Air-conditioning control device, air-conditioning control system, and air-conditioning control method

Abstract

To contribute to energy saving even when a set temperature is changed in a power saving direction in an integrated air conditioner.SOLUTION: An air-conditioning control device 11 includes: an air-conditioning information acquisition unit 55 that acquires air-conditioning information including an operating state, an indoor unit thermostat state, a set temperature, and a current room temperature for a plurality of indoor units 70; a control instruction creation unit 57 that adjusts the set temperature of the indoor unit 70 when switching the operating state of an air conditioner 50 and creates a control instruction including the set temperature after the adjustment; and a control instruction transmission unit 59 that transmits the created control instruction to the indoor unit 70. When switching the operating state of the air conditioner 50 from a default state to a power saving state, the control instruction creation unit 57 makes an exception for the indoor units 70 in an indoor unit thermo-on state, the indoor units 70 for which a difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature is leaning toward an anti-comfort side, and performs an adjustment to change the set temperature of the indoor units 70 that do not fall under the exception to the power saving set temperature.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioning control device, an air conditioning control system, and an air conditioning control method that achieve energy savings by controlling an integrated type air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in small to medium-sized buildings, integrated type air conditioners known as building multi-air conditioners or packaged air conditioners are often installed in which the individual refrigerant piping for multiple indoor units is integrated and connected to a shared refrigerant piping, and the refrigerant is compressed and circulated by a compressor installed in the outdoor unit which has the shared refrigerant piping.

[0003] In an integrated type air conditioner, a control temperature (thermo-off temperature) that stops the compressor and puts the outdoor unit thermo-off state, and a control temperature (thermo-on temperature) that starts the compressor and puts the outdoor unit thermo-on state are set inside the air conditioner based on the set temperature, and air conditioning control is performed by adjusting the combination of compressor rotation speed and air volume to converge the room temperature to the set temperature.

[0004] In such integrated air conditioners, if the outdoor unit thermo-off state continues, the room temperature rises in cooling operation and drops in heating operation. When the current room temperature of the air conditioner exceeds the thermo-on temperature in cooling operation or falls below the thermo-on temperature in heating operation, the air conditioner restarts the compressor in the outdoor unit and switches the outdoor unit thermo-on state. Here, restarting the compressor requires a much larger amount of startup power than during normal operation.

[0005] In an integrated type air conditioner, when the current room temperature of each of the multiple indoor units exceeds the set temperature, the valve installed at the connection between the individual refrigerant piping and the shared refrigerant piping for the corresponding indoor unit is closed. This is called indoor unit thermo-off. When the valves for all indoor units are closed, the air conditioner controls the thermo state of the outdoor unit to outdoor unit thermo-off. If the indoor unit's thermostat remains off and the current room temperature exceeds the thermostat-on temperature in cooling operation, or falls below the thermostat-on temperature in heating operation, the valve for the corresponding indoor unit is opened. If the compressor in the outdoor unit is currently stopped, the air conditioner will restart the compressor.

[0006] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which, in an integrated type air conditioner, in order to prevent an increase in power consumption due to stopping and restarting the compressor, the technology detects situations in which the compressor is frequently stopped and restarted, and changes the set temperature for each indoor unit, thereby staggering the timing of the transition from thermo-on to thermo-off for each of multiple indoor units.

[0007] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology that monitors indoor temperatures, detects each time when all indoor units are about to enter the thermo-off state, and changes the thermo-off temperature or thermo-on temperature in advance. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-154600 A [Patent Document 2] WO2016 / 016918 publication Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] However, in the air conditioning control technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in an integrated air conditioner, when changing the set temperature in a power-saving direction, if the thermo-off temperature corresponding to the set temperature is higher in cooling operation and lower in heating operation than the current room temperature, the outdoor unit thermo state transitions from the outdoor unit thermo-on state to the outdoor unit thermo-off state and the compressor stops. This causes a problem that restarting the compressor requires a lot of power consumption compared to normal operation, which may actually be counter to the intention of saving power.

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention aims to provide an air conditioning control device, air conditioning control system, and air conditioning control method that can contribute to energy conservation even when the set temperature is changed to save power in an integrated type air conditioner in which individual refrigerant piping in each of multiple indoor units is integrated and connected to a shared refrigerant piping in an outdoor unit having a compressor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to solve the above problems, the air conditioning control device according to the present invention comprises: An air conditioning control device that controls switching of an operating state of an integrated type air conditioner in which individual refrigerant piping provided in each of a plurality of indoor units is integrated and connected to a shared refrigerant piping provided in an outdoor unit having a compressor to either a default state or a power saving state, an air conditioning information acquisition unit that acquires air conditioning information including an operating state, an indoor unit thermostat state, a set temperature, and a current room temperature for each of the plurality of indoor units; a control instruction creation unit that adjusts a set temperature of the indoor unit when switching an operating state of the air conditioner and creates a control instruction including the set temperature after the adjustment; a control instruction transmission unit that transmits the control instruction created by the control instruction creation unit to the indoor unit, The control instruction creation unit When switching the operating state of the air conditioner from the default state to the power saving state, at least one or more predetermined number of indoor units, counting from the indoor units whose indoor unit thermo state is the indoor unit thermo on state and whose difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature leans toward the anti-comfort side, are treated as exceptions, and adjustment is performed to change the set temperature of the indoor units not falling under this exception to the set temperature related to the power saving state. This is its most important feature. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, in an integrated type air conditioner in which individual refrigerant piping in each of a number of indoor units is integrated and connected in communication with a shared refrigerant piping in an outdoor unit having a compressor, it is possible to contribute to energy conservation even when the set temperature is changed in a power-saving direction. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will be described in detail in the following embodiments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram functionally illustrating an overview of a first air-conditioning control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of an air conditioning control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 3 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing the data structure of an air conditioner management table stored in a database provided in the air conditioning control device shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram conceptually showing the operation procedures of a plurality of functional parts when an air conditioner provided in the first air-conditioning control system according to the first embodiment is in cooling operation. [Figure 5A] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the first air conditioning control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5B] FIG. 3 is a time chart illustrating the operation of the air conditioner provided in the first air-conditioning control system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram functionally illustrating an overview of a second air-conditioning control system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7A] FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of a second air conditioning control device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7B] FIG. 11 is a time chart illustrating the operation of an air conditioner provided in a second air-conditioning control system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram functionally illustrating an overview of a third air conditioning control system according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9A] FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of a third air conditioning control device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 9B] FIG. 11 is a time chart illustrating the operation of an air conditioner provided in a third air conditioning control system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a schematic configuration diagram functionally illustrating an overview of a fourth air-conditioning control system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11A] FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of a fourth air conditioning control device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 11B] FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of a fourth air conditioning control device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 11C] FIG. 13 is a time chart illustrating the operation of an air conditioner provided in a fourth air conditioning control system according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a time chart illustrating the coordinated operation of air conditioners provided in an air-conditioning control system according to a comparative example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] An air conditioning control device, an air conditioning control system, and an air conditioning control method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the appropriate drawings. In the description of the air conditioning control device and the power generation system control device according to the embodiments of the present invention, components having common functions are given common reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0015] [Schematic configuration of first air conditioning control system 1-1 according to the first embodiment] First, the schematic configuration of a first air conditioning control system 1-1 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram functionally illustrating an overview of a first air conditioning control system 1-1 according to a first embodiment.

