Air quantity control device

Abstract

To provide an air quantity control device which is compact and easily installable.SOLUTION: An air quantity control device 1 includes an air quantity control unit 2, a casing 3 for housing the air quantity control unit, and an air control port 4 provided in the casing and also serving as an inspection port. The air quantity control unit includes a tubular unit duct 5, a valve element 6 for opening and closing the unit duct, an actuator 7 for driving the valve element, an air quantity detecting unit 8 provided in the upstream side of the valve element in the unit duct, and a controller 9 for controlling the actuator on the basis of output of the air quantity detecting unit. One end of the unit duct is connected to piping 103 arranged outside the casing, and the other end of the unit duct is arranged inside the casing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an airflow control device. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, when air whose temperature has been regulated by a single air conditioner is supplied into a room from multiple air intakes, there is known an air volume control unit that adjusts the volume of air supplied from each air intake for each air intake. This air volume control unit is generally called a VAV (Variable Air Volume) or CAV (Constant Air Volume). A VAV changes the opening of a valve in a unit duct to change the volume of air to match preset indoor conditions. A CAV changes the opening of a valve in a unit duct to blow out a preset constant volume of air. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-39858 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In such an air volume control unit, an air volume detection section provided in the unit duct detects the actual volume of air passing through the unit duct and controls the opening of the valve body so that the actual volume of air approaches a target value. In order for the air volume detection section to detect the volume of air with high accuracy, it is necessary to provide straight pipes of a predetermined length or more on the upstream and downstream sides of the air volume control unit.

[0005] For this reason, the combination of the air volume control unit and the straight pipe becomes relatively large, which may make it difficult to install in a relatively small space (for example, above the ceiling).

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide an air volume control device that is compact and easy to install. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, An air volume control unit, A tubular unit duct; A valve body that opens and closes the unit duct; an actuator that drives the valve body; an air volume detection unit provided on the upstream side of the valve body in the unit duct; a controller configured to control the actuator based on an output of the air volume detector; An airflow control unit having A casing that houses the airflow control unit; An air intake provided in the casing and also serving as an inspection hatch; Equipped with One end of the unit duct is configured to be connected to a pipe arranged outside the casing, and the other end of the unit duct is arranged inside the casing. The present invention provides an air volume control device.

[0008] Preferably, the air volume control device includes a first rectifying member provided in the unit duct upstream of the air volume detection unit.

[0009] Preferably, the air volume control device includes a second flow straightening member provided in the unit duct downstream of the valve body.

[0010] Preferably, the air volume control device includes a second flow straightening member provided in the unit duct downstream of the air volume detection unit and upstream of the valve body.

[0011] Preferably, one end of the unit duct is disposed on the upstream side, and the other end of the unit duct is disposed on the downstream side.

[0012] Preferably, one end of the unit duct is located downstream and the other end of the unit duct is located upstream.

[0013] Preferably, the unit duct comprises: a main duct in which the valve body, the actuator, and the air volume detection unit are provided; a first extension duct connected to the upstream side of the main duct; Equipped with.

[0014] Preferably, the unit duct includes a second extension duct connected to the downstream side of the main duct.

[0015] Preferably, the controller is mounted in the unit duct.

[0016] Preferably, the air volume control device includes an air vent grill attached to the air vent so as to be able to open and close.

[0017] Preferably, the air volume control device is disposed between an interior ceiling wall and a main ceiling wall in the room. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an air volume control device that is compact and easy to install. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a centralized air conditioning system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical sectional side view showing the air volume control device of the first embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic longitudinal sectional front view showing the air volume control device of the first embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the air volume control unit alone. [Diagram 5]FIG. 4 is a front view showing the air volume control unit alone. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a detailed schematic cross-sectional view of a portion VI in FIG. 2. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a detailed schematic cross-sectional view of part VII in FIG. 2. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a comparative example. [Figure 9] FIG. 6 is a schematic vertical sectional side view showing an air volume control device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a schematic vertical sectional side view showing an air volume control device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic vertical sectional side view showing an air volume control device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a side view showing an air volume control unit in the air volume control device of the fifth embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic vertical sectional side view showing an application example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0021] [First embodiment] 1 shows a centralized air conditioning system to which the air volume control device of this embodiment is applied. Inside or within a building, there is a machine room K and multiple rooms RA to RC (collectively indicated by the symbol R), and the machine room K is separated from each room RA to RC by partition walls WA to WC (collectively indicated by the symbol W). The machine room K and each room RA to RC have ceiling walls that form the interior, i.e., interior ceiling walls CK, CA to CC (collectively indicated by the symbol C), and the interior ceiling walls CK, CA to CC are located a predetermined distance below the ceiling wall that forms the building's framework, i.e., framework ceiling wall CZ. The space between the interior ceiling walls CK, CA to CC and the framework ceiling wall CZ is the ceiling space T. The machine room K and the ceiling spaces T of each room RA to RC are connected.

[0022] An air conditioner 101 for collectively conditioning each of the rooms RA to RC is installed in the machine room K. A main pipe 102 extends from this air conditioner 101, and the main pipe 102 enters the ceiling space T from the machine room K and extends horizontally within the ceiling space T so as to cross each of the rooms RA to RC.

