal to the maximum number of available cooling tower fans, then the optimal number of cooling tower fans shall be taken as the maximum number of available cooling tower fans.

[0158] In step 1030, wind turbine control commands are generated based on the minimum and optimal demand quantities.

[0159] In the above embodiments, the operation of the cooling tower fan is dynamically controlled according to the minimum and optimal demand quantities, which can both meet the minimum flow requirements of the cooling tower and reduce the energy consumption of the cooling tower.

[0160] In some embodiments, if the minimum required number is less than 1, it is determined to add one cooling tower fan; and if the minimum required number is greater than or equal to 1, the number of cooling tower fans to be operated is determined based on the optimal required number.

[0161] In this embodiment, when the minimum required quantity is met, the number of cooling tower fans in operation is controlled by the optimal required quantity. The number of fans and the number of refrigeration units are usually in a many-to-one relationship. By operating more fans and keeping them at a lower frequency as much as possible, the energy consumption of the cooling tower can be effectively reduced.

[0162] Figure 11 The following are schematic flowcharts illustrating some other embodiments of the centralized control method disclosed herein.

[0163] In step 1110, a control command from the control system is received. If the control command is a shutdown command, step 1120 is executed; if the control command is an activation command, step 1130 is executed.

[0164] In step 1120, shut down the cooling tower fan and valves.

[0165] In step 1130, determine whether the number of available cooling towers is greater than or equal to 1. If yes, proceed to step 1140; otherwise, proceed to step 1120.

[0166] In step 1140, open the inlet and outlet valves corresponding to one cooling tower.

[0167] In step 1150, check whether the inlet valve and outlet valve are fully open and whether the main pipe temperature meets the fan operating temperature. If yes, proceed to step 1160; otherwise, continue monitoring the main pipe temperature.

[0168] In step 1160, the fan corresponding to the cooling tower is turned on.

[0169] In step 1170, it is determined in real time whether the minimum required number of cooling tower fans is greater than or equal to 1. If it is not satisfied, step 1180 is executed; if it is satisfied, step 1190 is executed.

[0170] In step 1180, add a cooling tower fan.

[0171] In step 1190, the number of cooling tower fans in operation is controlled according to the optimal demand.

[0172] In this step, the number of cooling tower fans in operation is controlled according to the optimal number required, within the maximum available range of the cooling tower fans.

[0173] In some embodiments, the operating frequency of the cooling tower fan is automatically adjusted based on outdoor temperature and humidity data, as well as the main pipe temperature, etc.

[0174] In the above embodiments, when the number of cooling tower fans meets the minimum demand, the number of fans in operation is controlled according to the optimal demand, and as many fans as possible are turned on, which can reduce the operating frequency of the cooling tower and thus reduce the energy consumption of the cooling tower.

[0175] Figure 12 The following are schematic flowcharts illustrating some other embodiments of the centralized control method disclosed herein.

[0176] In step 1210, the minimum required number of cooling tower fans is calculated based on the total design water volume of the already activated cooling tower and the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps.

[0177] In step 1220, fan control commands are generated based on the minimum required quantity, the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans.

[0178] For example, if the minimum demand is less than 1, it is determined to add one cooling tower fan; if the minimum demand is greater than or equal to 1, it is determined whether to add or remove one cooling tower fan based on the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans, so as to dynamically control the operation of the cooling tower fans.

[0179] In the above embodiments, while meeting the minimum required number, the fan frequency can be increased based on the number of cooling tower fans in operation, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans, so as to minimize the number of fans in operation and thus minimize the energy consumption of the cooling tower.

[0180] In some embodiments, if the maximum number of operating fans is greater than or equal to the number of operating cooling tower fans + 1, the difference between the current time and the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes is greater than or equal to the time interval threshold for increasing fans, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans is greater than or equal to the first fan frequency threshold, then it is determined to add one cooling tower fan; if the minimum number of operating fans is less than the number of operating cooling tower fans, the difference between the current time and the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes is greater than or equal to the time interval threshold for decreasing fans, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans is less than the second fan frequency threshold, then it is determined to decrease one cooling tower fan.

