Operation control system of in-store air conditioner

Abstract

To provide an operation control system of an in-store air conditioner capable of effectively preventing comfort from being impaired due to solar radiation.SOLUTION: In an operation control system 100 of an in-store air conditioner, an in-store control device 3 is configured to control switching of operation of an in-store air conditioner 1 based on an amount of solar radiation acquired by a solar radiation acquisition unit 7, and an index value of comfort within a store.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an in-store air conditioner operation control system, and more particularly to an in-store air conditioner operation control system that operates the air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an in-store air conditioner operation control system that operates an air conditioner is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 discloses a building control device that includes an air conditioning load prediction device that predicts the air conditioning load, and a building controller that performs air conditioning control based on the air conditioning load predicted by the air conditioning load prediction device. The air conditioning load prediction device calculates a comfort index value (PMV value) that increases when it is hot and decreases when it is cold based on the building environment setting value, air conditioning load data, and calendar information, and predicts the air conditioning load intended to save energy within a range that maintains comfort. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-21650 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When controlling the operation of an air conditioner (air conditioning) based on a comfort index value as disclosed in the above Patent Document 1, the value for calculating the comfort index value does not include the amount of solar radiation, so the air conditioner is controlled so that comfort can be maintained regardless of the amount of solar radiation. In this case, if the room temperature rises significantly, the comfort index value changes and the operation of the air conditioner is controlled, but since the rise in room temperature due to solar radiation is a gradual rise, it takes time for the room temperature to rise significantly after the amount of solar radiation increases, and it takes time for it to be reflected in the comfort index value. Therefore, even if the amount of solar radiation is large and people are more likely to feel hot, there is a problem that comfort is impaired because it takes time for the comfort index value to be reflected and the operation of the air conditioner to be controlled to maintain comfort. In addition, if the room temperature drops significantly, the comfort index value changes and the operation of the air conditioner is controlled, but since the drop in room temperature caused by the decrease in the amount of solar radiation is a gradual drop, it takes time for the comfort index value to be reflected after the amount of solar radiation decreases. As a result, even when the amount of solar radiation is low and people are more likely to feel cold, there is a problem that comfort is compromised because it takes time for the comfort index value to be reflected and the operation of the air conditioner to be controlled to maintain comfort.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the problems described above, and one object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner operation system that can effectively prevent a loss of comfort in a store caused by solar radiation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an in-store air conditioner operation control system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an air conditioner that is placed in a store and is switchable between cooling operation, heating operation, fan operation and stopped, a solar radiation acquisition unit that is placed in the store and acquires the amount of solar radiation, and a control unit that switches the operation mode of the air conditioner, and the control unit is configured to control switching of the operation of the air conditioner based on the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit and an index value of comfort within the store.

[0008] In the in-store air conditioner operation control system according to one aspect of the present invention, as described above, the control unit is configured to control switching of the operation of the air conditioner based on the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit and the index value of comfort in the store. As a result, since the operation of the air conditioner is switched based on the amount of solar radiation in addition to the index value of comfort, for example, when the amount of solar radiation is large and the room temperature gradually rises, making people feel hot, the room temperature can be lowered by blowing air in advance through the fan operation to make people feel cool, so that it is possible to effectively prevent comfort from being impaired. Also, when the amount of solar radiation is small and the temperature in the store gradually drops, making people feel cold, it is possible to prevent people from feeling cold due to the wind blown out from the air conditioner by stopping the operation of the air conditioner in advance, so that it is possible to effectively prevent comfort from being impaired. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent comfort in the store from being impaired due to solar radiation.

[0009] In the in-store air conditioner operation control system according to the above aspect, the control unit is preferably configured to control shifting a boundary value of a comfort index value for switching between fan operation and stop of the air conditioner based on the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit. With this configuration, the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between fan operation and stop of the air conditioner can be shifted so that optimal air conditioner operation can be performed that can effectively suppress loss of the comfort index value between fan operation and stop of the air conditioner according to the amount of solar radiation, so that loss of comfort in the store caused by the volume of fan air under conditions where solar radiation heat cannot be obtained due to solar radiation can be more effectively suppressed.

[0010] In this case, preferably, the control unit is configured to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between the blowing operation and the stop of the air conditioner when the amount of sunlight acquired by the sunlight acquisition unit is equal to or less than a first predetermined value, or when the amount of sunlight acquired by the sunlight acquisition unit is equal to or more than a second predetermined value that is greater than the first predetermined value. With this configuration, for example, since people tend to feel cold due to the blowing operation, the boundary sunlight amount at which it is preferable to stop the air conditioner is set to the first predetermined value, so that comfort can be improved by stopping the air conditioner when the amount of sunlight is small and equal to or less than the first predetermined value. Also, for example, by setting the boundary sunlight amount at which people tend to feel cooler by blowing air through the blowing operation rather than the stop operation to the second predetermined value, comfort can be improved by actively performing the blowing operation when the amount of sunlight is large and equal to or more than the second predetermined value. As a result, the air conditioner can be operated without impairing the comfort index value both when the amount of sunlight is large and when the amount of sunlight is small, so that the deterioration of comfort in the store due to sunlight can be more effectively suppressed.