[0023] Meanwhile, air volume control devices 1A to 1C (collectively referred to as reference symbol 1) of this embodiment corresponding to each room RA to RC are installed in the ceiling space T of each room RA to RC, and each air volume control device 1A to 1C is connected to a main pipe 102 by branch pipes 103A to 103C (collectively referred to as reference symbol 103) branching off from the main pipe 102.

[0024] Air A whose temperature and other properties have been adjusted by the air conditioner 101 (called conditioned air) is sent to each of the air volume control devices 1A-1C through the main pipe 102 and each of the branch pipes 103A-103C. Then, after the air volume is controlled by each of the air volume control devices 1A-1C, the air is supplied, i.e., supplied, to each of the rooms RA-RC.

[0025] A change in the volume of air supplied to a specific room may cause a change in the pressure inside the main pipe 102, which may cause a change in the volume of air supplied to other rooms. For this reason, air volume control devices 1A-1C are installed for each room so that a desired volume of air can be stably supplied to each room regardless of such pressure changes inside the main pipe 102.

[0026] In this embodiment, an airflow control device is installed for each room to individually control the airflow in multiple rooms. Alternatively, an airflow control device may be installed for each location in a single room to individually control the airflow at multiple locations.

[0027] 2 and 3 show an air volume control device according to this embodiment. Here, an air volume control device 1A for room RA will be described as an example, but the same applies to other rooms. In the following, general reference symbols 1, R, etc. will be used as reference symbols. For ease of explanation, the directions of front, back, left, right, top and bottom will be defined as shown in the figures.

[0028] The air volume control device 1 comprises an air volume control unit 2, a casing 3 that houses the air volume control unit 2, and an air intake 4 that is provided in the casing 3 and also serves as an inspection hatch. The air volume control unit 2 comprises a tubular unit duct 5, a valve body 6 that opens and closes the inside of the unit duct 5, an actuator 7 that drives the valve body 6, an air volume detection section 8 provided upstream (rear) of the valve body 6 in the unit duct 5, and a controller 9. The controller 9 is attached to the unit duct 5, and is configured to control the actuator 7 based on the output of the air volume detection section 8.

[0029] One end of the unit duct 5 (in this embodiment, the upstream end, the inlet end or the rear end) is configured to be connected to a pipe, i.e., a branch pipe 103, arranged outside the casing 3, and the other end of the unit duct 5 (in this embodiment, the downstream end, the outlet end or the front end) is arranged inside the casing 3.

[0030] In addition, the air volume control device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a first straightening member 10 provided within the unit duct 5 on the upstream side (rear side) of the air volume detection unit 8, and a second straightening member 11 provided within the unit duct 5 on the downstream side (front side) of the valve body 6.

[0031] The unit duct 5 includes a main duct 12, a first extension duct 13 connected to the upstream side of the main duct 12, and a second extension duct 14 connected to the downstream side of the main duct 12. The first extension duct 13 constitutes a substantial inlet of the unit duct 5, and the second extension duct 14 constitutes a substantial outlet of the unit duct 5. A valve body 6, an actuator 7, an air volume detection unit 8, and a controller 9 are provided in the main duct 12. A first straightening member 10 is disposed in the first extension duct 13, and a second straightening member 11 is disposed in the second extension duct 14.

[0032] The air volume control device 1 of this embodiment also includes an air vent grill 15 attached to the air vent 4 in an openable and closable manner.

[0033] 4 and 5 show the air volume control unit 2 alone. Note that only the main duct 12 of the unit duct 5 is shown in the figures, and the first extension duct 13 and the second extension duct 14 are omitted. This air volume control unit 2 is configured in almost the same way as a general VAV (Variable Air Volume) or CAV (Constant Air Volume). VAV and CAV only differ in the control method, and have the same mechanical configuration. Therefore, although the air volume control unit 2 can be used as both a VAV and a CAV, in this embodiment it is used as a VAV.

[0034] The main duct 12 is a straight pipe that extends along the axial direction of the central axis O, has a circular cross section with both ends open, and is made of a metal plate (specifically, a steel plate). The axial direction of the main duct 12 is parallel to the front-rear direction. The main duct 12 has outer peripheries at the rear end and front end that are provided with outer peripheries protrusions 16 and 17 for positioning the first extension duct 13 and the second extension duct 14 in the axial direction when they are fitted thereto, respectively.

[0035] Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the axial direction, circumferential direction, radial direction and diameter direction based on the central axis O of the main duct 12 will be simply referred to as the axial direction, circumferential direction, radial direction and diameter direction.

[0036] The valve element 6 is provided in the front portion of the main duct 12 and has the form of a butterfly valve. The valve element 6 includes: valve vanes 18, 19 that are disposed in the main duct 12 and essentially open and close the inside of the main duct 12; a valve shaft 20 that is disposed in the main duct 12 and to which the base ends of the valve vanes 18, 19 are attached; and bearings 21, 22 that are attached to the main duct 12 and rotatably support both ends of the valve shaft 20.

[0037] The two valve blades 18, 19 are each semicircular, and when attached to the valve shaft 20, they form a circle as a whole, making it possible to fully close the inside of the main duct 12. When the valve shaft 20 is rotated, the valve blades 18, 19 also rotate around the valve shaft 20, opening and closing the inside of the main duct 12. The valve blades 18, 19 can move through a predetermined angle (specifically, 90°) between a fully open position P1 and a fully closed position P2. When in the fully open position P1, the valve blades 18, 19 are parallel in the front-to-rear direction, and when in the fully closed position P2, the valve blades 18, 19 are parallel in the up-down direction.