[0016] 1, a first air conditioning control system 1-1 according to the first embodiment is configured by electronically connecting a first air conditioning control device 11-1 according to the first embodiment and a first building air conditioning system 13-1 to enable data exchange via a communication medium 103 such as the Internet or a dedicated communication line. In the first embodiment, the first air conditioning control device 11-1 is provided in a location different from the first building air conditioning system 13-1.

[0017] [Configuration of first air conditioning control device 11-1] The first air conditioning control device 11-1 is based on an air conditioning control device 11 that controls the operating state of an integrated type air conditioner 50 in which individual refrigerant piping 23a, 25a, 27a, 29a, 31a provided in each of a plurality of indoor units 70 is integrated and connected to a shared refrigerant piping 45 provided in an outdoor unit 60 having a compressor 63, to be switched between a default state or a power saving state, as shown in FIG.

[0018] In detail, the first air conditioning control device 11-1 is configured to include a target power setting unit 51, a power consumption acquisition unit 53, an air conditioning information acquisition unit 55, a control instruction creation unit 57, and a control instruction transmission unit 59, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0019] The target power setting unit 51 has a function of setting a target power as a target for power consumption. The target power setting unit 51 may set the target power based on a power reduction instruction from a higher-level system such as a DR electronically connected via a communication medium. Here, DR (Demand Response) refers to a mechanism for adjusting the power consumption of loads such as air conditioners 50 belonging to facilities such as the first building air conditioning system 13-1 installed on the consumer side, in accordance with instructions from power system managers and electricity retailers, with the aim of stabilizing the power system by balancing local power demand and supply.

[0020] The power consumption acquisition unit 53 has a function of acquiring current power data related to the air conditioner 50 belonging to the first building air conditioning system 13-1 as appropriate via the smart meter 15, the control terminal 17, etc. The smart meter 15 and the control terminal 17 will be described in detail later.

[0021] The air conditioning information acquisition unit 55 has a function of acquiring air conditioning information including the operating state, set temperature, current room temperature, indoor unit thermostat state, and protection state related to energy saving for each of the multiple indoor units 70. The air conditioning information will be described in detail later at an appropriate time.

[0022] The control instruction creation unit 57 has a function of adjusting the set temperature for each of the multiple indoor units 70 when switching the operating state of the air conditioner 50, and creating a control instruction including the adjusted set temperature. Specifically, when switching the operating state of the air conditioner 50 from a default state to a power saving state, the control instruction creation unit 57 makes an adjustment to change the set temperature of the indoor units 70 that do not fall under this exception to the power saving set temperature by treating as exception at least a predetermined number of indoor units 70 whose indoor unit thermo state is the indoor unit thermo on state, counting from the side where the difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature is leaning toward the high temperature side during cooling operation and the low temperature side during heating operation. As a result, when switching the operating state of the air conditioner 50 from the default state to the power saving state, the indoor units 70 whose current air conditioning environment corresponds to an inferior state are set as indoor units excluded from control, while the remaining indoor units 70 are set as indoor units to be controlled, and the set temperatures of the indoor units to be controlled can be changed to the set temperatures associated with the power saving state. As a result, it is possible to achieve both the effect of improving the air-conditioning environment in rooms that are currently considered inferior, and the effect of contributing to energy conservation.

[0023] Furthermore, the control instruction creation unit 57 creates a control instruction to switch the operating state of the air conditioners 5 belonging to at least one of the multiple air conditioning systems from a default state to a power saving state when the power consumption is greater than the target power. Here, a case where the power consumption is greater than the target power refers to a case where a required power reduction is required to converge the power consumption to the target power. As a result, in cases where a required power reduction is required to converge power consumption to a target power, the request for power reduction can be met by creating a control instruction to switch the operating state of air conditioners 5 belonging to at least one of multiple air conditioning systems from a default state to a power saving state. Other functions of the control instruction creation unit 57 will be described in detail later as appropriate.

[0024] The control instruction transmission unit 59 has a function of transmitting the control instructions created by the control instruction creation unit 57 to a plurality of indoor units 70.

