Air conditioning system

Abstract

To maintain the relative humidity and temperature of the air in a target room at optimal levels while preventing temperature and humidity irregularities within the target room.SOLUTION: An air conditioning system includes: an air-conditioning room provided with a plurality of air conditioners; a target room requiring air at conditioned temperature and humidity; a control device that switches operation modes of each of the plurality of air conditioners between cooling and heating operation modes, based on a dehumidification demand and an air conditioning demand in the target room; and a blower for delivering air conditioned for temperature and humidity by the plurality of air conditioners from the air-conditioning room to the target room.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioning system. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are known techniques for adjusting the temperature and humidity of air in a given space. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioning method in which a plurality of air conditioners (air conditioning devices) are installed inside a closed structure (target room), and when the cooling load inside the closed structure decreases, one of the plurality of air conditioners performs heating operation, and the remaining air conditioners perform cooling operation. In this air conditioning method, taking into consideration the possibility that the cooling operation may be switched to a fan operation or the like when the cooling load decreases, a reduction in the cooling load is suppressed by performing heating operation with one air conditioner. In this way, it is intended to continue stable cooling operation by the remaining air conditioners and maintain the dehumidification effect by the cooling operation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-212078 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the air conditioning method described in Patent Document 1 may cause temperature and humidity unevenness. Specifically, in Patent Document 1, the warm air and the cold air are mixed inside the closed structure, and when the cooling load is reduced, each air conditioner is controlled so that there is only one air conditioner performing heating operation. Therefore, in a certain area inside the closed structure, for example, an area far away from the air conditioner performing heating operation, the warm air and the cold air may not be mixed well. As a result, the relative humidity and temperature of the air in that area may become uneven from the relative humidity and temperature of the air in other areas.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide an air conditioning system that can maintain the relative humidity and temperature of the air in a target room at appropriate levels while suppressing the occurrence of temperature and humidity unevenness in the target room. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An air conditioning system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an air-conditioned room in which a plurality of air conditioning units are installed, a target room requiring temperature- and humidity-controlled air, a control device that switches the operating state of each of the plurality of air conditioning units between a cooling operating state and a heating operating state based on a dehumidification request and an air conditioning request in the target room, and a blower that sends air that has been temperature- and humidity-controlled by the plurality of air conditioning units from the air-conditioned room to the target room.

[0007] According to this air conditioning system, air whose temperature and humidity have been adjusted by the multiple air conditioners can be sent to the target room, so that the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room can be maintained at an appropriate state. Specifically, in the above system, the control device places some of the multiple air conditioners in a cooling operation state and the remaining air conditioners in a heating operation state based on the dehumidification load and air conditioning load in the target room. This allows the temperature and humidity of the air in the air-conditioned room to be adjusted. In other words, air optimized to maintain the relative humidity and temperature in the target room at an appropriate state is generated. Then, the air is sent from the air-conditioned room to the target room by a blower, so that the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room can be maintained at an appropriate state.

[0008] According to the above air conditioning system, in the process of sending air from the air-conditioned room to the target room, the air sent from the air conditioner in cooling operation is mixed with the air sent from the air conditioner in heating operation. This makes it possible to send air with approximately uniform relative humidity and temperature to the target room. Therefore, compared to the case where air is mixed in the target room, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature and humidity unevenness in the target room.

[0009] Therefore, according to the above air conditioning system, it is possible to keep the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room at appropriate levels while suppressing the occurrence of temperature unevenness and humidity unevenness in the target room.

[0010] In the above air conditioning system, it is preferable that a plant growing bed is arranged in the target room.

[0011] According to this configuration, plants can be grown in the target room where the optimum relative humidity and temperature for plant growth are maintained, and therefore the plants can be grown efficiently.

[0012] In the above air conditioning system, it is preferable that the control device switches the operating state of each air conditioning unit so that the air conditioning unit in a cooling operation state is positioned upstream of the air conditioning unit in a heating operation state in the air flow generated by the blower.

[0013] With this configuration, the air in the air-conditioned room, whose temperature has been reduced by the humidity adjustment performed by the air conditioner in cooling operation, can be reheated by the air conditioner in heating operation. Therefore, it is possible to prevent air that deviates from the appropriate temperature conditions from being sent to the target room.

[0014] In the above air conditioning system, it is preferable that the air-conditioned room has an outside air intake port for taking in outside air, and the target room has an exhaust port for discharging indoor air to the outside air.

[0015] According to this configuration, fresh outside air can be taken into the air-conditioned room through the outside air intake. In addition, as the temperature- and humidity-controlled fresh air is supplied to the target room, the indoor air of the target room can be exhausted to the outside air through the exhaust port. This makes it possible to keep the indoor air clean.