[0038] The valve shaft 20 extends in the diameter direction of the main duct 12 at a position rearward of the outer circumferential projection 17, and also extends horizontally, specifically in the left-right direction. Both ends of the valve shaft 20 protrude from the main duct 12. These protruding portions are rotatably supported by bearings 21, 22. The bearings 21, 22 have the function of rotatably supporting both ends of the valve shaft 20 and the function of sealing the protruding portions of the valve shaft 20 to prevent air from leaking from the protruding portions.

[0039] The actuator 7 is constituted by an electric motor, and rotates the end of the valve shaft 20 that protrudes to the left. The actuator 7 is therefore attached to the left side surface of the main duct 12.

[0040] The controller 9 has a generally flattened rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is supported by being suspended from the underside of the main duct 12 via a bracket 23. As will be described in detail later, the controller 9 is disposed between the outer peripheral protrusions 16, 17 in the axial direction of the main duct 12 so as to facilitate the connection work when connecting the first extension duct 13 and the second extension duct 14 to the main duct 12. In other words, the controller 9 is not positioned rearward of the outer peripheral protrusion 16, nor forward of the outer peripheral protrusion 17 in the axial direction of the main duct 12.

[0041] The air volume detection unit 8 is provided at the rear portion of the main duct 12, at a position forward of the outer circumferential projection 16. The air volume detection unit 8 is configured to detect the air volume in the main duct 12 by a differential pressure method. The air volume detection unit 8 has an orifice 24 provided so as to protrude around the entire inner circumferential surface of the main duct 12, a first pressure sensor 25 provided on the upstream side (rear side) of the orifice 24, and a second pressure sensor 26 provided on the downstream side (front side) of the orifice 24.

[0042] In order to suppress variation in detection value depending on the detection position, a plurality of first pressure sensors 25 (two in this embodiment) are provided at different circumferential positions at the same axial position. The same is true for the second pressure sensor 26, which is provided at the same circumferential position as the first pressure sensor 25.

[0043] 5, the first first pressure sensor 25 and the second pressure sensor 26 are provided at a predetermined angle α (45° in this embodiment) upward with respect to a radius r0 extending horizontally from the central axis O of the main duct 12 to the left, and the second first pressure sensor 25 and the second pressure sensor 26 are provided at a predetermined angle α downward, with respect to a radius r0 extending horizontally to the left from the central axis O of the main duct 12 as a reference. In other words, the first and second first pressure sensors 25 and the second pressure sensor 26 in this embodiment are arranged symmetrically in the vertical direction with respect to the vertical positions of the central axis O of the main duct 12 or the radius r0.

[0044] However, the number, positions, etc. of the first pressure sensors 25 and the second pressure sensors 26 can be changed arbitrarily, and they do not necessarily have to be arranged symmetrically up and down.

[0045] The actuator 7 and the first and second pressure sensors 25 and 26 are electrically connected to the controller 9 via electric wires (not shown). A target air volume set by a user is input and stored in the controller 9 in advance.

[0046] Meanwhile, the controller 9 calculates the actual volume of air flowing through the main duct 12 based on the first pressure (upstream pressure) and the second pressure (downstream pressure) detected by the first pressure sensor 25 and the second pressure sensor 26, respectively. Specifically, the controller 9 calculates the differential pressure between the first pressure and the second pressure, calculates the wind speed based on this differential pressure, and calculates the actual volume of air based on this wind speed.

[0047] The controller 9 controls the actuator 7 (specifically, feedback control) so that the actual air volume approaches the target air volume, and controls the opening of the valve body 6. For example, if the actual air volume is less than the target air volume, the opening of the valve body 6 is increased, and if the actual air volume is more than the target air volume, the opening of the valve body 6 is decreased.

[0048] As a result, even if the inlet pressure of the air volume control unit 2 changes due to a change in pressure inside the main pipe 102, an actual air volume close to the target air volume can be stably blown out.

[0049] Fig. 6 shows a detailed schematic cross-sectional view of part VI in Fig. 2. Referring to Fig. 2 and Fig. 6, the first extension duct 13 is a straight pipe that extends in the front-rear direction, has both ends open, and has a circular cross section, similar to the main duct 12, and is made of a metal plate (specifically, a steel plate). The first extension duct 13 has an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the main duct 12, and has a length shorter than that of the main duct 12.

[0050] The first extension duct 13 is fitted from the rear with a minimum gap to the radially outer side of the rear end of the main duct 12. At this time, the first extension duct 13 abuts against the outer peripheral protrusion 16 of the main duct 12 and is positioned in the axial direction.

[0051] Thereafter, the first extension duct 13 and the main duct 12 are fixed to each other by the tape 27, which is a fixing member. The tape 27 is bonded across both the first extension duct 13 and the main duct 12. In particular, the tape 27 is bonded across both the front end of the first extension duct 13 and the outer peripheral protrusion 16 and the main duct 12 located immediately in front of it, and also around the entire circumference of the first extension duct 13 and the main duct 12 at least once. This seals the joint between the first extension duct 13 and the main duct 12, and reliably prevents air leakage from the joint.