[0011] In the in-store air conditioner operation control system according to the above aspect, the control unit is preferably configured to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the air conditioner and a blowing operation closer to a heating operation, which is a blowing operation for raising the room temperature in the store, toward the heating operation side when the amount of insolation acquired by the insolation amount acquisition unit is equal to or less than a first predetermined value, thereby performing control to widen the range of the comfort index value for stopping the air conditioner. With this configuration, by performing control to widen the range of the comfort index value for stopping the air conditioner, when people are likely to feel cold due to the amount of insolation being low, equal to or less than the first predetermined value, the blowing operation of the air conditioner can be actively stopped, thereby preventing people from feeling cold due to the wind blown out from the air conditioner. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the comfort in the store from being impaired due to low insolation. Furthermore, by stopping the air conditioner, it is possible to prevent an increase in power consumption.

[0012] In this case, preferably, the control unit is configured to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the air conditioner and blowing air more toward the heating operation side, so that when the range of the comfort index value for stopping the air conditioner overlaps with the range of the comfort index value for blowing air more toward the heating operation, the control unit performs control to stop the air conditioner without blowing air more toward the heating operation. With this configuration, when the amount of solar radiation is equal to or less than the first predetermined value, people may feel cold due to the wind blown out from the air conditioner, so by stopping the air conditioner without blowing air, people can be prevented from feeling cold. In addition, by not performing the blowing operation, it is possible to switch from the stopped operation to a heating operation in which heated air is blown, so people are more likely to feel warm than when switching from the stopped operation to a blowing operation in which air is blown without heating it. As a result of these, it is possible to more effectively prevent the comfort in the store from being impaired due to the amount of solar radiation being small.

[0013] In the above aspect, the control unit is preferably configured to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the air conditioner and blowing air more like cooling operation, which is a blowing operation for lowering the room temperature in the store, toward the stopping side when the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value, thereby performing control to increase the range of the comfort index value for blowing air more like cooling operation. With this configuration, when the amount of solar radiation is large and people tend to feel hot due to the solar radiation, it is possible to actively blow air by the blowing operation, so that people tend to feel cooler. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the comfort in the store from being impaired due to the amount of solar radiation being large.

[0014] In the in-store air conditioner operation control system according to the above aspect, the control unit is preferably configured not to control the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the air conditioner and blowing air more in cooling mode to the stopped side when the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value and it is predicted that the comfort index value will decrease within a predetermined time range. With this configuration, when the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value and it is predicted that the comfort index value will decrease within a predetermined time range, there is no need to actively perform blowing operation to reduce the comfort index value, and therefore by stopping the blowing operation, it is possible to suppress an increase in the power consumption of the air conditioner.

[0015] In the in-store air conditioner operation control system according to the above aspect, the control unit is preferably configured to perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value between the heating operation and the air blowing operation closer to the heating operation side to prevent the heating operation and the air blowing operation closer to the heating operation side from switching over in a short time when the heating operation of the air conditioner is started. With this configuration, it may take time to adjust the temperature in the store to the set temperature immediately after the heating operation is started, so by shifting the boundary value of the comfort index value between the heating operation and the air blowing operation closer to the heating operation side to the air blowing operation side, it is possible to prevent the operation of the air conditioner from switching over in a short time. Here, when the air conditioner is switched over from stopped to on, the amount of power consumption increases by operating the compressor, so by preventing the operation of the air conditioner from switching over in a short time, the increase in power consumption can be suppressed.

[0016] In the in-store air conditioner operation control system according to the above aspect, the control unit is preferably configured to perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value between the cooling operation and the air blowing operation closer to the cooling operation to the air blowing side closer to the cooling operation in order to suppress switching between the cooling operation and the air blowing operation closer to the cooling operation in a short time when the cooling operation of the air conditioner is started. With this configuration, it may take time to cool the temperature in the store to the set temperature immediately after the cooling operation is started, so by shifting the boundary value of the comfort index value between the cooling operation and the air blowing operation closer to the cooling operation to the air blowing side closer to the cooling operation, it is possible to suppress switching of the air conditioner operation in a short time. Here, when switching the air conditioner from stopped to on, the amount of power consumption increases by operating the compressor, so by suppressing switching of the air conditioner operation in a short time, it is possible to suppress an increase in the amount of power consumption.

[0017] In the in-store air conditioner operation control system according to the above aspect, the solar radiation acquisition unit preferably includes at least one of an actinometer or a solar power generator installed in the store, and the control unit is configured to control switching of the operation of the air conditioner based on the measurement value of the actinometer or the power generation amount of the solar power generator and an index value of comfort in the store. With this configuration, it is possible to effectively prevent a loss of comfort in the store caused by solar radiation based on the amount of solar radiation measured from the measurement value of the actinometer or the power generation amount of the solar power generator. Effect of the Invention