[0016] In addition, if plants are grown in the target room and pesticides and fertilizers are sprayed to grow the plants, the indoor air may contain floating matter such as volatile pesticide components, powdered fertilizer, and dust. If the indoor air containing such floating matter is directly returned to the air-conditioned room and sucked into the air conditioner, the floating matter may deteriorate the performance of the air conditioner. In contrast, according to the above configuration, the indoor air containing the floating matter is discharged to the outside air, so that the state of the indoor air can be kept clean. In addition, since the indoor air containing the floating matter is prevented from being directly returned to the air-conditioned room, deterioration of the performance of the air conditioner can be suppressed.

[0017] In the above air conditioning system, it is preferable that the control device switches the operating state of each of the air conditioning devices to execute one of the following operating modes: a majority cooling operation mode in which more than half of the air conditioning devices are in cooling operation, a majority heating operation mode in which more than half of the air conditioning devices are in heating operation, a full cooling operation mode in which all of the air conditioning devices are in cooling operation, and an equal number of cooling and heating operation mode in which the number of air conditioning devices in cooling operation and the number of air conditioning devices in heating operation are equal.

[0018] According to this configuration, an operation mode that matches the dehumidification requirement and air conditioning requirement in the target room can be executed, thereby enabling fine adjustment of the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room. Effect of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to maintain the relative humidity and temperature of the air in a target room at appropriate levels while suppressing the occurrence of temperature unevenness and humidity unevenness in the target room. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the control device. [Diagram 3] (a) is a schematic diagram showing a majority cooling operation mode, (b) is a schematic diagram showing a majority heating operation mode, (c) is a schematic diagram showing an all cooling operation mode, (d) is a schematic diagram showing an equal number of cooling and heating operation mode, and (e) is a schematic diagram showing an all heating operation mode. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart showing a process flow of the control device. [Diagram 5] 4 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of a control unit in an air conditioner that performs humidity control. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of a control unit in an air conditioner that performs temperature adjustment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing a process flow of a control unit according to a modified embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The air conditioning system 1 is a system for maintaining the relative humidity and temperature of the air in a specified target room 4 (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as indoor air) at an appropriate state. As shown in Fig. 1, the air conditioning system 1 has an air-conditioned room 2, a blower 3, a target room 4, and a control device 6.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the air-conditioned room 2 has a plurality of air conditioners 21, an outside air intake 22, an air outlet 23, an air-conditioned room humidity sensor 24, and an air-conditioned room temperature sensor 25.

[0023] The air conditioner 21 is a device that adjusts the temperature and humidity of air in the air-conditioned room 2. Here, the indoor unit and outdoor unit of a commercially available room air conditioner are used as the air conditioner 21. As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which three indoor units of the air conditioner 21 are installed in the air-conditioned room 2 (the outdoor units are not shown), but the number of air conditioners 21 installed can be changed as appropriate, and may be two or four or more. In this embodiment, the capacity of each air conditioner 21 is the same. However, the capacity of each air conditioner 21 may be different from each other. In this specification, the capacity of the air conditioner 21 refers to the performance of the air conditioner 21. In the following, for convenience of explanation, each air conditioner 21 may be referred to as the first air conditioner 21a, the second air conditioner 21b, and the third air conditioner 21c in order from the air conditioner 21 located upstream in the air flow F generated by the blower 3 (see FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 1, each of the air conditioners 21 has a control unit 21A.

[0024] The control unit 21A is composed of a microcomputer such as a CPU, RAM, and ROM, and is responsible for the overall control of the air conditioner 21. The control unit 21A switches the operation state of the air conditioner 21 to one of a cooling operation state, a heating operation state, and an operation stop state according to a control signal output by an output unit 614 described later. In the cooling operation state, the temperature of the air in the air-conditioned room 2 can be lowered and the relative humidity can be lowered. In other words, dehumidification can be performed. In the heating operation state, the temperature of the air in the air-conditioned room 2 can be raised. In the operation stop state, the operation of the air conditioner 21 is stopped, and temperature and humidity adjustment of the air-conditioned room 2 is not performed.

[0025] The outdoor air intake 22 is an opening for taking in fresh outdoor air into the air-conditioned room 2, and is provided through a wall portion constituting the air-conditioned room 2. The outdoor air intake 22 may be constituted by an outdoor unit of a room air conditioner and a pipe connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. In this embodiment, an outdoor air humidity sensor and an outdoor air temperature sensor (not shown) are attached around the outdoor air intake 22 to measure the relative humidity and temperature of the outdoor air.