[0025] [Definition of terms] We now define key terms used in this specification. Among the operating states of the air conditioner 50, the "default state" refers to an operating state that is set in advance in order to realize a standard air conditioning function in the air conditioner 50. Among the operating states of the air conditioner 50, the "power saving state" refers to an operating state that is set in advance to achieve energy savings by reducing power consumption compared to the standard air conditioning function of the air conditioner 50. In order to adjust the energy saving effect, this "power saving state" may be configured to set multiple levels of "power saving states" from the perspective of energy saving effect, such as a strong "power saving state", a normal "power saving state", and a weak "power saving state". The "set temperature for power saving state" refers to the "set temperature during power saving" for realizing energy savings by reducing power consumption in the air conditioner 50 compared to the standard air conditioning function. The "set temperature for power saving state" is set to an appropriate value in advance when constructing the air conditioning control system 1 according to the present invention. However, the "set temperature for power saving state" may also be set in the form of a relative temperature difference with respect to the set temperature for the default state (for example, +2°C for cooling operation, -2°C for heating operation, etc.). "When switching the operating state of the air conditioner 50 from a default state to a power saving state, a certain number of indoor units 70 are excluded" means that a certain number of indoor units 70 are excluded from the target indoor units for switching the operating state of the air conditioner 50. As a result, the excluded indoor units 70 will not have their set temperatures adjusted to the power saving set temperature. Note that air conditioners excluded from the target indoor units for switching the operating state of the air conditioner 50 may be referred to as "indoor units excluded from control." The indoor unit 70 in which "the difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature leans toward the anti-comfort side" refers to an indoor unit installed in a room in which the current room temperature compared to the set temperature leans toward the high side during cooling operation and the low side during heating operation, that is, the room that is against comfort. The indoor unit 70 in which "the difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature leans toward the comfortable side" refers to the indoor unit installed in the room in which the current room temperature compared to the set temperature leans toward the lower side during cooling operation and the higher side during heating operation, in other words, the room that satisfies comfort.

[0026] [Configuration of First Building Air Conditioning System 13-1] The first building air conditioning system 13-1 is configured to include a smart meter 15, a control terminal 17, a first air conditioning system 41, a second air conditioning system 43, and communication media 105 and 107. The smart meter 15 and the control terminal 17 are electronically connected via the communication medium 105. Furthermore, the control terminal 17 and the first air conditioning system 41, and the control terminal 17 and the second air conditioning system 43 are electronically connected via the communication medium 107, respectively.

[0027] The smart meter 15 has a function of notifying the first air conditioning control device 11 and the like via the communication media 103, 105 of current power data related to the air conditioner 50 belonging to the first building air conditioning system 13-1.

[0028] The control terminal 17 has the function of acquiring current power data related to the air conditioner 50 belonging to the first building air conditioning system 13-1 via the communication medium 105, and also acquiring and transmitting information on the set temperature and current room temperature related to the air conditioner 50 in the first air conditioning system 41, and information on the set temperature and current room temperature related to the air conditioner 50 in the second air conditioning system 43 via the communication medium 107.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, the first air conditioning system 41 and the second air conditioning system 43 are a group of air conditioners 50 equipped with an outdoor unit 60 and an indoor unit 70, which belong to the first building air conditioning system 13-1.

[0030] The first air conditioning system 41 includes an integrated type first air conditioner 81 in which individual refrigerant pipes 23a, 25a, 27a, 29a, 31a provided in each of the eleventh to fifteenth indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29, 31 are integrated and connected in communication with a shared refrigerant pipe 45 provided in the first outdoor unit 21 having a first compressor 22. The individual refrigerant pipes 23a, 25a, 27a, 29a, 31a are each provided with solenoid valves 24, 26, 28, 30, 32 for controlling the amount of refrigerant flowing to each of the eleventh to fifteenth indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29, 31.

[0031] Each of the eleventh to fifteenth indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29, 31 (indoor unit 70: see FIG. 1) is provided with an indoor remote control (not shown) used to set air conditioning information including the operating state (including power on / off and operating mode (normal / eco) (cooling / heating / dehumidification)) for each room, set temperature, current room temperature, indoor unit thermostat state, protection state related to prohibitions of energy saving (eco) mode, air volume / direction, timer setting, etc. Here, the set temperature means the target room temperature to be aimed for as the ambient temperature (current room temperature) for each room.

[0032] A temperature sensor 75 (see FIG. 6, for example) for detecting the current room temperature is provided at the air intake of the indoor unit 70. However, the temperature sensor 75 for detecting the current room temperature may be appropriately provided on an indoor remote control for setting and operating the air conditioning content of the indoor unit 70, on the wall of the room in which the indoor unit 70 is installed, or the like.

[0033] The first outdoor unit 21 and the eleventh to fifteenth indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29, 31 belonging to the first air conditioner 81 are each electronically connected to the control terminal 17 via a first communication line 42 and a communication medium 107, respectively. Air conditioning information related to the first air conditioner 81 is sent to the control terminal 17 via the first communication line 42 and communication medium 107. Furthermore, control instructions related to the first air conditioner 81 are sent to the first outdoor unit 21, and the 11th to 15th indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, via the first communication line 42 and communication medium 107, respectively.

[0034] On the other hand, the second air conditioning system 43 includes a second air conditioner 83 in which an individual refrigerant pipe 37a provided in a 21st indoor unit 37 is connected in a one-to-one manner to an individual refrigerant pipe 47 provided in a second outdoor unit 33 having a second compressor 35. The individual refrigerant pipe 37a is not provided with a solenoid valve for controlling the amount of refrigerant flowing to the 21st indoor unit 37. However, a solenoid valve for controlling the amount of refrigerant flowing to the 21st indoor unit 37 may be provided in the individual refrigerant pipe 37a.

[0035] The second outdoor unit 33 and the twenty-first indoor unit 37 belonging to the second air conditioner 83 are each electronically connected to the control terminal 17 via a second communication line 46 and a communication medium 107, respectively. Air conditioning information related to the second air conditioner 83 is sent to the control terminal 17 via the second communication line 46 and the communication medium 107. In addition, control instructions related to the second air conditioner 83 are sent to the second outdoor unit 33 and the twenty-first indoor unit 37 via the second communication line 46 and the communication medium 107, respectively.