[0052] The first straightening member 10 is fitted into the first extension duct 13. The first straightening member 10 is generally formed in a disk shape having an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the first extension duct 13. The first straightening member 10 has an outer diameter equal to that of the main duct 12. In this embodiment, the length of the first straightening member 10 is set to be approximately equal to the length of the main duct 12 from the outer peripheral projection 16 to the rear end 28.

[0053] The first straightening member 10 straightens the air flowing into the main duct 12 at the inlet side of the main duct 12 so that the air flows parallel to the axial direction. Therefore, the first straightening member 10 is partitioned into a large number of small flow passages 29 when viewed from the axial direction.

[0054] In this embodiment, the shape of the small flow passages 29 when viewed from the axial direction is a regular hexagon, i.e., a honeycomb shape. This allows the balance between the flow passage area and rigidity to be optimized. However, the shape of the small flow passages 29 is not limited to a regular hexagon, and may be any shape, for example, a rectangle. Also, it may be a triangle shape as seen in the cross section of a typical cardboard.

[0055] The first straightening member 10 is fitted from the rear with a minimum gap to the radially inner side of the first extension duct 13. At this time, the first straightening member 10 abuts against the rear end 28 of the main duct 12, and is restricted from moving forward in the axial direction.

[0056] The first extension duct 13 is inserted into a duct hole 30 provided in a rear surface 42 of the casing 3. A plurality of metal fittings (specifically, L-shaped metal fittings) 31 are fixed by welding or the like at equal intervals in the circumferential direction to the outer peripheral surface of the first extension duct 13 located immediately behind the duct hole 30. The metal fittings 31 are fixed to the rear surface 42 of the main duct 12 by screws 32. In this manner, the first extension duct 13 is fixed to the casing 3. The gap between the duct hole 30 and the first extension duct 13 is sealed by a sealant (not shown).

[0057] The downstream end portion, i.e., the front end portion, of the branch pipe 103 (see FIG. 1) described above is fitted into the first extension duct 13. The branch pipe 103 is a pipe or duct having an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the first extension duct 13 and a circular cross section.

[0058] An outer circumferential projection 104 is provided on the outer circumferential portion of the front end portion of the branch pipe 103 to position the branch pipe 103 in the axial direction when the branch pipe 103 is fitted into the first extension duct 13. The branch pipe 103 is fitted into the first extension duct 13 from the rear with a minimum gap, radially inside. At this time, the rear end 33 of the first extension duct 13 abuts against the outer circumferential projection 104, and the branch pipe 103 is positioned in the axial direction.

[0059] At the same time that the rear end 33 of the first extension duct 13 abuts against the outer peripheral protrusion 104, the front end 105 of the branch pipe 103 abuts against (abuts against) or approaches the first flow straightening member 10. As a result, the first flow straightening member 10 is sandwiched between the rear end 28 of the main duct 12 and the front end 105 of the branch pipe 103, and movement forward and backward in the axial direction is restricted. This makes it possible to suitably prevent the first flow straightening member 10 from being displaced in the axial direction within the first extension duct 13.

[0060] Thereafter, the first extension duct 13 and the branch pipe 103 are fixed to each other by the tape 34. The tape 34 is adhered across both the first extension duct 13 and the branch pipe 103. In particular, the tape 34 is adhered across both the rear end of the first extension duct 13 and the outer circumferential projection 104 and the branch pipe 103 immediately behind it, and around the entire circumference of the first extension duct 13 and the branch pipe 103 at least once. This seals the joint between the first extension duct 13 and the branch pipe 103, making it possible to reliably prevent air leakage from the joint.

[0061] Fig. 7 shows a detailed schematic cross-sectional view of part VII in Fig. 2. Referring to Fig. 2 and Fig. 7, the second extension duct 14 is a straight pipe that extends in the front-rear direction, has both ends open, and has a circular cross section, similar to the main duct 12, and is made of a metal plate (specifically, a steel plate). The second extension duct 14 has an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the main duct 12, and has a length shorter than that of the main duct 12.

[0062] The second extension duct 14 is fitted from the front with a minimum gap to the radially outer side of the front end of the main duct 12. At this time, the second extension duct 14 abuts against the outer peripheral protrusion 17 of the main duct 12 and is positioned in the axial direction.

[0063] Thereafter, the second extension duct 14 and the main duct 12 are fixed to each other by the tape 35. The tape 35 is adhered across both the second extension duct 14 and the main duct 12. In particular, the tape 35 is adhered across both the rear end of the second extension duct 14 and the outer peripheral protrusion 17 and the main duct 12 immediately behind it, and also around the entire circumference of the second extension duct 14 and the main duct 12 at least once. This seals the joint between the second extension duct 14 and the main duct 12, and reliably prevents air leakage from the joint.

[0064] In this way, the first extension duct 13 is fixed to the main duct 12 at the position of the outer peripheral projection 16 with tape 27, and the second extension duct 14 is fixed to the main duct 12 at the position of the outer peripheral projection 17 with tape 35. Meanwhile, the controller 9 is disposed at a position between the outer peripheral projections 16, 17 in the axial direction. Therefore, the controller 9 does not overlap with the outer peripheral projections 16, 17 when viewed from below, and the operation of winding tape around the positions of the outer peripheral projections 16, 17 can be easily performed without being obstructed by the controller 9. The same applies when a fixing method other than tape winding is adopted.