[0026] The air outlet 23 is an opening for sending air from the air-conditioned room 2 to the target room 4, and is provided through a wall portion constituting the air-conditioned room 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the air outlet 23 is connected to one end of a duct 5 disposed between the air-conditioned room 2 and the target room 4. It is preferable that the duct 5 is provided with a heat insulating structure capable of suppressing heat exchange with the outside air. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress changes in temperature and humidity of the air sent from the air-conditioned room 2 to the target room 4 during the process of passing through the duct 5.

[0027] The air-conditioned room humidity sensor 24 and the air-conditioned room temperature sensor 25 are disposed at predetermined locations in the air-conditioned room 2 and are known sensors that periodically measure the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the air-conditioned room 2.

[0028] The blower 3 generates an air flow F that flows from the air-conditioned room 2 toward the target room 4. The blower 3 can be configured with a known fan such as a sirocco fan or a propeller fan. Here, an example is shown in which the blower 3 is installed near the air outlet 23 of the air-conditioned room 2. However, as long as the air flow F from the air-conditioned room 2 toward the target room 4 can be formed, the blower 3 may be installed in the duct 5 or the target room 4.

[0029] The target room 4 is a space that requires temperature- and humidity-controlled air. The target room 4 according to this embodiment is a growth room where plants are grown. Specifically, it is a greenhouse such as a vinyl house where the temperature is required to be maintained at 20°C to 30°C throughout the year and the relative humidity is required to be maintained at 60% to 80%. In this embodiment, it is assumed that pesticides and fertilizers for growing plants are sprayed inside the target room 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the target room 4 has a growth bed 41, an air outlet 42, an exhaust outlet 43, a target room humidity sensor 44, and a target room temperature sensor 45.

[0030] In the growth bed 41, various plants such as vegetables, fruits, ornamental plants, trees, etc. are grown. The growth bed 41 is, for example, a pot that contains culture soil and plant seedlings. However, the growth bed 41 may be composed of a pallet, the ground, a hydroponic growth facility, etc. In this embodiment, plants such as Phalaenopsis orchid and mango, whose quality can be greatly affected by temperature and humidity adjustment, are grown in the growth bed 41.

[0031] The air outlet 42 is an opening for blowing out the air sent from the air-conditioned room 2 by the air flow F into the target room 4, and is provided through a wall portion constituting the target room 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the air outlet 42 is connected to the other end of the duct 5.

[0032] The exhaust port 43 is an opening for discharging indoor air circulated inside the target room 4 to the outside air, and is provided through the wall constituting the target room 4. According to this configuration, for example, as fresh air whose temperature and humidity have been adjusted in the air-conditioning room 2 is blown out from the outlet 42, the indoor air can be discharged to the outside air through the exhaust port 43. This allows ventilation of the indoor air, and the state of the indoor air can be kept clean. Also, as described above, in this embodiment, pesticides and fertilizers may be sprayed inside the target room 4, so the indoor air may contain floating matter such as volatile components of pesticides, powdered fertilizer, and dust. On the other hand, since the indoor air according to this embodiment is discharged to the outside air through the exhaust port 43, it is prevented that the indoor air containing the floating matter is directly returned to the air-conditioning room 2, and that the floating matter is directly sucked into the air-conditioning device 21. Therefore, in this embodiment, the performance of the air-conditioning device 21 is suppressed from being deteriorated by the floating matter.

[0033] The target room humidity sensor 44 and the target room temperature sensor 45 are well-known sensors that are arranged at predetermined locations in the target room 4 and periodically measure the relative humidity (hereinafter referred to as the target room humidity RH) and temperature (hereinafter referred to as the target room temperature T) of the air in the target room 4.

[0034] The control device 6 outputs a signal for switching the operation state of each of the plurality of air conditioners 21 between a cooling operation state and a heating operation state based on a dehumidification request and an air conditioning request, which will be described later. The control device 6 is connected to each control unit 21A and each sensor via a communication line such as a LAN so that they can communicate with each other. As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 6 according to this embodiment is installed in an air-conditioned room 2. However, the control device 6 may be installed in a target room 4 or in a predetermined control room. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the control device 6. As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 6 has a main body 61, an input unit 62 and a display unit (e.g., a liquid crystal monitor) (not shown) connected to the main body 61, and a storage unit 63.

[0035] The input unit 62 is for receiving operations related to input of various commands and data by a user of the air conditioning system 1, and is configured by, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, etc. The input unit 62 according to this embodiment receives a target temperature of the air in the target room 4 (hereinafter referred to as the target room target temperature TS) and a target humidity of the air in the target room 4 (hereinafter referred to as the target room target humidity RHS). Note that this information may be input via a remote controller for operating the air conditioning device 21.