[0018] As described above, the present invention can provide an air conditioner operation control system that can effectively prevent a loss of comfort in a store caused by solar radiation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an operation control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2]FIG. 1 is a top view showing a store in which an air conditioner and heat supply and exhaust equipment according to the present embodiment are arranged. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between the comfort index value, the operation of the air conditioner, and the determination of the control unit. [Figure 4] 13 is a graph showing the relationship between the comfort index value and the amount of heating or cooling required to bring the in-store temperature up to the set temperature. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between the comfort index value, the operation of the air conditioner, and the determination of the control unit when the amount of solar radiation is equal to or less than a first predetermined value. [Figure 6] 13 is a graph showing the relationship between the comfort index value and the operation of the air conditioner when the amount of solar radiation is equal to or less than a first predetermined value. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the relationship between the comfort index value, the operation of the air conditioner, and the determination of the control unit when the amount of solar radiation is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value. [Figure 8] 13 is a graph showing the relationship between the comfort index value and the operation of the air conditioner when the amount of solar radiation is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value. [Figure 9] 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between the comfort index value at the start of heating operation, the operation of the air conditioner, and the determination of the control unit. FIG. [Figure 10] 11 is a graph showing the relationship between the comfort index value at the start of heating operation and the operation of the air conditioner. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the relationship between the comfort index value at the start of cooling operation, the operation of the air conditioner, and the determination of the control unit. [Figure 12] 13 is a graph showing the relationship between the comfort index value and the operation of the air conditioner when cooling operation starts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] [Embodiment] The configuration of an operation control system 100 for an in-store air conditioner 1 according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 1, the operation control system 100 for the in-store air conditioner 1 comprises the in-store air conditioner 1, multiple in-store heat supply and exhaust devices 2, and an in-store control device 3. The operation control system 100 for the in-store air conditioner 1 is used to control the in-store air conditioner 1 via the in-store control device 3 to cool or heat the inside of a store 50. The in-store control device 3 is an example of a "control unit" as recited in the claims. The in-store air conditioner 1 is an example of an "air conditioner" as recited in the claims.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 2, multiple in-store air conditioners 1 are arranged on the ceiling in the store 50. In this embodiment, three units are provided. The in-store air conditioner 1 includes a heat exchanger (not shown), and heats or cools outside air, and exchanges heat between the heated or cooled outside air and the indoor air, thereby heating or cooling the air in the store 50. In Fig. 2, the ceiling side is designated as Z1, and the floor side is designated as Z2. Furthermore, equipment arranged on the ceiling and walls is indicated by solid lines, and equipment arranged on the floor is indicated by dashed lines. Fig. 2 shows a schematic arrangement in the store 50.

[0024] The in-store air conditioner 1 includes an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, and a remote control. The indoor unit is a unit for sucking in or discharging air in the store 50 and controlling it to a target temperature and humidity. The in-store air conditioner 1 includes an in-store air intake port for sucking in air in the store 50 and an in-store outlet port for discharging air into the store 50. The outdoor unit is mainly disposed outside the store 50 and is connected to the indoor unit through a refrigerant pipe. The outdoor unit is a unit for compressing, condensing, or evaporating the enclosed refrigerant to send it out at a refrigerant temperature and in a refrigerant state targeted by the indoor unit, and for performing a cycle operation in which the refrigerant after use is circulated and collected. The remote control is equipped with an external input and a display means for controlling the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1. The in-store air conditioner 1 can be switched between a cooling operation for cooling the store 50, a heating operation for heating the store 50, a fan operation for blowing air into the store 50 to circulate the air, and a stop.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the multiple in-store heat supply and exhaust equipment 2 include a showcase 2a, a positive pressure air conditioner 2b, an outside air intake air conditioner 2c, a desiccant air conditioner 2d, a light 2e, and a ventilator 2f. The in-store heat supply and exhaust equipment 2 is equipment that performs at least one of supplying heat to the inside of the store 50, exhausting heat from the inside of the store 50 to the outside, and absorbing heat. In addition to the showcase 2a, the store 50 also has a display shelf 15 that is not substantially involved in the increase or decrease in the amount of heat. The in-store heat supply and exhaust equipment 2 that is involved in the increase or decrease in the amount of heat and the display shelf 15 that is not substantially involved in the increase or decrease in the amount of heat are collectively referred to as in-store equipment.

[0026] The showcase 2a includes a refrigerated showcase and a freezer showcase. The showcase 2a has a cooling operation, a heating operation, a defrosting operation, and a stop as operation modes. The showcase 2a includes a refrigeration cycle in which a refrigerant (not shown) circulates. The showcase 2a also includes a separate showcase having a separate showcase outdoor unit with a built-in compressor that is a part of the refrigeration cycle and mainly compresses and sends out the refrigerant, and a built-in showcase having a built-in compressor. The showcase 2a is cooled by the evaporation heat of the refrigerant and heated by a heater or the condensation heat of the refrigerant.

[0027] A separate showcase is a fixture that can be switched between a refrigerated (chilled) state, a room temperature state, and a heated state. In this case, cooling is performed to improve the refrigerated or room temperature temperature, and heating is performed to improve the room temperature and heated temperatures. Some showcases have a structure that manages airflow for each shelf (separating the refrigerated and heated states for each shelf), and there are also devices that mix the refrigerated and heated states.

[0028] The separate type showcase includes a separate type reach-in showcase and a separate type walk-in showcase. The separate type reach-in showcase is a showcase that is mainly sealed with a glass door, and products are replenished by opening the glass door. In addition, the separate type reach-in showcase is available in refrigerated and frozen temperature ranges. Cooling is performed to improve the temperature.

[0029] A walk-in display case is a prefabricated display case that allows a person to enter a refrigerated chamber to store and replenish merchandise.

[0030] Built-in showcases include built-in reach-in cases and built-in ice cases. Like separate reach-in showcases, built-in reach-in cases and built-in ice cases are mainly showcases sealed with glass doors, and products are replenished by opening the glass doors.

[0031] The positive pressure air conditioner 2b is a device that keeps the inside of the store 50 in a positive pressure (high pressure) state relative to the outside, preventing outside air from entering. The rotation speed of the positive pressure air conditioner 2b is controlled by the in-store control device 3 so that it becomes a set target value.

[0032] The outside air introduction air conditioner 2c is a device that drives a fan to forcibly introduce outside air into the store 50. The outside air introduction air conditioner 2c has its air volume, air direction, and fan rotation speed controlled by the in-store control device 3.