[0065] The second straightening member 11 is fitted into the second extension duct 14. The second straightening member 11 has a disk-shaped honeycomb structure similar to the first straightening member 10, so a detailed description will be omitted. The second straightening member 11 also has a large number of small flow passages 36 that are regular hexagonal when viewed from the axial direction.

[0066] The second rectifying member 11 is fitted to the radially inner side of the second extension duct 14 with a minimum gap. The second rectifying member 11 is arranged so that its front end 37 is substantially at the same axial position (i.e., flush) as the front end 38 of the second extension duct 14. A front claw member 39 and a rear claw member 40 that sandwich the second rectifying member 11 from the front and rear are fixed to the second extension duct 14 by welding, screwing, or the like. This positions the second rectifying member 11 in the axial direction relative to the second extension duct 14, preventing misalignment in the axial direction forward and backward. In this embodiment, a plurality of front claw members 39 and rear claw members 40 are arranged at the same circumferential positions with equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0067] 4, in this embodiment, the front valve blade 18 at the fully open position P1 protrudes slightly forward from the front end 41 of the main duct 12. To avoid interference with this valve blade 18, the second straightening member 11 is disposed forward of the front end 41 of the main duct 12 and forward of the front valve blade 18 at the fully open position P1. The forward axial movement of the second straightening member 11 is restricted by the front claw member 39, and the rearward axial movement is restricted by the rear claw member 40.

[0068] On the other hand, if the front valve vane 18 does not always protrude forward beyond the front end 41 of the main duct 12, the rear claw member 40 can be omitted and the second straightening member 11 can be abutted against or close to the front end 41 of the main duct 12, so that the front end 41 of the main duct 12 restricts the rearward movement of the second straightening member 11.

[0069] As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the casing 3 is formed in a generally rectangular box shape and is made of a metal plate (specifically, a steel plate). The aforementioned duct hole 30 is formed in the rear surface 42 of the casing 3 (see Fig. 6). The front surface 43 of the casing 3 is positioned a predetermined distance X0 forward of the front end 37 of the second straightening member 11 (or the front end 38 of the second extension duct 14) so ​​as not to impede the flow of air blown out from the front end 41 of the main duct 12. The predetermined distance X0 is preferably equal to or greater than the outer diameter D of the main duct 12. However, from the viewpoint of making the casing 3 compact, it is preferable that the predetermined distance X0 is as short as possible.

[0070] In this embodiment, since the second extension duct 14 and the second flow straightening member 11 are provided, the front surface 43 of the casing 3 is located forward of them.

[0071] The second extension duct 14 is supported by being suspended from the upper surface portion 45 of the casing 3 by a suspender 44. The suspender 44 in this embodiment is a metal band that is U-shaped in front view as shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 3, and is adapted to wrap around the lower half of the second extension duct 14 to lift up the second extension duct 14. The upper end of the suspender 44 is bent into an L shape and removably fixed to the upper surface portion 45 by a fastener (bolt or nut) not shown. An operator can attach and detach the suspender 44 from within the casing 3 through the air intake 4. Therefore, the air volume control unit 2 can be easily attached and detached.

[0072] In this manner, by attaching the second extension duct 14 and the first extension duct 13 to the casing 3, the air volume control unit 2 is supported by the casing 3 at both front and rear ends.

[0073] On the other hand, the casing 3 is supported by being suspended from the main ceiling wall CZ by a plurality of (four in this embodiment) suspension fixtures 46.

[0074] The air volume control unit 2 is disposed in the casing 3 with gaps from the front surface 43, the top surface 45, the bottom surface 47, the left surface 48, and the right surface 49 of the casing 3. The axial distance between the air volume control unit 2 and the front surface 43 of the casing 3 is approximately equal to the vertical distance between the air volume control unit 2 and the bottom surface 47 of the casing 3.

[0075] The air intake 4 is provided on the underside 47 of the casing 3 and serves as an outlet or intake for conditioned air into the room R. The air intake 4 in this embodiment is defined by an air intake pipe 50 that is attached to the underside 47 of the casing 3 and extends in the vertical direction. The air intake pipe 50 is made of a metal plate (specifically, a steel plate) and has a rectangular cross-sectional shape. The upper end of the air intake pipe 50 is attached to the underside 47 of the casing 3 and communicates with the inside of the casing 3. The lower end of the air intake pipe 50 is aligned with a ceiling opening 51 of the same size as the air intake pipe 50 that is provided in the interior ceiling wall C, and communicates with the inside of the room R.

[0076] The front-to-rear length X2 of the air vent pipe 50 or the air vent 4 is smaller than the front-to-rear length X1 of the casing 3. In addition, the left-to-right width Y2 of the air vent pipe 50 or the air vent 4 is also smaller than the left-to-right width Y1 of the casing 3.

[0077] The left-right width Y2 of the air regulating port pipe 50 or the air regulating port 4 is only slightly smaller than the left-right width Y1 of the casing 3. In contrast, the front-rear length X2 of the air regulating port pipe 50 or the air regulating port 4 is made smaller than the front-rear length X1 of the casing 3. The difference in the front-rear length (X1-X2) between the casing 3 and the air regulating port pipe 50 or the air regulating port 4 is larger than the difference in the left-right width (Y1-Y2). And the air regulating port pipe 50 or the air regulating port 4 is offset toward the rear, i.e., the upstream side, with respect to the casing 3.