[0036] The storage unit 63 is, for example, a memory area provided in the main body unit 61 described later, a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD), and stores the information received by the input unit 62.

[0037] The main body 61 is an information processing device including a CPU that performs various types of arithmetic processing and control processing, a non-volatile memory (not shown) such as a ROM in which a predetermined control program is stored, a RAM (not shown) for temporarily storing data, a timer circuit (not shown) for measuring the current date and time, and peripheral circuits thereof, etc. The main body 61 functionally includes an acquisition unit 611, a calculation unit 612, a processing unit 613, and an output unit 614 by causing the CPU to execute a control program stored in the ROM, etc.

[0038] The acquisition unit 611 acquires information necessary for calculating a dehumidification request and an air conditioning request, which will be described later. Specifically, the acquisition unit 611 accesses the storage unit 63 to acquire the target room target humidity RHS and the target room target temperature TS. The acquisition unit 611 also acquires the target room humidity RH and the target room temperature T from the target room humidity sensor 44 and the target room temperature sensor 45.

[0039] The calculation unit 612 calculates the values ​​of the dehumidification request and the air conditioning request. Specifically, the calculation unit 612 calculates the difference between the target room target humidity RHS and the target room humidity RH, and calculates the value of the dehumidification request required to reduce the difference. The calculation unit 612 also calculates the difference between the target room target temperature TS and the target room temperature T, and calculates the value of the cooling request or the heating request required to reduce the difference. In detail, the calculation unit 612 calculates the value of the cooling request when the target room temperature T is higher than the target room target temperature TS, and calculates the value of the heating request when the target room temperature T is lower than the target room target temperature TS. In this specification, these cooling requests and heating requests may be collectively referred to as air conditioning requests.

[0040] The processing unit 613 selects an operation mode capable of satisfying the dehumidification request and the air conditioning request. Specifically, the processing unit 613 selects an operation mode capable of satisfying the dehumidification request and the air conditioning request from various operation modes formed by combinations of the operation states and the number of operating units of each air conditioner 21. The various operation modes selected by the processing unit 613 will be described below with reference to Fig. 3. Note that in (a) to (e) of Fig. 3, the size of the arrows indicates the size of the air volume.

[0041] FIG. 3(a) is a schematic diagram showing the majority cooling operation mode. The majority cooling operation mode is an operation mode in which the majority of the air conditioners 21 among the multiple air conditioners 21 are in a cooling operation state. The majority cooling operation mode is selected, for example, in a situation in which the dehumidification request in the target room 4 is large and the heating request is small. In the majority cooling operation mode according to the present embodiment, the first air conditioner 21a and the second air conditioner 21b are in a cooling operation state and perform humidity control (dehumidification) of the air, and the third air conditioner 21c is in a heating operation state and performs temperature control of the air. The air in the air-conditioned room 2 that has been temperature- and humidity-controlled in this manner is sent to the target room 4 while being mixed in the air-conditioned room 2 and the duct 5. In this operation mode, the target room temperature T can be increased, decreased, or maintained while the target room humidity RH is decreased. In addition, in the majority cooling operation mode, air from the air-conditioned room 2 that has been cooled to a degree that does not result in dehumidification is sent to the target room 4, and the target room temperature T is lowered without reducing the absolute humidity in the target room 4, thereby increasing the target room humidity RH.

[0042] FIG. 3(b) is a schematic diagram showing the majority heating operation mode. The majority heating operation mode is an operation mode in which the majority of the air conditioners 21 among the multiple air conditioners 21 are in heating operation. The majority heating operation mode is selected, for example, in a situation in which the dehumidification demand in the target room 4 is small and the heating demand is large. In the majority heating operation mode according to this embodiment, the first air conditioner 21a is in cooling operation and performs air humidity control, and the second air conditioner 21b and the third air conditioner 21c are in heating operation and perform air temperature control. In this operation mode, the target room temperature T can be increased while maintaining or decreasing the target room humidity RH.

[0043] FIG. 3(c) is a schematic diagram showing the cooling only operation mode. The cooling only operation mode is an operation mode in which all the air conditioners 21a to 21c are in cooling operation. The cooling only operation mode is selected, for example, in a situation in which the dehumidification demand and the cooling demand in the target room 4 are large. In the cooling only operation mode according to the present embodiment, the first air conditioner 21a and the second air conditioner 21b adjust the humidity of the air, and the third air conditioner 21c adjusts the temperature of the air. In this operation mode, the target room temperature T can be lowered while lowering the target room humidity RH. In addition, in the cooling only operation mode, the air of the air-conditioned room 2 that has been cooled to a degree that is not dehumidified is sent to the target room 4, and the target room temperature T is lowered without lowering the absolute humidity in the target room 4, thereby raising the target room humidity RH.