[0033] The desiccant air conditioner 2d is a device that dehumidifies the outside air or the air inside the store 50 using a moisture absorbent material and releases the dehumidified air into the store 50. The in-store control device 3 controls the operation intensity of the desiccant air conditioner 2d based on the difference between the current humidity inside the store 50 and the target humidity inside the store 50.

[0034] The lighting 2e is provided in the store 50. The lighting 2e includes, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode).

[0035] The ventilation fan 2f forcibly exhausts the air inside the store 50 using a fan.

[0036] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the in-store control device 3 may be a system combined with a cloud in an online environment. The in-store control device 3 includes a communication means, a memory unit for storing received values, and a calculation unit. The in-store control device 3 controls the in-store air conditioner 1 and the in-store heat supply and exhaust equipment 2. The in-store control device 3 is capable of communicating with the in-store air conditioner 1 and the in-store heat supply and exhaust equipment 2 arranged in a store 50. The in-store control device 3 acquires the current status from the in-store air conditioner 1 and the in-store heat supply and exhaust equipment 2, and issues commands to the in-store air conditioner 1 and the in-store heat supply and exhaust equipment 2 based on the acquired status.

[0037] Furthermore, the in-store control device 3 communicates with a higher-level terminal via a communication network 40, which is either the Internet or a dedicated communication means, to transmit information to and receive command values ​​from the higher-level server 20. In response to commands from the higher-level server 20, the in-store control device 3 acquires the current status from the in-store air conditioner 1 and the in-store heat supply and exhaust equipment 2, and issues commands to the in-store air conditioner 1 and the in-store heat supply and exhaust equipment 2 based on the acquired status. The in-store control device 3 is, for example, a control terminal. For example, the in-store control device 3 compares a target temperature set for each showcase 2a with the current in-storage temperature value to cool or heat the inside of the showcase 2a.

[0038] 1 and 2, the in-store control device 3 communicates with a clock server 30 via a communication network 40. The in-store control device 3 also controls an in-store thermometer / hygrometer 4, an outside-store thermometer / hygrometer 5, curtains 6, a solar radiation acquisition unit 7, a power meter 8, an entrance / exit detection sensor 9, and a conductive heat detection sensor 10.

[0039] The in-store thermometer / hygrometer 4 is installed in the store 50 and measures the temperature and humidity inside the store 50. Data on the temperature inside the store 50 and the humidity inside and outside the store 50 measured by the in-store thermometer / hygrometer 4 is transmitted to the in-store control device 3. The in-store thermometer / hygrometer 4 is placed in a location where there is little variation in the in-store temperature and the influence of air currents, and at people's height. For example, the in-store thermometer / hygrometer 4 is placed near the checkout area 13 where many people gather, or by a window that is susceptible to sunlight, or near the showcase 2a that is susceptible to cold air. The checkout area 13 is where the cash register is located.

[0040] The outside-store thermometer and hygrometer 5 is installed outside the store 50 and measures the temperature and humidity outside the store 50. Data on the temperature outside the store 50 and the humidity outside the store 50 measured by the outside-store thermometer and hygrometer 5 is transmitted to the in-store control device 3. The outside-store thermometer and hygrometer 5 is installed in a location that is not affected by direct sunlight.

[0041] The curtain 6 is attached to the window of the store 50. The curtain 6 is arranged so as to reduce the thermal effect of sunlight on the inside of the store 50. In order to improve the in-store appeal, when shading is not necessary, the curtain 6 is opened. The curtain 6 is, for example, a roll curtain, and the winding part is arranged on the ceiling side (upper part). The curtain 6 is automatically switched between an open state where it is rolled up and a closed state where it is extended. A switch is provided near the winding part of the curtain 6, and the in-store control device 3 detects whether the curtain is in the open state or the closed state by the switch. The curtain 6 may be manually switched between the open state and the closed state, or the in-store control device 3 may control the switching of the state of the curtain 6. The winding part may be arranged on the floor part (lower part). The curtain 6 may be a curtain that opens to the side. The curtain may be opened and closed by opening and closing blinds or by sliding.

[0042] The solar radiation amount acquisition unit 7 is a device that acquires the amount of solar radiation entering the store 50. The amount of solar radiation detected by the solar radiation amount acquisition unit 7 is transmitted to the in-store control device 3. The solar radiation amount acquisition unit 7 includes, for example, at least one of an actinometer or a solar power generator.

[0043] The watt-hour meter 8 is a measuring instrument for measuring the amount of electricity used by the in-store heat supply and exhaust equipment 2. The watt-hour meter 8 detects the operating state of the in-store heat supply and exhaust equipment 2 and is used to calculate the amount of heat output or to create data on the operating state of each piece of equipment. The amount of electricity detected by the watt-hour meter 8 is transmitted to the in-store control device 3.

[0044] The entrance / exit detection sensor 9 is, for example, a human sensor or a camera. The entrance / exit detection sensor 9 is used to detect people entering and leaving the store 50, people moving within the store 50, and people staying within the store 50. The detection result of the entrance / exit detection sensor 9 is transmitted to the in-store control device 3.

[0045] The conductive heat detection sensor 10 is a detection unit for detecting the amount of heat flowing into the store 50 and the amount of heat released from the store 50. The detection result of the conductive heat detection sensor 10 is transmitted to the in-store control device 3.

[0046] (Control of in-store control device 3) The in-store control device 3 switches the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 based on the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit 7 and an index of in-store comfort (PMV value). The index of comfort is a PMV value (Predicted Mean Vote).