[0078] Therefore, the flow of conditioned air A coming out of the air volume control unit 2 collides with the front portion 43 and bends downward, then collides with the bottom portion 47 and bends backward, then bends downward, passes through the air vent 4, and is blown out into the room R, as shown by the arrows in the figure.

[0079] The air intake grill 15 is fitted into the air intake 4 from below, and can be opened and closed from within the room R. The air intake grill 15 of this embodiment is attached to the air intake pipe 50 with a hinge or the like (not shown), and is rotated when opening and closing. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the air intake grill 15 may be detached when opening and closing. As is well known, the air intake grill 15 has a large number of openings formed therein, which are partitioned into a mesh-like or louver-like shape when viewed from below.

[0080] In this embodiment, the air intake 4 also serves as an inspection hatch, so that by removing the air intake grill 15 and opening the air intake 4, the air volume control unit 2 can be accessed through the air intake 4, making it possible to easily inspect the air volume control unit 2. In particular, since there is a large air intake 4 directly below the air volume control unit 2 that exposes the entire air volume control unit 2, inspection is extremely easy.

[0081] Next, advantages of this embodiment will be described in comparison with a comparative example.

[0082] 8 shows an air volume control device of a comparative example, which is a conventional device. The air volume control unit 81 of the comparative example is similar to the air volume control unit 2 of this embodiment. To ensure the required air volume detection accuracy in the air volume control unit 81, straight pipes 82, 83 of a predetermined length or more must be provided on the upstream and downstream sides of the air volume control unit 81. Here, the predetermined length is twice the main duct diameter Da of the air volume control unit 81 (2×Da).

[0083] A comparatively large air intake box 84 is provided downstream of the downstream straight pipe 83. An air intake grill 85 is attached to the outlet of the air intake box 84. Meanwhile, an inspection hatch 86 is also provided separately at the position of the air volume control unit 81. The air volume control unit 81, straight pipes 82, 83, and air intake box 84 are each supported by a plurality of hangers 87 while being suspended from the main ceiling wall CZ.

[0084] In such comparative examples, the entire device is large and bulky, and installation may be difficult when the space above the ceiling T is narrow. Moreover, installation becomes even more difficult when there are many air intakes per unit area.

[0085] Therefore, in the air volume control device 1 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the air volume control unit 2 is housed in a casing 3, and an air outlet 4 that also serves as an inspection port is provided in the casing 3. This makes it possible to provide an air volume control device 1 that is compact and easy to install. In particular, in the air volume control device 1 of this embodiment, a relatively long straight pipe, such as more than twice the main duct diameter D, is not required on the upstream and downstream sides of the air volume control unit 2. Therefore, the entire device can be made significantly more compact than the comparative example, making installation easier. Furthermore, installation can be easily performed even when the space above the ceiling T is narrow or when there are many air outlets per unit area.

[0086] The air volume control device 1 of the present embodiment also includes a first straightening member 10. This allows the flow of the conditioned air A to be straightened in advance upstream of the air volume detection unit 8 before being supplied to the air volume detection unit 8. This makes it possible to suppress or prevent erroneous detection due to turbulence in the flow at the air volume detection unit 8, thereby improving detection accuracy.

[0087] In addition, because the first straightening member 10 can straighten the flow, a curved pipe such as a lip elbow, elbow, bend, or flex can be used for the branch pipe 103 connected to the upstream side of the first straightening member 10. This allows the installation space above the ceiling T to be further reduced. However, there is no problem in using a straight pipe such as a nipple for the branch pipe 103. However, the straight pipe does not have to be more than twice the length of the main duct diameter D, and may be less than twice the length of the main duct diameter D.

[0088] The air volume control device 1 of the present embodiment also includes a second straightening member 11. This straightens the flow of the conditioned air A also downstream of the air volume detection unit 8, suppresses turbulence of the flow at the air volume detection unit 8 due to the influence of the flow downstream of the air volume detection unit 8, and further suppresses or prevents erroneous detection.

[0089] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as those in the first embodiment, and the description will be omitted. The following mainly describes the differences from the first embodiment.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 9, in the air volume control device 1 of the second embodiment, the second flow straightening member 11 and the second extension duct 14 are omitted from the air volume control device 1 of the first embodiment.

[0091] For example, if the straightening effect provided by the first upstream straightening member 10 is sufficient, the second downstream straightening member 11 can be omitted as in this embodiment. By omitting the second straightening member 11, further compactness, simplification, and cost reduction can be achieved.

[0092] [Third embodiment] 10, in the air volume control device 1 of the third embodiment, the upstream side and the downstream side are reversed compared to the air volume control device 1 of the first embodiment. In other words, the air volume control device 1 of the present embodiment is configured to exhaust air from inside the room R.

[0093] Due to these modifications, the air conditioner 101 shown in Fig. 1 is changed to an exhaust blower. The exhaust blower draws air from inside the room R and exhausts the drawn air to the outside.

[0094] 10, the front, rear, left, right, top and bottom directions are the same as those in the first embodiment. The orientation of the air volume control unit 2 is opposite to that in the first embodiment, with the front side being the upstream side and the rear side being the downstream side.

[0095] One end of the unit duct 5 connected to the branch pipe 103 is disposed on the downstream side, and the other end of the unit duct 5 disposed within the casing 3 is disposed on the upstream side.