[0181] Figure 13 The following are schematic flowcharts illustrating some other embodiments of the centralized control method disclosed herein.

[0182] In step 1310, a control command from the control system is received. If the control command is a shutdown command, step 1320 is executed; if the control command is an activation command, step 1330 is executed.

[0183] In step 1320, the cooling tower fan and valves are shut off.

[0184] In step 1330, determine whether the number of available cooling towers is greater than or equal to 1. If yes, proceed to step 1340; otherwise, proceed to step 1320.

[0185] In step 1340, the inlet and outlet valves corresponding to one cooling tower are opened.

[0186] In step 1350, check whether the inlet valve and outlet valve are fully open and whether the main pipe temperature meets the fan operating temperature. If yes, proceed to step 1360; otherwise, continue monitoring the main pipe temperature.

[0187] In step 1360, the fan corresponding to the cooling tower is turned on. Steps 1370 and 1380 are then executed.

[0188] The cooling tower fan frequency is automatically adjusted based on outdoor temperature and humidity information, as well as the main pipe temperature.

[0189] In step 1370, the cumulative time for adding the fan is calculated based on the time it took to add the previous cooling tower fan, and the average fan frequency is calculated based on the operating frequency of all cooling tower fans.

[0190] In step 1371, determine whether the maximum allowed number of wind turbines and the number of available wind turbines are greater than or equal to the number of wind turbines in operation + 1, whether the cumulative time for increasing wind turbines is greater than or equal to the threshold for increasing wind turbine time interval, and whether the average wind turbine frequency is greater than or equal to the first wind turbine frequency threshold. If yes, proceed to step 1372; otherwise, continue to step 1370.

[0191] In step 1372, a cooling tower fan is added.

[0192] In step 1380, the cumulative reduction time of the cooling tower fan is calculated based on the reduction time of the previous cooling tower fan, and the average fan frequency is calculated based on the operating frequency of all cooling tower fans.

[0193] In step 1381, it is determined whether the minimum operating limit number of the fan is less than the number of fan operations, whether the cumulative reduction time of the fan is greater than or equal to the reduction time interval threshold, and whether the average fan frequency is less than the second fan frequency threshold. If so, step 1382 is executed; otherwise, step 1380 is executed.

[0194] In step 1382, one cooling tower fan is removed.

[0195] In the above embodiments, the decision to add or remove fans is based on the fan operating frequency and cumulative operating time, so as to minimize the number of fans in operation and reduce the energy consumption of the cooling tower.

[0196] Figure 14 The diagram below shows the structure of some embodiments of the controller disclosed herein, which includes an instruction generation module 1410 and an instruction sending module 1420.

[0197] The instruction generation module 1410 is configured to generate cooling tower control instructions, including fan operation instructions, valve control instructions, etc.

[0198] In some embodiments, the controller further includes a data receiving module (not shown in the schematic diagram), which generates the cooling tower control command based on the instructions received by the data receiving module. The specific content of the generated cooling tower control command has been described in detail in the above embodiments and will not be further elaborated here.

[0199] The instruction sending module 1420 is configured to send cooling tower control instructions to at least one cooling tower processing device in the cooling tower processing group, so that each of the at least one cooling tower processing device controls at least one control element of the corresponding cooling tower.

[0200] In this embodiment, the controller sends the generated cooling tower control commands to one or more corresponding cooling tower processing devices, so that the cooling tower processing devices can control the corresponding cooling tower components. The number of cooling tower processing devices is determined according to the specific project, so that centralized, efficient and automated control of the entire cooling tower system can be achieved without developing some non-standard programs according to the order, thus reducing the program development cycle and development costs.