[0044] FIG. 3(d) is a schematic diagram showing the cooling and heating equal number operation mode. The cooling and heating equal number operation mode is an operation mode in which the number of air conditioners 21 in the cooling operation state and the number of air conditioners 21 in the heating operation state are the same. The cooling and heating equal number operation mode is selected, for example, in a situation in which the dehumidification request in the target room 4 is small and the heating request is small. In other words, the cooling and heating equal number operation mode can be selected in a situation in which the current relative humidity and temperature are required to be maintained. In the cooling and heating equal number operation mode according to this embodiment, the first air conditioner 21a is in the cooling operation state and performs air humidity control, the third air conditioner 21c is in the heating operation state and performs air temperature control, and the second air conditioner 21b is in the operation stop state. In this operation mode, the target room temperature T can be maintained while maintaining the target room humidity RH. In addition, when four air conditioners 21 are arranged, two of them can be operated in the cooling operation state and the remaining two can be operated in the heating operation state.

[0045] Furthermore, the processing unit 613 according to this embodiment may select the full heating operation mode as necessary. (e) of FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the full heating operation mode. The full heating operation mode is an operation mode in which all the air conditioners 21a to 21c are in a heating operation state. The full heating operation mode is selected, for example, in a situation in which there is a high demand for heating. In this operation mode, the target room temperature T can be increased. Furthermore, since the amount of saturated water vapor in the indoor air increases as the target room temperature T increases, the target room humidity RH can be reduced.

[0046] The processing unit 613 according to this embodiment appropriately selects various operation modes as described above according to the dehumidification request and air conditioning request in the target room 4. As a result, various operation modes are executed while being switched appropriately, and air whose temperature and humidity are adjusted by the operation mode is sent to the target room 4, so that the target room temperature T can be increased, decreased, or maintained while the target room humidity RH is increased, decreased, or maintained. In other words, the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room 4 can be finely adjusted. Note that the processing unit 613 preferably selects an operation mode based on the COP (Coefficient Of Performance). In other words, the processing unit 613 preferably selects an operation mode that can satisfy the dehumidification request and the air conditioning request and can operate each air conditioner 21 in a high COP state. As a result, the target room humidity RH and the target room temperature T can be efficiently adjusted.

[0047] The output unit 614 outputs a control signal that defines the operating state of each air conditioning device 21 to each air conditioning device 21 so as to realize the operation mode selected by the processing unit 613. Specifically, the output unit 614 outputs a control signal for switching each air conditioning device 21 to a cooling operation state, a heating operation state, or an operation stop state.

[0048] Here, when an operation mode in which an air conditioner 21 in a cooling operation state and an air conditioner 21 in a heating operation state are present is selected, the output unit 614 according to this embodiment outputs a control signal so that the air conditioner 21 in a cooling operation state is located upstream of the air conditioner 21 in a heating operation state in the air flow F generated by the blower 3. Examples of operation modes in which an air conditioner 21 in a cooling operation state and an air conditioner 21 in a heating operation state are a majority cooling operation mode, a majority heating operation mode, and an equal number of cooling and heating operation mode. According to this configuration, the air in the air-conditioned room 2 whose temperature has been reduced by being dehumidified by the air conditioner 21 in a cooling operation state can be reheated by the air conditioner 21 in a heating operation state. Therefore, it is possible to prevent air that deviates from the appropriate temperature conditions from being sent to the target room 4.

[0049] Furthermore, according to the above configuration, the temperature of the intake air of the air conditioner 21 in the cooling operation state is suppressed from rising, so that dehumidification can be performed efficiently. Specifically, in the air conditioner 21 in the cooling operation state, the intake air sucked in by the fan of the air conditioner 21 comes into contact with the low-temperature heat exchanger (evaporator) of the air conditioner 21 and exchanges heat, so that the temperature of the air drops and condensation occurs, thereby performing dehumidification. Here, if the air conditioner 21 in the heating operation state is located upstream of the air conditioner 21 in the cooling operation state, the temperature of the intake air in the air conditioner 21 in the cooling operation state may rise. In this case, the temperature of the air cannot be sufficiently lowered in the evaporator, and there is a risk that the occurrence of condensation is suppressed. In contrast, in this embodiment, the output unit 614 outputs a control signal so that the air conditioner 21 in the cooling operation state is located upstream of the air conditioner 21 in the heating operation state. This suppresses the temperature of the intake air of the air conditioner 21 in the cooling operation state from rising, so that dehumidification can be performed efficiently.