[0047] The PMV value is an index of comfort obtained from the temperature, relative humidity, average radiant temperature, average wind speed, human activity level, and the amount of clothing worn by a person inside the store 50. The amount of human activity and the amount of clothing worn by a person are set in advance, and the amount of clothing worn by a person varies depending on the season. For example, it is set to 0.5 in summer and 1.0 in winter. The season is based on information obtained from the clock server 30. The amount of human activity is set higher in a store 50 where most of the work is standing than in work where most of the work is sitting. The temperature and relative humidity inside the store 50 are obtained based on the in-store thermometer and hygrometer 4. The average radiant temperature inside the store 50 is obtained from the in-store thermometer and hygrometer 4, etc.

[0048] The PMV value is 0 for comfortable, 1 for "slightly hot," 2 for "hot," and 3 for "very hot." Also, -1 for "slightly cold," -2 for "cold," and -3 for "very cold." For positive values, the larger the value, the more uncomfortable it feels. For negative values, the smaller the value, the more uncomfortable it feels.

[0049] If the solar radiation acquisition unit 7 is a solar actinometer, the in-store control device 3 acquires the amount of solar radiation based on the measured value. If the solar radiation acquisition unit 7 is a solar power generator, the in-store control device 3 acquires the amount of solar radiation from the amount of power generated.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 3, the in-store control device 3 judges and switches the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 in five stages. For example, when the PMV value A1 is 0.5 or more, the in-store control device 3 switches the in-store air conditioner 1 to cooling operation as judgment 1. When the PMV value A1 is 0.2 or more and less than 0.5, the in-store control device 3 switches the in-store air conditioner 1 to blowing operation, which is closer to cooling operation, as judgment 2. When the PMV value A1 is greater than -0.2 and less than 0.2, the in-store control device 3 stops operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 as judgment 3. When the PMV value A1 is greater than -0.5 and less than -0.2, the in-store control device 3 switches the in-store air conditioner 1 to blowing operation, which is closer to heating operation, as judgment 4. When the PMV value A1 is less than -0.5, the in-store control device 3 switches the in-store air conditioner 1 to heating operation as judgment 5. The boundary values ​​of the PMV values ​​are set arbitrarily. The in-store control device 3 controls the in-store air conditioner 1 to perform cooling operation, heating operation, fan operation leaning towards heating operation which is a fan operation for raising the room temperature in the store, and fan operation leaning towards cooling operation which is a fan operation for lowering the room temperature in the store.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 4, when the PMV value A1 is greater than -0.2 and less than 0.2, the required heating amount required to increase the temperature in order to make the store comfortable and the required cooling amount required to decrease the temperature in order to make the store comfortable are 0 or can be considered to be 0, so the store is in a comfortable state. Therefore, there is no need to operate the in-store air conditioner 1, and the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 is stopped. Also, when the PMV value is greater than -0.5 and less than -0.2, and when the PMV value is 0.2 or more and less than 0.5, the required heating amount or required cooling amount is small, but since the PMV value is close to 0, the store is not heated or cooled and an air blowing operation is performed. When the PMV value is 0.5 or more, the temperature at which the in-store air is cooled in the in-store air conditioner 1 is adjusted according to the required cooling amount, and a cooling operation is performed. When the PMV value is -0.5 or less, the temperature at which the in-store air is heated in the in-store air conditioner 1 is adjusted according to the required heating amount, and a heating operation is performed. The control of the in-store control device 3 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 to switch the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 is performed when the amount of solar radiation is greater than a first predetermined value and less than a second predetermined value.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, when the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit 7 is equal to or less than a first predetermined value, the in-store control device 3 shifts the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the in-store air conditioner 1 and a blowing operation leaning toward a heating operation, which is a blowing operation for raising the room temperature in the store, toward the heating operation side, thereby performing control to increase the range of the comfort index value for stopping the in-store air conditioner 1. Specifically, the in-store control device 3 performs control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the in-store air conditioner 1 and a blowing operation leaning toward a heating operation, which is a blowing operation for raising the room temperature in the store, toward the heating operation side based on the first shift value. In the operation control system 100 for the in-store air conditioner 1, the first shift value is set as a fixed value. The first shift value is, for example, -0.2, and when the PMV value A1 is greater than -0.4 obtained by adding the first shift value to -0.2 and less than 0.2, the in-store control device 3 performs judgment 3 to stop the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1. Furthermore, when the PMV value A1 is greater than -0.5 and equal to or less than -0.4 (-0.2 plus the first shift value), the in-store control device 3 makes a decision 4 and switches the in-store air conditioner 1 to fan operation leaning towards heating operation. The first predetermined value includes, for example, 0, and is a slight amount of solar radiation that does not affect the temperature inside the store 50. In Fig. 6, the boundary value before the shift is indicated by a dashed line, and the boundary value after the shift is indicated by a dashed line.

[0053] The in-store control device 3 shifts the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the air conditioner and blowing air more toward the heating operation side, so that when the range of the comfort index value for stopping the air conditioner overlaps with the range of the comfort index value for blowing air more toward the heating operation, the in-store control device 3 controls the air conditioner to stop without blowing air more toward the heating operation. For example, when the first shift value is -0.3, if the PMV value A1 is greater than -0.5 obtained by adding the first shift value to -0.2 and is less than 0.2, the in-store control device 3 stops the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 as judgment 3. In this case, since the range of the PMV value for judgment 4 overlaps with the range of the PMV value for judgment 3, based on judgment 4, control is not performed to blow air more toward the heating operation, but to stop operation. In other words, when the value becomes -0.5 or less, the operation is switched from stop operation to heating operation. Furthermore, if the upper limit value and the lower limit value become equal when the first shift value is added to decision 3, the in-store control device 3 will not operate the in-store air conditioner 1 based on that decision.