[0201] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of some other embodiments of the controller disclosed herein. The controller 1500 includes a memory 1510 and a processor 1520. The memory 1510 can be a disk, flash memory, or any other non-volatile storage medium. The memory 1510 is used to store instructions from the above embodiments. The processor 1520 is coupled to the memory 1510 and can be implemented as one or more integrated circuits, such as a microprocessor or microcontroller. The processor 1520 is used to execute the instructions stored in the memory.

[0202] In some embodiments, the processor 1520 is coupled to the memory 1510 via a BUS bus 1530. The controller 1500 can also be connected to an external storage device 1550 via a storage interface 1540 to access external data, and can also be connected to a network or another computer system (not shown) via a network interface 1560, which will not be described in detail here.

[0203] In this embodiment, data instructions are stored in the memory and then processed by the processor. On the one hand, dynamic matching control can be performed based on the characteristics of the cooling tower fan to ensure that the cooling tower consumes the least amount of energy while meeting the minimum flow requirements of the cooling tower. On the other hand, centralized and efficient automated control of the cooling tower can be achieved, reducing program development costs, simplifying fault diagnosis, facilitating module replacement, and ensuring that the failure of a single module does not affect the normal operation of other modules. Furthermore, it also reduces the use of cable materials, lowers construction difficulty and maintenance costs.

[0204] In some embodiments, an air conditioning system is protected, which includes the centralized control device or controller described in the above embodiments. The air conditioning system is, for example, a central air conditioning system.

[0205] In other embodiments, a computer-readable storage medium stores computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the methods described above. Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this disclosure can be provided as methods, apparatus, or computer program products. Therefore, this disclosure can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this disclosure can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable non-transitory storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0206] This disclosure is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of this disclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create a machine for implementing the flowchart illustrations. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0207] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0208] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable equipment to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable equipment for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0209] This concludes the detailed description of the present disclosure. To avoid obscuring the concept of the disclosure, some details known in the art have not been described. Those skilled in the art will fully understand how to implement the technical solutions disclosed herein based on the above description.

[0210] The methods and apparatus of this disclosure may be implemented in many ways. For example, they may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The above-described order of steps for the methods is for illustrative purposes only, and the steps of the methods of this disclosure are not limited to the order specifically described above unless otherwise specifically stated. Furthermore, in some embodiments, this disclosure may also be implemented as a program recorded on a recording medium, the program including machine-readable instructions for implementing the methods according to this disclosure. Thus, this disclosure also covers recording media storing programs for performing the methods according to this disclosure.

[0211] While specific embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail by way of example, those skilled in the art should understand that the examples are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A centralized control device, comprising: A controller is configured to generate cooling tower control commands, including fan control commands. The controller is further configured to calculate the minimum required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the already activated cooling towers and the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps; calculate the optimal required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps, the design water volume of each cooling tower, and the minimum flow coefficient; and generate the fan control commands based on the minimum and optimal required numbers. Specifically, if the minimum required number is less than 1, one additional cooling tower fan is added; if the minimum required number is greater than or equal to 1, the number of operating cooling tower fans is determined based on the optimal required number. A cooling tower processing group, connected to the controller, the cooling tower processing group includes at least one cooling tower processing device, each of the at least one cooling tower processing device corresponding to a cooling tower, including: The cooling tower module is configured to receive cooling tower control commands sent by the controller and send the cooling tower control commands to the control element module; and A control element module connected to the cooling tower module, wherein the control element module is connected to at least one control element and is configured to control the at least one control element according to the cooling tower control command.

2. The centralized control device according to claim 1, wherein, The cooling tower control commands include fan control commands, and the control element module includes: A fan module, connected to at least one cooling tower fan, is configured to control the at least one cooling tower fan according to the fan control command.

3. The centralized control device according to claim 2, wherein, The cooling tower control commands also include valve control commands, wherein at least a portion of the control element modules of the cooling tower treatment device further include: A valve module, connected to at least one pipeline valve, is configured to control the at least one pipeline valve according to the valve control command.