[0096] More specifically, a first extension duct 13 is connected to the upstream side or forward side of the main duct 12, and a first straightening member 10 is disposed inside the first extension duct 13. This allows the air A to be pre-straightened by the first straightening member 10 on the upstream side of the air volume detection unit 8.

[0097] A second extension duct 14 is connected to the downstream side or rear of the main duct 12, and a second straightening member 11 is disposed inside the second extension duct 14. This allows the second straightening member 11 to straighten the air even downstream of the air volume detection unit 8.

[0098] A branch pipe 103 is connected to the downstream side of the second extension duct 14. The air intake 4 serves as an exhaust port, and introduces air A exhausted from the room R. The flow direction of the air A is opposite to that in the first embodiment.

[0099] When the exhaust blower is operated, air A in the room R is sucked into the air intake 4, passes through the casing 3, the air volume control unit 2, the branch pipe 103, and the main pipe 102, reaches the exhaust blower, and is discharged from the exhaust blower to the outside. During this process, the exhaust air volume is controlled by the air volume control unit 2.

[0100] In this way, the air volume control device 1 can also be used as an exhaust device. Compared to the comparative example used as an exhaust device, it can be made significantly more compact.

[0101] Although detailed description will be omitted, the method of connecting the ducts and the method of attaching the first and second flow guide members 10, 11 are similar to those in the first embodiment.

[0102] [Fourth embodiment] 11, in the airflow control device 1 of the fourth embodiment, the second straightening member 11 is omitted from the airflow control device 1 of the third embodiment. By omitting the second straightening member 11, further compactness, simplification, and cost reduction can be achieved.

[0103] It should be noted that the second extension duct 14 is not omitted and is used for connection to the branch pipe 103 .

[0104] [Fifth embodiment] 12, in the air volume control device 1 of the fifth embodiment, the main change is the arrangement of the second rectifying member 11. The air volume control device 1 of this embodiment includes a second rectifying member 11 provided downstream of the air volume detection unit 8 and upstream of the valve body 6 in the unit duct 5. The flow direction of the air A is as shown by the arrow.

[0105] The second flow straightening member 11 is disposed in a fitted manner within the main duct 12, and is disposed in the vicinity of and downstream of the second pressure sensor 26 on the downstream side.

[0106] The first flow straightening member 10 is also disposed in a fitted manner within the main duct 12, and is disposed in a position adjacent to and upstream of the first pressure sensor 25 on the upstream side.

[0107] According to this embodiment, the air volume detection unit 8 is sandwiched between the first and second straitening members 10 and 11 at positions adjacent to the upstream and downstream sides. This minimizes the effect of turbulence in the flow between the first and second straitening members 10 and 11 and the air volume detection unit 8 on the air volume detection unit 8, and minimizes turbulence in the flow at the position of the air volume detection unit 8. This further improves the accuracy of air volume detection at the air volume detection unit 8.

[0108] In this manner, in this embodiment, the first flow straightening member 10 and the second flow straightening member 11 are integrated within the main duct 12. Such an air volume control unit 2 is applicable to any of the first to fourth embodiments.

[0109] When applied to the first embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the second extension duct 14 may be omitted, but the first extension duct 13 is still provided and is used for mounting the air volume control unit 2 to the casing 3 and connecting it to the branch pipe 103. The same is true for the second embodiment shown in Fig. 9.

[0110] When applied to the third embodiment shown in Fig. 10, the first extension duct 13 may be omitted, but the second extension duct 14 is still provided and is used for mounting the air volume control unit 2 to the casing 3 and connecting it to the branch pipe 103. The same is true for the fourth embodiment shown in Fig. 11.

[0111] [Application example] 2, the application example shown in Fig. 13 relates to a centralized air conditioning system that supplies conditioned air A into a room R. However, the casing 3 is omitted, and the air volume control unit 2 is used alone. This air volume control unit 2 includes a first extension duct 13 and a first straightening member 10 arranged therein, and a second extension duct 14 and a second straightening member 11 arranged therein.

[0112] A branch pipe 103 is connected to the first extension duct 13. On the other hand, a plurality of rectangular box-shaped air ducts that serve as air intakes are connected in series to the second extension duct 14. In the illustrated example, two air ducts 111 and 112 are shown, but there is an additional air duct on the left side outside the figure. The second extension duct 14 and the plurality of air ducts are connected in series by a plurality of air ducts 113, 114, and 115.

[0113] The branch pipe 103, the air volume control unit 2, the air intakes 111, 112 and the air control pipes 113, 114, 115 are each supported by being suspended from the main ceiling wall CZ by a plurality of hangers 116. The lower ends of the air intakes 111, 112 are aligned with ceiling openings 117, 118 provided in the interior ceiling wall C and communicate with the inside of the room R. Air intake grilles 119, 120 are attached to the lower ends of the air intakes 111, 112 in an openable and closable manner.

[0114] The air intakes 111, 112 do not also serve as inspection hatches for the air volume control unit 2. The inspection hatch 121 is provided exclusively for use below the air volume control unit 2 in the interior ceiling wall C. An inspection hatch grill 122 is attached to the inspection hatch 121 in an openable and closable manner.

[0115] In this application example as well, curved pipes such as a hip elbow, elbow, bend, and flex can be used for the branch pipe 103. In addition, curved pipes can also be used for the air control pipe 113 that is directly connected to the second extension duct 14, and the air control pipes 114 and 115 that connect the air control ports 111 and 112 to each other. Therefore, even when multiple air control ports 111 and 112 are connected to one air volume control unit 2, it is possible to reduce the installation space.