[0050] Moreover, the output section 614 outputs signals indicating the target room target humidity RHS and the target room target temperature TS to each control unit 21A.

[0051] The process flow of the control device 6 configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0052] In step S1, the acquisition unit 611 acquires the target room target humidity RHS and the target room target temperature TS from the memory unit 63. Then, in step S2, the acquisition unit 611 acquires the target room humidity RH and the target room temperature T from the target room humidity sensor 44 and the target room temperature sensor 45.

[0053] Next, in step S3, the calculation unit 612 calculates a dehumidification request value based on the target room humidity RH and the target room target humidity RHS. The calculation unit 612 also calculates an air conditioning request value based on the target room temperature T and the target room target temperature TS.

[0054] Next, in step S4, the processor 613 selects an operation mode that can satisfy the dehumidification request and the air conditioning request. For example, the processor 613 selects the majority cooling operation mode.

[0055] Next, in step S5, the output unit 614 outputs a control signal to each air conditioner 21 to realize the operation mode selected in step S4. Here, since the majority cooling operation mode is selected, the output unit 614 outputs a control signal to cause the first air conditioner 21a and the second air conditioner 21b to perform cooling operation, and outputs a control signal to cause the third air conditioner 21c to perform heating operation. The manner in which the control signals are output to the air conditioners 21a to 21c when an operation mode other than the majority cooling operation mode is selected is as described above. Also, in step S5, the output unit 614 outputs a signal indicating the target room target humidity RHS and the target room target temperature TS to each air conditioner 21.

[0056] The control device 6 repeats the above-mentioned processes of steps S2 to S5 until the operation of the air conditioning system 1 is stopped. If the input unit 62 receives an update of the target room target humidity RHS or the target room target temperature TS during the above-mentioned processes, the control device 6 resumes the above-mentioned processes from step S1.

[0057] Next, a description will be given of the processing flow of control unit 21A that has received a control signal from output unit 614. Here, it is assumed that processing unit 613 has selected the majority cooling operation mode. Control unit 21A executes the processing shown in Fig. 5 or the processing shown in Fig. 6 according to the content of the control signal output from output unit 614. Note that when a control signal to switch air conditioning apparatus 21 to an operation stop state is received, control unit 21A stops the operation of air conditioning apparatus 21.

[0058] First, a process flow of the control unit 21A that receives an instruction to perform a cooling operation from the output unit 614 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. In other words, Fig. 5 can be said to be a process flow of the control unit 21A that receives an instruction from the output unit 614 to adjust the target room humidity RH.

[0059] In step S21, the control unit 21A acquires the target room target humidity RHS from the output section 614.

[0060] In step S22, the control unit 21A acquires the target room humidity RH from the target room humidity sensor 44. Note that in step S22, the control unit 21A may acquire the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the air-conditioned room 2 from the air-conditioned room humidity sensor 24 and the air-conditioned room temperature sensor 25. The control unit 21A may also acquire the relative humidity and temperature of the outside air from the outside air humidity sensor and the outside air temperature sensor.

[0061] In step S23, the control unit 21A calculates the difference between the target room target humidity RHS and the target room humidity RH, and calculates a specific set temperature and air volume (hereinafter referred to as the cooling set temperature and cooling air volume) for reducing the difference.

[0062] In step S24, the control unit 21A outputs the cooling temperature setting and the cooling airflow rate calculated in step S23, and operates the air conditioner 21 in the cooling operation state.

[0063] The control unit 21A repeats the processing of steps S22 to S24 described above until a control signal for changing the operating state of the air conditioning apparatus 21 is received from the output unit 614. Note that if a signal for updating the target room target humidity RHS is received from the output unit 614 during the above processing, the control unit 21A resumes the above processing from step S21.

[0064] Next, a process flow of the control unit 21A that receives an instruction to perform a heating operation from the output unit 614 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In other words, Fig. 6 can be said to be a process flow for the control unit 21A that receives an instruction to adjust the target room temperature T from the output unit 614.

[0065] In step S31, the control unit 21A acquires the target room target temperature TS from the output section 614.

[0066] In step S32, the control unit 21A acquires the target room temperature T from the target room temperature sensor 45. Note that in step S32, the control unit 21A may acquire the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the air-conditioned room 2 and the relative humidity and temperature of the outside air, similarly to the case of step S22 above. Furthermore, the control unit 21A may acquire the cooling setting temperature and the cooling airflow rate calculated in step S23 above.