[0036] [Rules for assigning symbols to components in the present specification] Reference is now made to the symbolizing rules for components in this specification. Regarding the first air conditioning control system 1-1 (see FIG. 1) according to the first embodiment, the second air conditioning control system 1-2 (see FIG. 6) according to the second embodiment, the third air conditioning control system 1-3 (see FIG. 8) according to the third embodiment, and the fourth air conditioning control system 1-4 (see FIG. 10) according to the fourth embodiment, unless there is a need to distinguish between them in an explanation, the first to fourth air conditioning control systems 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, and 1-4 will be collectively referred to simply as "air conditioning control system 1." Furthermore, for the first air conditioning control device 11-1 (see Figure 1) according to the first embodiment, the second air conditioning control device 11-2 (see Figure 6) according to the second embodiment, the third air conditioning control device 11-3 (see Figure 8) according to the third embodiment, and the fourth air conditioning control device 11-4 (see Figure 10) according to the fourth embodiment, unless there is a need to explain them separately, the first to fourth air conditioning control devices 11-1, 11-2, 11-3, and 11-4 will be collectively referred to simply as the "air conditioning control device 11." Furthermore, for the first building air conditioning system 13-1 (see Figure 1) of the first embodiment, the second building air conditioning system 13-2 (see Figure 6) of the second embodiment, the third building air conditioning system 13-3 (see Figure 8) of the third embodiment, and the fourth building air conditioning system 13-4 (see Figure 10) of the fourth embodiment, unless there is a need to explain them separately, the first to fourth building air conditioning systems 13-1, 13-2, 13-3, and 13-4 will be collectively referred to simply as "building air conditioning system 13." Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1 etc., the first air conditioner 81 (see Figure 1) provided in the first air conditioning system 41 and the second air conditioner 83 provided in the second air conditioning system 43 will be collectively referred to simply as "air conditioner 50" unless there is a need to explain them separately. As described above, as shown in FIG. 1 etc., the first outdoor unit 21 belonging to the first air conditioning system 41 and the second outdoor unit 33 belonging to the second air conditioning system 43 will be collectively referred to simply as the "outdoor unit 60" unless there is a need to explain them separately. As described above, as shown in FIG. 1 etc., the first compressor 22 provided in the first outdoor unit 21 and the second compressor 35 provided in the second outdoor unit 33 will be collectively referred to simply as the "compressor 63" unless there is a need to explain them separately. As described above, as shown in FIG. 1 etc., the 11th to 15th indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29, 31 belonging to the first air conditioning system 41, and the 21st indoor unit 37 belonging to the second air conditioning system 43, unless there is a need to explain them separately, the 11th to 15th indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29, 31 and the 21st indoor unit 37 will be collectively referred to simply as "indoor units 70."

[0037] [Hardware configuration example of air conditioning control device 11] Next, an example of the hardware configuration of the air conditioning control device 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an air conditioning control device 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing the data structure of an air conditioner management table stored in a database (DB) 61 provided in the air conditioning control device 11 shown in Fig. 2.

[0038] 2, the air conditioning control device 11 is configured to include a CPU 91 that performs various arithmetic processing, a non-volatile storage medium 93, a memory 95 such as a RAM, a communication unit 97, and a database (DB) 61. These components are electronically connected to each other via a bus line 99 to enable data exchange. The communication unit 97 is electronically connected to the communication medium 103.

[0039] In the air conditioner management table of DB61, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, air conditioning information is described in association with the identification information of the eleventh to fifteenth indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, including the operating status related to the air conditioning for each room in which these indoor units 70 are installed (including whether the power is on or off, whether the operating mode is normal or eco, and whether it is cooling, heating or dehumidification), the set temperature, the current room temperature, the indoor unit thermostat status, and the protection status related to the prohibitions of energy saving (eco) mode. Here, the protection state related to the prohibition of energy saving (eco) mode refers to a service that enables operation in which the transition from the operating state of normal mode to the energy saving (eco) mode is prohibited by turning on the protection state, for example, in an indoor unit 70 installed in a server room or a VIP room. For example, in special rooms that require special consideration, such as a server room or a VIP room, by adopting a configuration in which the air conditioning information for the indoor unit 70 set up in the room is set to turn on the protection state, it is possible to stably provide an excellent air conditioning environment suitable for the special room. The air conditioning information stored in the air conditioner management table is referenced when creating control instructions for each of the multiple indoor units 70.

[0040] In the air conditioning control device 11, a control program which is pre-stored in a non-volatile storage medium 93 and which describes the contents of the computational processing according to the present invention is executed by the CPU 91, thereby operating to realize each of the functions of the target power setting unit 51, the power consumption acquisition unit 53, the air conditioning information acquisition unit 55, the control instruction creation unit 57, and the control instruction transmission unit 59.

[0041] [Operation procedure of air conditioning control device 11] Next, the operation procedure of the air conditioning control device 11 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram conceptually showing the operation procedures of a plurality of functional parts when the air conditioner 50 provided in the first air conditioning control system 1-1 performs cooling operation.

[0042] The target power setting unit 51 sets an upper limit power (or an upper limit power amount) that is an upper limit value for power consumption of the entire building in which the building air conditioning system 13 is installed, for example, in accordance with a user input. The upper limit power is the upper limit value of the average power for a 30-minute interval such as 0 to 30 minutes and 30 to 60 minutes of each hour, taking into consideration the demand charge system described below. In order to reduce the basic charge for electricity, the user sets the target power to a lower value compared to the upper limit value in the case where the air conditioning control device 11 is not installed. The upper limit power is usually changed once or several times a year. The target power setting unit 51 calculates the target power during the 30-minute interval so that the power consumption at the end of the 30-minute interval will not exceed the target power. The target power set by the target power setting unit 51 is successively sent to the DB 61 and stored in a predetermined storage area of ​​the DB 61.