[0116] Straight pipes such as nipples may be used for the branch pipe 103 and the air control pipes 113, 114, and 115. The straight pipes do not need to be twice as long as the main duct diameter D or more, and may be less than twice as long as the main duct diameter D.

[0117] The multiple air intakes do not necessarily have to be connected in series, but may be connected in parallel, or may be connected in a combination of series and parallel.

[0118] In this application example, the air vent is used as an air intake port to supply air into the room R. However, this application example can also be changed to one in which the air vent is used as an exhaust port to exhaust air from inside the room R.

[0119] Regarding the above application examples, the following technical concepts can be understood. "[1] An air volume control unit, A tubular unit duct; A valve body that opens and closes the unit duct; an actuator that drives the valve body; an air volume detection unit provided on the upstream side of the valve body in the unit duct; a controller provided in the unit duct and configured to control the actuator based on an output of the air volume detection unit; An airflow control unit having a first straightening member provided in the unit duct on the upstream side of the air volume detection unit; A plurality of air intakes arranged on the downstream side or upstream side of the air volume control unit; A plurality of air control pipes connecting the air volume control unit and the plurality of air ducts; An air volume control device comprising: [2] The air volume control device according to [1], further comprising a second straightening member provided in the unit duct downstream of the valve body. [3] The air volume control device according to [1] further comprises a second straightening member provided in the unit duct downstream of the air volume detection unit and upstream of the valve body. Although the embodiment of the present disclosure has been described in detail above, various other embodiments and modifications of the present disclosure are possible.

[0120] (1) For example, the air volume detection unit 8 may be equipped with another sensor such as a Pitot tube.

[0121] (2) The unit duct 5 may have a cross-sectional shape other than a circle, for example, a square.

[0122] (3) The first and second flow straightening members 10 and 11 may be made of a perforated plate such as a punched metal having a large number of holes formed therein.

[0123] (4) The connection points between ducts or between ducts and branch pipes may be secured by other methods such as screws, flanges, etc. in addition to the tape fastening described above.

[0124] (5) In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6 , the first extension duct 13 protrudes from the casing 3 and is fixed to the casing 3. However, this is not limited to this, and the main duct 12 may protrude from the casing 3 and be fixed to the casing 3.

[0125] Similarly, in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 10, instead of having the second extension duct 14 protrude from the casing 3 and fixed to the casing 3, the main duct 12 may protrude from the casing 3 and be fixed to the casing 3.

[0126] (6) In the first to fourth embodiments, at least one of the first flow straightening member 10 and the second flow straightening member 11 may be disposed inside the main duct 12.

[0127] (7) The controller 9 does not necessarily have to be attached to the unit duct 5 . For example, the controller 9 may be attached inside the casing 3 separately from the unit duct 5 .

[0128] The configurations of the above-mentioned embodiments and the modified examples can be combined in part or in whole, unless there is a particular contradiction. The embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and all modifications, applications, and equivalents encompassed within the concept of the present disclosure as defined by the claims are included in the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited, and can be applied to any other technology that falls within the concept of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0129] 1 Air volume control device 2 Airflow control unit 3. Casing 4 Air outlet 5 Unit Duct 6 Valve body 7 Actuator 8 Air flow detector 9. Controller 10 First flow straightening member 11 Second straightening member 12 Main duct 13 First extension duct 14 Second extension duct 15 Air outlet grill 103 Branch Pipe CK, CA~CC interior ceiling wall CZ Frame, ceiling and wall

Claims

1. An air volume control unit, A tubular unit duct; A valve body that opens and closes the unit duct; an actuator that drives the valve body; an air volume detection unit provided on the upstream side of the valve body in the unit duct; a controller configured to control the actuator based on an output of the air volume detector; An airflow control unit having A casing that houses the airflow control unit; An air intake provided in the casing and also serving as an inspection hatch; Equipped with One end of the unit duct is configured to be connected to a pipe arranged outside the casing, and the other end of the unit duct is arranged inside the casing. An air volume control device characterized by:

2. A first straightening member is provided in the unit duct on the upstream side of the air volume detection unit. The air volume control device according to claim 1 .

3. A second flow straightening member is provided in the unit duct downstream of the valve body. The air volume control device according to claim 2 .

4. a second flow straightening member provided in the unit duct downstream of the air volume detection unit and upstream of the valve body; The air volume control device according to claim 2 .

5. One end of the unit duct is disposed on the upstream side, and the other end of the unit duct is disposed on the downstream side. The air volume control device according to claim 1 .

6. One end of the unit duct is disposed on the downstream side, and the other end of the unit duct is disposed on the upstream side. The air volume control device according to claim 1 .

7. The unit duct comprises: a main duct in which the valve body, the actuator, and the air volume detection unit are provided; a first extension duct connected to the upstream side of the main duct; Equipped The air volume control device according to claim 1 .

8. The unit duct includes a second extension duct connected to the downstream side of the main duct. The air volume control device according to claim 7.

9. The controller is attached to the unit duct. The air volume control device according to claim 1 .

10. An air vent grill is provided which is attached to the air vent in an openable and closable manner. The air volume control device according to claim 1 .

11. It is placed between the interior ceiling wall and the main ceiling wall in the room. The air volume control device according to claim 1 .

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