[0054] Here, the relationship between the average wind speed and the PMV will be explained. The PMV value was calculated when the average wind speed was changed, assuming that the temperature in the store 50 was 20°C, the relative humidity was 30%, the average radiant temperature was 20°C, the amount of human activity was 1.4 met, and the amount of clothing worn by the human was 1.0 clo. When the average wind speed was 1.0 m / s, the PMV value was -0.66. When the average wind speed was 0.5 m / s, the PMV value was -0.47. When the average wind speed was 0 m / s, the PMV value was -0.04. If the average wind speed of the in-store air conditioner 1 in strong wind operation is 0.5 m / s, it can be seen that the PMV value becomes smaller in the direction away from 0 (comfortable) compared to the average wind speed of 0 m / s when the air conditioning is stopped. Therefore, it can be seen that the average wind speed of the wind blown out from the in-store air conditioner 1 affects the PMV value.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, when the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit 7 is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value, the in-store control device 3 shifts the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the in-store air conditioner 1 and blowing air more like cooling operation, which is a blowing operation for lowering the room temperature in the store, to the stop side, thereby controlling to increase the range of the comfort index value for blowing air more like cooling operation. The in-store control device 3 controls to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the in-store air conditioner 1 and blowing air more like cooling operation, which is a blowing operation for lowering the room temperature in the store, to the stop side based on the second shift value. The operation control system 100 sets the second shift value as a fixed value. The second shift value is, for example, -0.2, and when the PMV value A1 is greater than -0.2 and less than 0, which is the sum of 0.2 and the second shift value, the in-store control device 3 stops the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 as judgment 3. Furthermore, when the PMV value A1 is equal to or greater than 0 and less than 0.5, which is calculated by adding the third shift value to 0.2, the in-store control device 3 switches the in-store air conditioner 1 to fan operation leaning towards cooling operation as judgment 2. The second predetermined value is greater than the first predetermined value, and is, for example, an amount of solar radiation that raises the air temperature in the store 50 by 5°C or more. In Fig. 8, the boundary value before the shift is indicated by a dashed line, and the boundary value after the shift is indicated by a dashed line.

[0056] When the second shift value is added to decision 3, if the upper limit value and the lower limit value become the same value, the in-store control device 3 will not operate the in-store air conditioner 1 based on that decision.

[0057] When the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit 7 is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value and the comfort index value is predicted to decrease within a predetermined time range, the in-store control device 3 does not perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the air conditioner and blowing air more like cooling operation toward the stopped side. A case in which the comfort index value is predicted to decrease within a predetermined time range is, for example, a case in which the amount of solar radiation decreases within a predetermined time range, and specifically, when the predetermined time range is one hour, it is predicted that the sun will set in one hour or that the weather will deteriorate (change from sunny to cloudy) in one hour.

[0058] As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, when the heating operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 is started, the in-store control device 3 performs control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value between the heating operation and the air blowing operation closer to the heating operation to the air blowing side closer to the heating operation in order to suppress switching between the heating operation and the air blowing operation closer to the heating operation in a short time. Specifically, the control is performed to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value between the heating operation and the air blowing operation closer to the heating operation to the air blowing side closer to the heating operation by adding a third shift value. The operation control system 100 sets the third shift value as a fixed value. For example, the third shift value is 0.2, and when the PMV value A1 is equal to or less than -0.3 obtained by adding 0.2 to -0.5, the in-store control device 3 switches the in-store air conditioner 1 to the heating operation as a determination 5. When the PMV value A1 is equal to or more than -0.3 obtained by adding the third shift value 0.2 to -0.5, the in-store control device 3 switches the in-store air conditioner 1 to the air blowing operation closer to the heating operation as a determination 4. In this case, the operation time may be set as a condition in addition to the third shift value, or may be set as a condition separate from the third shift value, to adjust so that the in-store air conditioner 1 is not operated for a long period of time. In Fig. 10, the boundary value before the shift is indicated by a dashed line, and the boundary value after the shift is indicated by a dashed line.

[0059] As shown in Fig. 11 and Fig. 12, when the cooling operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 is started, the in-store control device 3 is configured to perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value between the cooling operation and the air blowing operation closer to the cooling operation to prevent switching between the cooling operation and the air blowing operation closer to the cooling operation in a short time. Specifically, the control is performed to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value between the heating operation and the air blowing operation closer to the heating operation to the air blowing side closer to the heating operation by subtracting the fourth shift value. In the operation control system 100, the fourth shift value is set as a fixed value. The fourth shift value is, for example, 0.2, and when the PMV value A1 is equal to or greater than 0.3 obtained by subtracting 0.2 from 0.5, the in-store control device 3 performs judgment 1 to switch the in-store air conditioner 1 to the cooling operation. If the PMV value A1 is equal to or greater than 0.2 and less than 0.3 (0.5 minus 0.2), then the in-store control device 3 makes a decision 2 by switching the in-store air conditioner 1 to fan operation, which is closer to cooling operation. In this case, the in-store air conditioner 1 may be adjusted so as not to operate for long periods of time, either by setting the operation time as a condition in conjunction with the fourth shift value, or by setting the operation time as a condition separate from the fourth shift value. In Fig. 12, the boundary value before the shift is indicated by a dashed line, and the boundary value after the shift is indicated by a dashed line.