[0043] Here, the background circumstances that should be taken into consideration when setting the upper limit power will be described. For small and medium-sized buildings, the demand charge system is often applied to electricity rates of less than 500 kW. The demand charge system is a system in which the average power consumption is measured for 30-minute intervals such as 0 to 30 minutes and 30 to 60 minutes of every hour, and the basic power charge is determined based on the monthly maximum value of the 30-minute average power value, and this system continues for 12 months. In response to this system, the air conditioning control device 11 according to the embodiment of the present invention has a demand control function that reduces power consumption by sounding an alarm, sending an email notification, or controlling the air conditioner 50 when the 30-minute average power consumption is about to exceed a target. Specifically, the air conditioning control device 11 performs a demand control function to remotely control the air conditioner 50, such as stopping the compressor 63 in the outdoor unit 60, limiting the upper limit output of the compressor 63, switching the operating mode of the air conditioner 50 from heating / cooling operation to fan operation, and changing the set temperature in a power-saving direction, through a contact terminal (not shown) provided in the outdoor unit 60.

[0044] The target power setting unit 51 may set the target power in accordance with a power reduction request relating to demand control from a power system manager or a power retailer aiming at a balance between power supply and demand. With this configuration, in addition to the inherent energy saving effect obtained by converging the power consumption to the target power, it is possible to achieve an effect of responding to a social demand, such as promoting balance in power supply and demand.

[0045] The power consumption acquiring unit 53 acquires current power data, which is the current amount of power consumption per unit time of the air conditioners 50 belonging to the building air conditioning system 13, for example at one-minute intervals, via the smart meter 15 and the control terminal 17. The current power data acquired by the power consumption acquiring unit 53 is sent to the DB 61 and stored in a predetermined storage area of ​​the DB 61.

[0046] The air conditioning information acquisition unit 55 acquires, for example, at one-minute intervals, air conditioning information including the operating state, set temperature, current room temperature, indoor unit thermostat state, and protection state related to energy saving for each of the multiple indoor units 70. The air conditioning information acquired by the air conditioning information acquisition unit 55 is sent to DB 61 and stored in a predetermined storage area of ​​DB 61.

[0047] The control instruction creation unit 57 reads from DB 61 a list of indoor units 70 to be controlled (in the example shown in FIG. 1, a list of the eleventh to fifteenth indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29, 31: sometimes referred to as the "indoor unit list"), the target power set by the target power setting unit 51, the current power which is the current power consumption acquired by the power consumption acquisition unit 53, air conditioning information for each of the multiple indoor units 70, and the set temperature immediately before the change, and creates the set temperature immediately before the change and control instructions for each of the multiple indoor units 70, for example at one-minute intervals, based on the various information read. The set temperatures and control instructions immediately before the change for each of the plurality of indoor units 70, created by the control instruction creation section 57, are sent to the DB 61 and stored in a prescribed storage area of ​​the DB 61.

[0048] The control instruction transmission unit 59 reads out the control instructions for each of the multiple indoor units 70 created by the control instruction creation unit 57 from the DB 61, for example at one-minute intervals, and transmits the read control instructions to each of the multiple indoor units 70.

[0049] [Basic Operation of Air Conditioner 50] Next, the basic operation of the indoor units 70 will be explained using the eleventh indoor unit 23 as a representative example. The eleventh indoor unit 23 is provided with an indoor remote control (not shown) for setting and operating the air conditioning environment of the room in which the eleventh indoor unit 23 is installed. By operating the operation buttons of the indoor remote control, the user can set, for example, the operating state of the air conditioning (including whether the power is on or off, and whether it is cooling, heating, or dehumidification), the set temperature, the air volume, the air direction, and the like.

[0050] The eleventh indoor unit 23 adjusts the air volume and the amount of inflow of refrigerant so that the current room temperature detected by the temperature sensor 75 (see FIG. 6, for example) matches the set temperature. The amount of refrigerant flowing into the 11th indoor unit 23 is adjusted by using the solenoid valve 24, or by the 11th indoor unit 23 making a request to the first outdoor unit 21 to increase or decrease the amount of refrigerant flowing in. The first outdoor unit 21 collects the requests to increase or decrease the amount of refrigerant flowing in from each indoor unit 70, and determines the rotation speed of the first compressor 22 so as to satisfy the collected requests to increase or decrease the amount of refrigerant flowing in.

[0051] When the indoor heating / cooling load is small relative to the capacity of the air conditioner 50, the air conditioner is likely to be in an overcooled state during cooling operation and an overheated state during heating operation. In such a case, a thermo-off temperature is set to stop the inflow of refrigerant to the eleventh indoor unit 23, and when the current room temperature reaches the thermo-off temperature, the solenoid valve 24 is closed to stop the inflow of refrigerant. In the eleventh indoor unit 23 where the inflow of refrigerant is stopped, the current room temperature rises during cooling operation and drops during heating operation. When the current room temperature reaches the thermo-on temperature, the solenoid valve 24 is opened to resume the inflow of refrigerant. The state in which the solenoid valve 24 is open is generally called the indoor unit thermo-on state, and the state in which the solenoid valve 24 is closed is called the indoor unit thermo-off state.

[0052] If only one of the 11th to 15th indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29, 31 connected in an integrated manner to the first outdoor unit 21 is in the thermo-on state, when the current room temperature of that one indoor unit 70 reaches the thermo-off temperature, the first outdoor unit 21 stops the first compressor 22. Thereafter, when any of the indoor units 70 among the 11th to 15th indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29, 31 reaches the thermo-on temperature, the first outdoor unit 21 restarts the first compressor 22.

[0053] When the indoor unit 70 connected to the second outdoor unit 33 is the 21st indoor unit 37 alone, as in the second air conditioning system 43, it is possible to omit providing a solenoid valve for controlling the amount of refrigerant flowing to the 21st indoor unit 37 for the individual refrigerant piping 37a provided in the 21st indoor unit 37. In this case, when the current room temperature reaches the thermo-off temperature, the second outdoor unit 33 stops the second compressor 35, and then, when the current room temperature reaches the thermo-on temperature, the second compressor 35 is restarted.

[0054] The thermo-on temperature and thermo-off temperature of the indoor unit 70 are determined by internal calculation by the indoor unit 70 based on the set temperature. The difference between the thermo-off temperature and the set temperature, and the difference between the thermo-on temperature and the set temperature are determined in advance as design values ​​of the indoor unit 70.