4. The centralized control device according to claim 3, wherein, The valve control commands include at least one of a first water valve control command and a second water valve control command, and the valve module includes at least one of an inlet valve module and an outlet valve module, wherein... The water inlet valve module is connected to at least one cooling tower water inlet valve and is configured to control the at least one cooling tower water inlet valve according to the first water valve control command. The water outlet valve module is connected to at least one cooling tower water outlet valve and is configured to control the at least one cooling tower water outlet valve according to the second water valve control command.

5. The centralized control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising at least one of a temperature and humidity sensor and a flow collector, wherein, A temperature and humidity sensor, connected to the controller, is configured to collect outdoor temperature and humidity information and send the information to the controller, wherein the controller controls the frequency of the cooling tower fan based on the temperature and humidity information; and A flow collector, connected to the controller, is configured to collect water flow data from the cooling water main and send the water flow data to the controller.

6. The centralized control device according to claim 1, wherein, The controller includes: The human-machine interface unit is configured to receive first data related to user settings and cooling tower control. The communication circuit is configured to receive second data related to the control of the cooling tower provided by the control system. The data storage circuit is configured to store third data related to the cooling tower; A computational circuit, connected to the human-machine interaction unit, the communication circuit, and the data storage circuit respectively, is configured to perform calculations on at least one of the first data, the second data, and the third data to generate the cooling tower control command; and A control circuit, connected to the computing circuit, is configured to send cooling tower control commands to the cooling tower module.

7. The centralized control device according to claim 2, wherein, The cooling tower module includes: A centralized control circuit for cooling towers is configured to acquire the status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan via a fan control circuit, and send the status information and operating frequency of the at least one cooling tower fan to the controller; and to receive fan control commands sent by the controller, and send the fan control commands to the fan control circuit; and The fan control circuit is configured to acquire the status information and operating frequency of the at least one cooling tower fan, send the status information and operating frequency of the at least one cooling tower fan to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, and send the fan control command to the fan module.

8. The centralized control device according to claim 7, wherein, The wind turbine control commands include wind turbine start / stop control commands and wind turbine frequency control commands. The wind turbine module includes: A frequency converter circuit is configured to control the operating frequency of each of the at least one cooling tower fans according to the fan frequency control command, and to send the operating frequency of each cooling tower fan to the fan control circuit; and The first IO processing circuit is configured to control the start and stop of each cooling tower fan in the at least one cooling tower fan according to the fan start and stop control command, identify the number of the at least one cooling tower fan, and send the status information of each cooling tower fan to the fan control circuit.

9. The centralized control device according to claim 3, wherein, The cooling tower module includes: The centralized control circuit for the cooling tower is configured to acquire the status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan through a fan control circuit, acquire the status information of at least one pipeline valve through a valve control circuit, and send the status information and operating frequency of at least one cooling tower fan and the status information of at least one pipeline valve to the controller; and to receive the fan control command and the valve control command sent by the controller, and send the fan control command to the fan control circuit and the valve control command to the valve control circuit. The fan control circuit is configured to acquire the status information and operating frequency of the at least one cooling tower fan, send the status information and operating frequency of the at least one cooling tower fan to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, and send the fan control command to the fan module; and The valve control circuit is configured to acquire the status information of the at least one pipeline valve, send the status information of the at least one pipeline valve to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, and send the valve control command to the valve module.

10. The centralized control device according to claim 9, wherein, The valve control command includes at least one of a first water valve control command and a second water valve control command; the valve module includes at least one of an inlet valve module and an outlet valve module; and the valve control circuit includes: The water inlet valve control circuit is configured to acquire the status information of the at least one water inlet valve, send the status information of the at least one water inlet valve to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, and send the first water valve control command to the water inlet valve module. The outlet valve control circuit is configured to acquire the status information of the at least one outlet valve, send the status information of the at least one outlet valve to the cooling tower centralized control circuit, and send the second water valve control command to the outlet valve module.