[0067] In step S33, control unit 21A calculates the difference between target room target temperature TS and target room temperature T, and calculates a specific set temperature and air volume (hereinafter referred to as heating set temperature and heating air volume) for reducing the difference. At this time, control unit 21A may refer to the cooling set temperature and cooling air volume calculated in step S23 above, and correct the heating set temperature and heating air volume based on the cooling set temperature and cooling air volume.

[0068] In step S34, the control unit 21A outputs the heating temperature setting and the heating air volume calculated in step S33, and operates the air conditioner 21 in a heating operation state.

[0069] The control unit 21A repeats the processing of steps S32 to S34 described above until a control signal for changing the operating state of the air conditioning device 21 is received from the output unit 614. Note that if a signal for updating the target room target temperature TS is received from the output unit 614 during the above processing, the control unit 21A resumes the above processing from step S31.

[0070] As described above, according to the air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to generate air in the air-conditioned room 2 that is optimized for maintaining the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room 4 in appropriate states, based on the dehumidification load and air conditioning load in the target room 4. Then, the air is sent from the air-conditioned room 2 to the target room 4 by the blower 3, so that the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room 4 can be maintained in appropriate states.

[0071] Here, according to the air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment, in the process of sending air from the air-conditioned room 2 to the target room 4, the air sent out from the air conditioner 21 in cooling operation is mixed with the air sent out from the air conditioner 21 in heating operation. This makes it possible to send air having approximately uniform relative humidity and temperature to the target room 4. Therefore, compared to the case where air is mixed in the target room 4, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness and humidity unevenness in the target room 4.

[0072] Therefore, according to the air conditioning system 1 according to this embodiment, it is possible to keep the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room 4 at appropriate states while suppressing the occurrence of temperature unevenness and humidity unevenness in the target room 4.

[0073] Moreover, according to the air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment, plants can be grown in the target room 4 where the optimum relative humidity and temperature for plant growth are maintained. Therefore, plants can be grown efficiently. In particular, according to the air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment, plants such as Phalaenopsis orchid and mango, whose quality can be significantly affected by temperature and humidity adjustment, can be grown efficiently.

[0074] Furthermore, according to the air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment, the temperature and humidity can be finely adjusted, so that various needs of users can be met. For example, it is possible to meet the need to lower the target room humidity RH while maintaining the target room temperature T within a range that can reduce the risk of crop disease occurrence in order to promote plant growth. Alternatively, it is possible to meet the need to increase the target room humidity RH while maintaining the target room temperature T in order to more reliably suppress the occurrence of crop disease.

[0075] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and the following modified embodiments are possible.

[0076] (1) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the target room is a greenhouse such as a vinyl greenhouse, but the target room may be various other spaces such as an exhibition room in a museum, a computer server room, a growth room in a plant factory, etc. In other words, the present invention can be used not only for managing the temperature and humidity of a greenhouse, but also for managing the temperature and humidity of various other spaces.

[0077] (2) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which a room air conditioner was used as the air conditioner, but the air conditioner may be a so-called agricultural heat pump. However, room air conditioners are generally cheaper than agricultural heat pumps and often have a superior COP. Therefore, when a room air conditioner is used as the air conditioner as in the above embodiment, it is considered that the relative humidity and temperature of the target room 4 can be efficiently adjusted while suppressing an increase in equipment costs.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the multiple air conditioners 21 are configured only by room air conditioners, but the multiple air conditioners may also include, for example, a known humidifier. In this case, it is possible to efficiently increase the relative humidity in the target room 4.

[0079] (3) In the above embodiment, an example in which the duct 5 is disposed between the air-conditioned room 2 and the target room 4 has been described, but the duct 5 is not essential. For example, the air-conditioned room and the target room may be adjacent to each other with a predetermined wall portion between them. The wall portion may be provided with an air vent, and air whose temperature and humidity have been adjusted may be sent from the air-conditioned room to the target room through the air vent.

[0080] (4) In the above embodiment, the control unit 21A calculates the cooling temperature setting and the cooling air volume, or the heating temperature setting and the heating air volume, but the information may be calculated by the control device. In this case, a signal instructing the cooling temperature setting and the cooling air volume, or the heating temperature setting and the heating air volume, is output from the control device to each control unit.

[0081] (5) In order to efficiently ventilate the target room 4, a ventilation fan (e.g., a propeller fan) may be attached to each of the outside air intake 22 and the exhaust 43. In this case, the control device may control each ventilation fan so that they work in conjunction with each other. For example, the control device may operate the ventilation fan on the exhaust 43 side to exhaust the air in the target room 4 to the outside air at the same time that the ventilation fan on the outside air intake 22 side is operated to take in outside air into the air-conditioned room 2. With this configuration, the efficiency of ventilation is improved, and the indoor air can be kept cleaner.