[0055] [Operation of the first air conditioning control device 11-1] Next, the operation of the first air conditioning control device 11-1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 5A. FIG. 5A is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the first air conditioning control device 11-1 according to the first embodiment. The flow shown in FIG. 5A is executed, for example, at one-minute intervals by the CPU 91 (mainly the control instruction generating unit 57) belonging to the first air conditioning control device 11-1.

[0056] In step S1, the CPU 91 provided in the air conditioning control device 11 reads the target power set by the target power setting unit 51 and the current power data acquired by the power consumption acquisition unit 53 from the DB 61, and calculates the power difference (target power - current power) Pdf between the read target power and current power. Next, the CPU 91 determines whether the sign of the power difference Pdf is positive or negative. As a result of the judgment in step S1, if the sign of the power difference Pdf is positive (Yes in step S1), the CPU 91 advances the processing flow to the next step S2, whereas if the sign of the power difference Pdf is negative (No in step S1), the CPU 91 jumps the processing flow to step S16.

[0057] In step S2, the CPU 91 sequentially assigns the system identifications of the first air conditioning system (system identification: 1) 41 and the second air conditioning system (system identification: 2) 43 belonging to the first building air conditioning system 13-1 to the variable i, and executes the repetitive processing of steps S2 to S14.

[0058] In step S3, the CPU 91 acquires the number of indoor units [IDU_ON_num] that are in operation (powered on) and belong to the system i.

[0059] In step S4, the CPU 91 acquires a list of target indoor units 70 that belong to system i and whose set temperature is not the power saving set temperature (target indoor unit list).

[0060] In step S5, the CPU 91 determines whether or not the indoor units 70 belonging to system i satisfy predetermined conditions [(IDU_ON_num>=2) and (Does the target indoor unit exist?)]. As a result of the judgment in step S5, if the specified condition is met (Yes in step S5: the number of operating indoor units belonging to system i [IDU_ON_num] is 2 or more and the target indoor unit 70 for step S4 exists), the CPU 91 proceeds to the next step S6, whereas if the specified condition is not met (No in step S5: the number of operating indoor units belonging to system i [IDU_ON_num] is less than 2 and / or the target indoor unit 70 for step S4 does not exist), the CPU 91 ends the repetitive processing.

[0061] In step S6, the CPU 91 sorts (rearranges the listing order in descending order) the target indoor units 70 in the target indoor unit list acquired in step 4 using the temperature difference (current room temperature-set temperature) for each indoor unit 70 during cooling operation, and the temperature difference (set temperature-current room temperature) for each indoor unit 70 during heating operation. By this sorting, the target indoor units 70 in the target indoor unit list are arranged in descending order of comfort.

[0062] In step S8-1, the CPU 91 assigns 1 to the number of indoor units not to be controlled [e_c]. This initializes the number of indoor units not to be controlled e_c.

[0063] In step S9, the CPU 91 sequentially assigns the indoor unit identifications attached to the target indoor units 70 in the target indoor unit list acquired in step S4 to the variable j, and executes the repeated processing of S9 to S13.

[0064] In step S10, the CPU 91 determines whether or not the number of indoor units excluded from control e_c is 1 or more and the indoor unit 70 specified by j is in the thermo-on state. As a result of the judgment in step S10, if the number of indoor units not to be controlled e_c is less than 1 or the indoor unit 70 identified by j is in the thermo-off state (No in step S10), the CPU 91 advances the processing flow to the next step S11, whereas if the number of indoor units not to be controlled e_c is 1 or greater and the indoor unit 70 identified by j is in the thermo-on state (Yes in step S10), the CPU 91 jumps the processing flow to step S15.

[0065] In step S11, the CPU 91 records the set temperature (non-power saving set temperature) immediately before the change for the indoor unit j (the indoor unit whose indoor unit identification corresponds to the variable j).

[0066] In step S12, the CPU 91 changes the set temperature for the indoor unit j to the power saving set temperature (the set temperature for the power saving state).

[0067] In step S13, the CPU 91 determines whether or not to continue the repetitive process of S9 to S13. If the result of the judgment in step S13 is that the iterative processing has not been completed for all indoor units 70 in the target indoor unit list acquired in step S4, the CPU 91 continues the iterative processing of S9 to S13. On the other hand, if the iterative processing has been completed for all indoor units 70 in the target indoor unit list acquired in step S4, the CPU 91 ends the iterative processing of S9 to S13 and advances the processing flow to the next step S14.

[0068] In step S14, the CPU 91 determines whether or not to continue the repetitive process of S2 to S14. As a result of the judgment in step S13, if the iterative processing has not been completed for all air conditioning systems belonging to the first building air conditioning system 13-1, the CPU 91 continues the iterative processing of S2 to S14, whereas if the iterative processing has been completed for all air conditioning systems belonging to the first building air conditioning system 13-1, the CPU 91 terminates the iterative processing of S2 to S14 and terminates the processing of the series of control instruction functions.

[0069] In step S15 (if it is determined in step S10 that the number of indoor units not to be controlled e_c is 1 or greater and the indoor unit 70 identified by j is in the thermo-on state), the CPU 91 decrements the number of indoor units not to be controlled e_c [e_c=e_c-1] and transitions the processing flow to step S13.

[0070] In step S16 (if it is determined in step S1 that the sign of the power difference Pdf is negative), the CPU 91 sequentially assigns the system identifications of the first air conditioning system (system identification: 1) 41 and the second air conditioning system (system identification: 2) 43 belonging to the first building air conditioning system 13-1 to the variable i, and executes the iterative processing of steps S16 to S22.

[0071] In step S17, the CPU 91 acquires a list of the indoor units 70 belonging to the system i (indoor unit list).

[0072] In step S18, the CPU 91 sequentially assigns the indoor unit identifications in the list of indoor units 70 acquired in step S17 to the variable j, and executes the repeated processing of S18 to S21.