11. The centralized control device according to claim 10, wherein, The inlet valve module includes: The second IO processing circuit is configured to identify the number of the at least one water inlet valve, collect the status information of the at least one water inlet valve, send the number and status information of the at least one water inlet valve to the water inlet valve control circuit, and control the at least one water inlet valve according to the first water valve control command.

12. The centralized control device according to claim 10, wherein, The outlet valve module includes: The third IO processing circuit is configured to identify the number of the at least one water outlet valve, collect the status information of the at least one water outlet valve, send the number and status information of the at least one water outlet valve to the water outlet valve control circuit, and control the at least one water outlet valve according to the second water valve control command.

13. The centralized control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The controller is connected to the cooling tower processing group including: The power supply and data transmission interface of the controller is connected to the power supply and data transmission interface of the cooling tower module in each cooling tower processing device.

14. The centralized control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The cooling tower processing group includes N cooling tower processing devices, where N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2. The controller is connected to the cooling tower processing group in the following ways: The power supply and data transmission interface of the cooling tower module of the first cooling tower processing device in the N cooling tower processing devices is connected to the power supply and data transmission interface of the controller. The power supply and data transmission interface of the cooling tower module of the i-th cooling tower processing device in the N cooling tower processing devices is connected to the power supply and data transmission interface of the cooling tower module of the (i-1)-th cooling tower processing device, where i is a natural number greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to N.

15. The centralized control device according to claim 6, wherein, The first data includes one or more of the following: control mode, start / stop command, fan control frequency, maximum number of fans in operation, minimum number of fans in operation, threshold for increasing fan time interval, threshold for decreasing fan time interval, first fan frequency threshold, second fan frequency threshold, design water volume of each cooling water pump, and design water volume of each cooling tower. The second data includes one or more of the following: control mode, start / stop command, fan control frequency, cooling water main pipe temperature, and equipment status information; and The third data includes outdoor temperature and humidity information, water flow data of the cooling water main, number of operating cooling tower fans, operating frequency of each cooling tower fan, and one or more of the first and second data.

16. The centralized control device according to claim 15, wherein, The cooling tower control commands include fan control commands, and the computing circuit is further configured to: Calculate the minimum required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the already activated cooling towers and the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps. as well as The fan control command is generated based on the minimum required quantity, the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans.

17. The centralized control device according to claim 16, wherein, The arithmetic circuit is further configured to: If the minimum required quantity is less than 1, it is determined that one more cooling tower fan will be added; as well as If the minimum required number is greater than or equal to 1, it is determined whether to add or remove one cooling tower fan based on the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans.

18. The centralized control device according to claim 17, wherein, The arithmetic circuit is further configured to: If the maximum number of operating fans is greater than or equal to the number of operating cooling tower fans + 1, the difference between the current time and the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes is greater than or equal to the time interval threshold for adding fans, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans is greater than or equal to the first fan frequency threshold, then it is determined to add one cooling tower fan. as well as If the minimum number of operating fans is less than the number of operating cooling tower fans, the difference between the current time and the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes is greater than or equal to the fan reduction time interval threshold, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans is less than the second fan frequency threshold, then it is determined to reduce one cooling tower fan.

19. The centralized control device according to claim 15, wherein, The cooling tower control commands include fan control commands, and the computing circuit is further configured to: The operating frequency of the cooling tower fan is controlled based on at least one of the outdoor temperature information, humidity information, and the temperature of the cooling water main pipe.

20. A centralized control method, comprising: A cooling tower control command is generated, including a fan control command. The controller is configured to generate the cooling tower control command and further configured to calculate the minimum required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the already activated cooling towers and the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps; calculate the optimal required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps, the design water volume of each cooling tower, and the minimum flow coefficient; and generate the fan control command based on the minimum and optimal required numbers. Specifically, if the minimum required number is less than 1, one additional cooling tower fan is determined; if the minimum required number is greater than or equal to 1, the number of operating cooling tower fans is determined based on the optimal required number. The cooling tower control command is sent to at least one cooling tower processing device in the cooling tower processing group, so that each of the at least one cooling tower processing devices controls at least one control element of the corresponding cooling tower.