[0060] (Effects of this embodiment) In this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0061] In this embodiment, as described above, the in-store control device 3 is configured to control switching of the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 based on the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit 7 and the index value of comfort in the store. As a result, the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 is switched based on the magnitude of the solar radiation in addition to the index value of comfort. For example, when the amount of solar radiation is large and the room temperature gradually rises, making people feel hot, the room temperature can be lowered by blowing air in advance with the fan operation, making people feel cooler, so that it is possible to effectively prevent comfort from being impaired. Also, when the amount of solar radiation decreases and the temperature in the store gradually drops, making people feel cold, it is possible to prevent people from feeling cold due to the wind blown out from the air conditioner by stopping the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 in advance, so that it is possible to effectively prevent comfort from being impaired. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent comfort in the store from being impaired due to solar radiation.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the in-store control device 3 is configured to perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between blowing operation and stop of the in-store air conditioner 1, based on the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit 7. This makes it possible to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between blowing operation and stop of the in-store air conditioner 1 so as to perform optimal operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 that can effectively prevent loss of the comfort index value between blowing operation and stop of the in-store air conditioner 1 according to the amount of solar radiation, and therefore makes it possible to more effectively prevent loss of comfort in the store caused by the volume of blowing air under conditions where solar heat cannot be obtained due to solar radiation.

[0063] In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the in-store air conditioner 1 is configured to perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between blowing operation and stopping of the in-store air conditioner 1 when the amount of insolation acquired by the insolation amount acquisition unit 7 is equal to or less than a first predetermined value, or when the amount of insolation acquired by the insolation amount acquisition unit 7 is equal to or more than a second predetermined value that is greater than the first predetermined value. As a result, for example, by setting the boundary amount of insolation at which it is preferable to stop the in-store air conditioner 1 because people are more likely to feel cold due to the blowing of air by the blowing operation to a first predetermined value, it is possible to improve comfort by stopping the in-store air conditioner 1 when the amount of insolation is small and equal to or less than the first predetermined value. Also, for example, by setting the boundary amount of insolation at which people are more likely to feel cool by blowing air by the blowing operation rather than the stopped operation to a second predetermined value, it is possible to actively perform the blowing operation and improve comfort when the amount of insolation is large and equal to or more than the second predetermined value. As a result, the in-store air conditioner 1 can be operated without compromising the comfort index value both when the amount of solar radiation is high and when the amount of solar radiation is low, thereby more effectively preventing a loss of comfort within the store due to solar radiation.

[0064] In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the in-store control device 3 is configured to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the in-store air conditioner 1 and blowing operation leaning toward heating operation, which is a blowing operation for raising the room temperature in the store, toward the heating operation side when the amount of insolation acquired by the in-store amount acquisition unit 7 is equal to or less than the first predetermined value, thereby performing control to widen the range of the comfort index value for stopping the in-store air conditioner 1. As a result, by being configured to perform control to widen the range of the comfort index value for stopping the in-store air conditioner 1, when people are likely to feel cold due to the amount of insolation being low, equal to or less than the first predetermined value, the blowing operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 can be actively stopped, thereby preventing people from feeling cold due to the wind blown out from the in-store air conditioner 1. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the comfort in the store from being impaired due to low amount of insolation. Also, by stopping the in-store air conditioner 1, it is possible to prevent an increase in power consumption.

[0065] In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the in-store control device 3 is configured to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the in-store air conditioner 1 and blowing air more toward the heating operation side, so that when the range of the comfort index value for stopping the in-store air conditioner 1 overlaps with the range of the comfort index value for performing blowing operation more toward the heating operation, the in-store control device 3 performs control to stop the air conditioner without blowing air more toward the heating operation. As a result, when the amount of solar radiation is equal to or less than the first predetermined value, people may feel cold due to the wind blown out from the in-store air conditioner 1, so by stopping the in-store air conditioner 1 without performing the blowing operation, people can be prevented from feeling cold. Also, by not performing the blowing operation, it is possible to switch from the stopped operation to the heating operation in which heated air is blown, so people are more likely to feel warm than when switching from the stopped operation to the blowing operation in which air is not heated. As a result, it is possible to more effectively prevent the comfort in the store from being impaired due to the small amount of solar radiation.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the in-store control device 3 is configured to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the in-store air conditioner 1 and blowing air more like cooling operation, which is a blowing operation for lowering the room temperature in the store, toward the stop side when the amount of insolation acquired by the insolation acquisition unit 7 is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value, and to control the range of the comfort index value for blowing air more like cooling operation to be performed. As a result, when the amount of insolation is large and people tend to feel hot due to the insolation, it is possible to actively blow air by the blowing operation, so that people tend to feel cooler. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the comfort in the store from being impaired due to the amount of insolation.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the in-store control device 3 is configured not to perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the in-store air conditioner 1 and blowing air more in cooling operation to the stopped side when the amount of insolation acquired by the insolation amount acquisition unit 7 is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value and it is predicted that the comfort index value will decrease within a predetermined time range. As a result, when the amount of insolation acquired by the insolation amount acquisition unit 7 is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value and it is predicted that the comfort index value will decrease within a predetermined time range, there is no need to actively perform blowing operation to reduce the comfort index value, so by stopping the blowing operation, it is possible to suppress an increase in the power consumption of the in-store air conditioner 1.