[0082] (6) The control unit may adjust the target room humidity RH based on the absolute humidity. Hereinafter, the process flow of the control unit according to this modified embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0083] In step S101, the control unit acquires the target room target humidity RHS and the target room target temperature TS from the output unit 614. Then, in step S102, the control unit calculates the target absolute humidity of the air in the target room 4 (hereinafter referred to as the target room target absolute humidity) based on the target room target humidity RHS and the target room target temperature TS.

[0084] In step S103, the control unit acquires the target room humidity RH and the target room temperature T from the target room humidity sensor 44 and the target room temperature sensor 45. Then, in step S104, the control unit calculates the absolute humidity of the air in the target room 4 (hereinafter referred to as the target room absolute humidity) based on the target room humidity RH and the target room temperature T.

[0085] In step S105, the control unit calculates the difference between the target room target absolute humidity and the target room absolute humidity, and calculates a specific cooling temperature setting and cooling airflow rate for reducing the difference.

[0086] In step S106, the control unit outputs the cooling temperature setting and the cooling airflow rate calculated in step S105, and operates the air conditioner 21 in the cooling operation state.

[0087] The control unit according to this modified embodiment repeats the processes of steps S103 to S106 described above until a control signal for changing the operating state of the air conditioning device 21 is received from the output unit 614. Note that if a signal for updating the target room target humidity RHS or the target room target temperature TS is received from the output unit 614 during the above processes, the control unit resumes the above processes from step S101.

[0088] (7) In the above embodiment, an example in which the capacity of each air conditioner 21 is the same has been described, but as described above, the capacity of each air conditioner 21 may be different. When the capacity of each air conditioner 21 is different, it is preferable for the control device 6 to adjust the output of each air conditioner 21 so that the temperature and humidity adjustment by the above-mentioned operation mode is suitably realized. For example, assume a case in which the capacity of the first air conditioner 21a and the second air conditioner 21b is the same and the capacity of the third air conditioner 21c is superior to the capacity of each of the air conditioners 21a and 21b, and the majority cooling operation mode is executed. In this state, if the first air conditioner 21a and the second air conditioner 21b are caused to execute a cooling operation and the third air conditioner 21c is caused to execute a heating operation, the target room temperature T may rise excessively even though the majority cooling operation mode is executed. Therefore, in this case, the control device 6 adjusts the output of each air conditioner 21c so that the output of the air conditioner 21c becomes similar to the output of the first air conditioner 21a and the second air conditioner 21b. The same applies to operation modes other than the majority cooling operation mode. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1: Air conditioning system 2: Air conditioned room 3: Blower 4: Target room 6: Control device 21: Air conditioning equipment 22: Fresh air intake 23: Ventilator 24: Air-conditioning room humidity sensor 25: Air-conditioning room temperature sensor 41:Growing bed 42: Air outlet 43: Exhaust port 44: Target room humidity sensor 45: Target room temperature sensor F: Air flow RH: Target room humidity RHS: Target room humidity T:Target room temperature TS: Target room temperature

Claims

1. an air-conditioned room in which a plurality of air-conditioning devices are installed; A target room requiring temperature and humidity controlled air; a control device that switches the operating state of each of the plurality of air conditioners between a cooling operation state and a heating operation state based on a dehumidification request and an air conditioning request for the target room; a blower that sends air whose temperature and humidity have been adjusted by the plurality of air conditioners from the air-conditioned room to the target room.

2. 2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, An air conditioning system, wherein the target room has a plant growing bed disposed therein.

3. 3. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, The control device switches the operating state of each air conditioning unit so that the air conditioning unit in a cooling operation state is positioned upstream of the air conditioning unit in a heating operation state in the air flow generated by the blower.

4. 3. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, The air-conditioning room has an outside air intake port for taking in outside air, An air conditioning system, wherein the target room has an exhaust port for discharging indoor air to the outside air.

5. 3. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, The control device switches the operating state of each of the air conditioning devices to execute one of the following operating modes: a majority cooling operation mode in which more than half of the air conditioning devices are in cooling operation, a majority heating operation mode in which more than half of the air conditioning devices are in heating operation, a full cooling operation mode in which all of the air conditioning devices are in cooling operation, and an equal number of cooling and heating operation mode in which the number of air conditioning devices in cooling operation and the number of air conditioning devices in heating operation are equal.

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