21. The centralized control method according to claim 20, wherein, The generated cooling tower control commands include: Acquire at least one of the following: first data related to cooling tower control set by the user; second data related to cooling tower control provided by the control system; and third data related to the cooling tower stored therein; and The cooling tower control command is generated by calculating at least one of the first data, the second data, and the third data.

22. The centralized control method according to claim 21, wherein, The first data includes one or more of the following: control mode, start / stop command, fan control frequency, maximum number of fans in operation, minimum number of fans in operation, threshold for increasing fan time interval, threshold for decreasing fan time interval, first fan frequency threshold, second fan frequency threshold, design water volume of each cooling water pump, and design water volume of each cooling tower. The second data includes one or more of the following: control mode, start / stop command, fan control frequency, cooling water main pipe temperature, and equipment status information; and The third data includes outdoor temperature and humidity information, water flow data of the cooling water main, number of operating cooling tower fans, operating frequency of each cooling tower fan, and one or more of the first and second data.

23. The centralized control method according to claim 22, wherein, The cooling tower control commands include fan control commands, and generating the cooling tower control commands includes: Based on the total design water volume of the already activated cooling towers and the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps, calculate the minimum required number of cooling tower fans; and The fan control command is generated based on the minimum required quantity, the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans.

24. The centralized control method according to claim 23, wherein, Based on the minimum required quantity, the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans, the fan control commands are generated, including: If the minimum required quantity is less than 1, it is determined that one more cooling tower fan will be added; and If the minimum required number is greater than or equal to 1, it is determined whether to add or remove one cooling tower fan based on the number of operating cooling tower fans, the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans.

25. The centralized control method according to claim 24, wherein, Determining whether to add or remove one of the cooling tower fans includes: If the maximum number of operating fans is greater than or equal to the number of operating cooling tower fans + 1, the difference between the current time and the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes is greater than or equal to the time interval threshold for adding fans, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans is greater than or equal to the first fan frequency threshold, then it is determined that one cooling tower fan will be added; and If the minimum number of operating fans is less than the number of operating cooling tower fans, the difference between the current time and the time when the number of cooling tower fans changes is greater than or equal to the fan reduction time interval threshold, and the average operating frequency of the cooling tower fans is less than the second fan frequency threshold, then it is determined to reduce one cooling tower fan.

26. The centralized control method according to any one of claims 22 to 25, wherein, The cooling tower control commands include fan control commands, and generating the cooling tower control commands includes: The operating frequency of the cooling tower fan is controlled based on at least one of the outdoor temperature information, humidity information, and the temperature of the cooling water main pipe.

27. A controller, comprising: An instruction generation module is configured to generate cooling tower control instructions, including fan control instructions. The controller is further configured to calculate the minimum required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the already activated cooling towers and the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps; calculate the optimal required number of cooling tower fans based on the total design water volume of the planned cooling water pumps, the design water volume of each cooling tower, and the minimum flow coefficient; and generate the fan control instructions based on the minimum and optimal required numbers. Specifically, if the minimum required number is less than 1, one additional cooling tower fan is added; if the minimum required number is greater than or equal to 1, the number of operating cooling tower fans is determined based on the optimal required number. The instruction sending module is configured to send the cooling tower control instruction to at least one cooling tower processing device in the cooling tower processing group, so that each of the at least one cooling tower processing device controls at least one control element of the corresponding cooling tower.

28. A controller, comprising: Memory; as well as A processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to execute the centralized control method as described in any one of claims 20 to 26 based on instructions stored in the memory.

29. An air conditioning system, comprising: The centralized control device according to any one of claims 1 to 19; or The controller as described in claim 27 or 28.

30. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the centralized control method according to any one of claims 20 to 26.

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