[0073] In step S19, the CPU 91 determines whether the set temperature for the indoor unit j (the indoor unit whose indoor unit identification corresponds to the variable j) is the power saving set temperature (the set temperature for the power saving state) or not. As a result of the judgment in step S19, if the set temperature for indoor unit j matches the power saving set temperature (Yes in step S19), the CPU 91 advances the processing flow to the next step S20, whereas if the set temperature for indoor unit j does not match the power saving set temperature (No in step S19), the CPU 91 jumps the processing flow to step S21.

[0074] In step S20, the CPU 91 returns the set temperature for the indoor unit j to the set temperature immediately before the change (non-power saving set temperature).

[0075] In step S21, the CPU 91 determines whether or not to continue the repetitive process of S18 to S21. If the result of the judgment in step S21 is that the iterative processing has not been completed for all indoor units 70 in the indoor unit list acquired in step S17, the CPU 91 continues the iterative processing of S18 to S21. On the other hand, if the iterative processing has been completed for all indoor units 70 in the indoor unit list acquired in step S17, the CPU 91 ends the iterative processing of S18 to S21 and advances the processing flow to the next step S22.

[0076] In step S22, the CPU 91 determines whether or not to continue the repetitive process of S16 to S22. As a result of the judgment in step S22, if the iterative processing has not been completed for all air conditioning systems belonging to the first building air conditioning system 13-1, the CPU 91 continues the iterative processing of S16 to S22, whereas if the iterative processing has been completed for all air conditioning systems belonging to the first building air conditioning system 13-1, the CPU 91 ends the iterative processing of S16 to S22 and terminates the processing of the series of control instruction functions.

[0077] [Coordinated operation of the air conditioners 50 in the first air conditioning control system 13-1] Next, the coordinated operation of the air conditioners 50 provided in the first air conditioning control system 13-1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 5B. FIG. 5B is a time chart illustrating the coordinated operation of the air conditioner 50 (during cooling operation) provided in the first air conditioning control system 13-1 according to the first embodiment.

[0078] The time chart shown in Figure 5B shows the time progression of the current room temperature, set temperature, and indoor unit thermostat state of each of the 11th to 15th indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29, and 31, as well as the time progression of the outdoor unit thermostat state and air conditioner power consumption of the first outdoor unit 21, around time t1 when the power difference (target power - current power) Pdf between the target power and the current power (building power consumption) changes from positive (when the current power is smaller than the target power) to negative (when the current power is larger than the target power) in step S1 shown in Figure 5A.

[0079] When the current room temperature of each indoor unit 70 is declining, the thermostat state is indoor unit thermo on, and when the current room temperature is rising, the thermostat state is indoor unit thermo off. 5B, at time t1 when the power difference between the target power and the current power (target power - current power) Pdf changes from positive to negative, there are three indoor units 70 in the indoor unit thermo-on state: the eleventh indoor unit 23, the thirteenth indoor unit 27, and the fifteenth indoor unit 31. Incidentally, for the fifteenth indoor unit 31, time t1 is the timing immediately after the indoor unit thermo state transitions from indoor unit thermo-off to indoor unit thermo-on.

[0080] At this time, of these three units, the difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature (current room temperature - set temperature) is the one that is most inclined toward the anti-comfort side is the 15th indoor unit 31. For this reason, the 15th indoor unit 31 is set as an exception to the target indoor units whose set temperature will be changed to the power saving set temperature (set temperature related to the power saving state) (see step S15 shown in FIG. 5A), and the set temperatures of the remaining four indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29 are changed to the power saving set temperature (see step S12 shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B).

[0081] As a result, the four indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29 are turned off and the air conditioning load on the first outdoor unit 21 is reduced, thereby reducing power consumption; however, one indoor unit (the 15th indoor unit 31) remains in the indoor unit thermo on state, so the thermo state of the first outdoor unit 21 does not transition to the outdoor unit thermo off state.

[0082] It should be noted here that the indoor unit 70 (the 15th indoor unit 31) that maintains the indoor unit thermo-on state is the indoor unit 70 installed in the room with the highest anti-comfort among the indoor units in the indoor unit thermo-on state, in other words, the room with the lowest comfort. By configuring in this way, it is possible to achieve both the effect of improving the air-conditioned environment in the least comfortable room and the effect of contributing to energy conservation. At the same time, it should be noted that the indoor unit 70 that maintains the indoor unit thermo-on state (the fifteenth indoor unit 31) is expected to remain in the indoor unit thermo-on state for the longest time among the indoor units in the indoor unit thermo-on state, and is most likely to be able to maintain the indoor unit thermo-on state until any of the indoor units 70 that have had their set temperature changed next enters the indoor unit thermo-on state. With this configuration, the effect of contributing to energy conservation can be more reliably achieved. In the explanation of the operation of the first embodiment, the case where the air conditioner 50 is in cooling operation has been exemplified, but the same effect as described above can be obtained even during heating operation by performing control similar to that during cooling operation.

[0083] After that, at time t2, the room temperature of the 15th indoor unit reaches the thermo-off temperature and is changed to the indoor unit thermo-off state. At time t3, the first air conditioning control system 13-1 changes the set temperature of the 15th indoor unit to the power saving set temperature. This is because the 15th indoor unit has its indoor unit thermo-off and therefore no longer fulfills its role of preventing the outdoor unit thermo-off. By doing this, the indoor unit thermo-off state of the 15th indoor unit will continue for a long period of time thereafter, which will be a great contribution to energy conservation.

[0084] According to the first air conditioning control device 11-1 and the first air conditioning control system 1-1 of the first embodiment, even when the set temperature is changed to save power in the integrated type air conditioner 50, it is possible to contribute to energy conservation while improving the air conditioning environment in a room with low comfort.

[0085] [Schematic configuration of second air conditioning control system 1-2 according to the second embodiment] Next, the schematic configuration of a second air conditioning control system 1-2 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram functionally illustrating an overview of a second air conditioning control system 1-2 according to a second embodiment.

[0086] The first air conditioning control system 1-1 according to the first embodiment and the second air conditioning control system 1-2 according to the second embodiment have a common basic configuration. Therefore, the following description will focus on the differences between the two and will be used instead of describing the second air conditioning control system 1-2 according to the second embodiment.