[0068] In this embodiment, as described above, the in-store control device 3 is configured to perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value between the heating operation and the air blowing operation closer to the heating operation toward the air blowing side closer to the heating operation in order to suppress switching between the heating operation and the air blowing operation closer to the heating operation in a short time when the heating operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 is started. As a result, since it may take time to adjust the temperature in the store to the set temperature immediately after the heating operation is started, by shifting the boundary value of the comfort index value between the heating operation and the air blowing closer to the heating operation toward the air blowing side closer to the heating operation, it is possible to suppress switching of the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 in a short time. Here, when switching the in-store air conditioner 1 from stopped to operating, the amount of power consumption increases by operating the compressor, so by suppressing switching of the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 in a short time, it is possible to suppress an increase in power consumption.

[0069] In this embodiment, as described above, the in-store control device 3 is configured to perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value between the cooling operation and the air blowing operation closer to the cooling operation to the air blowing side closer to the cooling operation in order to suppress switching between the cooling operation and the air blowing operation closer to the cooling operation in a short time when the cooling operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 is started. As a result, since it may take time to cool the temperature in the store to the set temperature immediately after the cooling operation is started, by shifting the boundary value of the comfort index value between the cooling operation and the air blowing operation closer to the cooling operation to the air blowing side closer to the cooling operation, it is possible to suppress switching of the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 in a short time. Here, when switching the in-store air conditioner 1 from stopped to operating, the amount of power consumption increases by operating the compressor, so by suppressing switching of the operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 in a short time, it is possible to suppress an increase in power consumption.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the solar radiation amount acquisition unit 7 includes at least one of an actinometer or a solar power generator provided in the store 50, and the in-store control device 3 is configured to control switching of operation of the in-store air conditioner 1 based on the measurement value of the actinometer or the power generation amount of the solar power generator and an index value of comfort in the store. This makes it possible to effectively prevent loss of comfort in the store caused by solar radiation based on the amount of solar radiation measured from the measurement value of the actinometer or the power generation amount of the solar power generator.

[0071] [Variations] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the description of the embodiments above, and further includes all modifications (variations) within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0072] For example, in the above embodiment, the solar radiation amount acquisition unit 7 is an actinometer or a solar power generator, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the solar radiation amount acquisition unit 7 is an upper server 20, and the in-store control device 3 may acquire the amount of solar radiation based on a weather forecast provided by the upper server 20.

[0073] Also, although an example has been shown in which the first shift value, the second shift value, the third shift value, and the fourth shift value are fixed values, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the first shift value, the second shift value, the third shift value, and the fourth shift value may be set values. In this case, the values ​​may be set according to the location where the in-store air conditioner 1 is installed, the season, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1. In-store air conditioner (air conditioner) 3 In-store control device (control unit) 7 Solar radiation acquisition section 50 stores 100 Driving control system

Claims

1. an air conditioner that is arranged in the store and can be switched between cooling operation, heating operation, fan operation, and stopped; A solar radiation amount acquisition unit that is arranged in the store and acquires the amount of solar radiation; A control unit for switching the operation mode of the air conditioner, An in-store air conditioner operation control system, wherein the control unit is configured to control switching of operation of the air conditioner based on the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit and an index value of comfort within the store.

2. The in-store air conditioner operation control system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between fan operation and stop of the air conditioner based on the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit.

3. The in-store air conditioner operation control system of claim 2, wherein the control unit is configured to perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value that switches the air conditioner between blowing operation and stopped when the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit is equal to or less than a first predetermined value, or when the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value that is greater than the first predetermined value.

4. The in-store air conditioner operation control system of claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to, when the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit is below the first predetermined value, shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the air conditioner and a fan operation that is biased toward heating operation, which is a fan operation for raising the room temperature in the store, toward the heating operation side, thereby performing control to increase the range of the comfort index value for stopping the air conditioner.

5. The control unit is configured to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the air conditioner and blowing air in a heating operation direction toward the heating operation side, so that when the range of comfort index values ​​for stopping the air conditioner overlaps with the range of comfort index values ​​for blowing air in a heating operation direction, the control unit controls the air conditioner to stop without blowing air in a heating operation direction.

6. The in-store air conditioner operation control system of claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value for switching between stopping the air conditioner and blowing air more toward cooling operation, which is a blowing operation for lowering the room temperature in the store, toward the stopping side when the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value, thereby increasing the range of the comfort index value for performing blowing operation more toward cooling operation.

7. The in-store air conditioner operation control system of claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured not to perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value that switches between stopping the air conditioner and blowing air in cooling mode to the stopping side when the amount of solar radiation acquired by the solar radiation acquisition unit is equal to or greater than the second specified value and it is predicted that the comfort index value will become small within a specified time range.

8. The in-store air conditioner operation control system of claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured to perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value between heating operation and fan operation leaning toward heating operation to the fan operation side when heating operation of the air conditioner is started, in order to prevent switching between heating operation and fan operation leaning toward heating operation in a short period of time.

9. The in-store air conditioner operation control system of claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to perform control to shift the boundary value of the comfort index value between cooling operation and fan operation biased toward cooling operation to the fan operation biased toward cooling operation when cooling operation of the air conditioner is started, in order to prevent switching between cooling operation and fan operation biased toward cooling operation in a short period of time.

10. The solar radiation amount acquisition unit includes at least one of an actinometer or a solar power generator installed in the store, 2. The in-store air conditioner operation control system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to control switching of operation of the air conditioner based on a measurement value of the actinometer or an amount of power generated by the solar power generator and an index value of comfort in the store.

Images