[0087] In the first embodiment, the first air conditioning control device 11-1 is provided in a location different from the first building air conditioning system 13-1, whereas in the second embodiment, the second air conditioning control device 11-2 is provided in the same building as the second building air conditioning system 13-2. Due to this difference, the second air conditioning control device 11-2 is provided with a control terminal function unit 54 that performs the same functions as the control terminal 17 provided in the first building air conditioning system 13-1.

[0088] In addition, in the first embodiment, the current room temperature of each of the multiple indoor units 70 is detected by a temperature sensor 75 installed at the air intake port, whereas in the second embodiment, the current room temperature of each room is detected by temperature sensors 23b, 25b, 27b, 29b, 31b (see Figure 6) installed in the indoor remote control. The hardware configuration of the second air conditioning control device 11-2 is the same as that of the first air conditioning control device 11-1.

[0089] [Operation of second air conditioning control device 11-2] Next, the operation of the second air conditioning control device 11-2 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7A. FIG. 7A is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the second air conditioning control device 11-2 according to the second embodiment. The flow shown in FIG. 7A is executed, for example, at one-minute intervals by the CPU 91 (mainly the control instruction generating unit 57) belonging to the second air conditioning control device 11-2.

[0090] The first air conditioning control device 11-1 according to the first embodiment and the second air conditioning control device 11-2 according to the second embodiment have the same basic operation. Therefore, the following description will focus on the differences between the two and will be used instead of describing the operation of the second air conditioning control device 11-2 according to the second embodiment.

[0091] In the first embodiment, in step S8-1, the CPU 91 assigns 1 to the number of indoor units excluded from control [e_c], whereas in the second embodiment, in step S8-2, the CPU 91 adopts a procedure of assigning 1 - [the number of indoor units with the power saving set temperature and thermo on state] to the number of indoor units excluded from control [e_c]. As a result, when determining whether or not to change the set temperature to the power saving set temperature, in the first embodiment, one unit is excluded, whereas in the second embodiment, if there are indoor units 70 whose set temperature has already been changed to the power saving set temperature and any of them is in the indoor unit thermo-on state, the exclusion for the indoor units 70 whose set temperature has not yet been changed to the power saving set temperature is lifted, and they can be changed to the power saving set temperature. Therefore, in the second embodiment, it is expected to have the effect of being able to change all of the indoor units 70 to the power saving temperature setting more quickly compared to the first embodiment.

[0092] [Coordinated operation of the air conditioners 50 in the second air conditioning control system 13-2] Next, the coordinated operation of the air conditioners 50 provided in the second air conditioning control system 13-2 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7B. FIG. 7B is a time chart illustrating the coordinated operation of the air conditioner 50 (during cooling operation) provided in the second air conditioning control system 13-2 according to the second embodiment.

[0093] The difference between the first and second embodiments is that in the first embodiment, the control-excluded indoor unit (15th indoor unit 31) was excluded (as an exception) from the target range of indoor unit 70 when the set temperature was changed to the power saving set temperature, whereas in the second embodiment, the set temperature of the excluded indoor unit (15th indoor unit 31) is changed to the power saving set temperature at time t5, which is slightly delayed from time t4, triggered by the timing of time t4 when one indoor unit (12th indoor unit 25) of the four indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29 whose set temperature has already been changed to the power saving set temperature transitions to the indoor unit thermo-on state. According to the second embodiment, since the temperature settings of all of the indoor units 70 are changed to the power saving temperature settings more quickly than in the first embodiment, a greater power saving effect can be expected. Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to obtain a secondary effect of equally providing each of the multiple indoor units 70 with an opportunity to change the set temperature to the power saving set temperature.

[0094] [Schematic configuration of third air conditioning control system 1-3 according to the third embodiment] Next, the schematic configuration of a third air conditioning control system 1-3 according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram functionally illustrating an overview of a third air conditioning control system 1-3 according to the third embodiment.

[0095] The first air conditioning control system 1-1 according to the first embodiment and the third air conditioning control system 1-3 according to the third embodiment have a common basic configuration. Therefore, the following description will focus on the differences between the two and will be used instead of describing the third air conditioning control system 1-3 according to the third embodiment.

[0096] In the first embodiment, the first air conditioning control device 11-1 adopts an amount of power that is appropriately set, for example, by a user, as the target power for the target power setting unit 51, whereas in the third embodiment, the first air conditioning control device 11-1 adopts a target power based on demand control sent via a communication medium 101 from an aggregation coordinator system (corresponding to the "higher system" of the present invention) 19 connected to the third air conditioning control device 11-3 as the target power for the target power setting unit 51.

[0097] The hardware configuration of the third air conditioning control device 11-3 is the same as that of the first air conditioning control device 11-1.

[0098] [Operation of the third air conditioning control device 11-3] Next, the operation of the third air conditioning control device 11-3 according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9A. FIG. 9A is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the third air conditioning control device 11-3 according to the third embodiment. The flow shown in FIG. 9A is executed, for example, at one-minute intervals by the CPU 91 (mainly the control instruction generating unit 57) belonging to the third air conditioning control device 11-3.

[0099] The second air conditioning control device 11-2 according to the second embodiment and the third air conditioning control device 11-3 according to the third embodiment have the same basic operation. Therefore, the following description will focus on the differences between the two and will be used instead of describing the operation of the third air conditioning control device 11-3 according to the third embodiment.

[0100] In the second embodiment, in step S8-1, the CPU 91 employs a procedure for calculating the number of indoor units to be excluded from control [e_c] by substituting 1-[the number of indoor units that are at the power saving temperature setting and in the thermo-on state], whereas in the third embodiment, in step S8-3, the CPU 91 employs a procedure for calculating the number of indoor units to be excluded from control [e_c] by substituting 2-[the number of indoor units that are at the power saving temperature setting and in the thermo-on state]. As a result, in the second embodiment, when there is no [number of indoor units with power saving set temperature and thermo on state], the number e_c of indoor units to be excluded from control that will not change the set temperature to the power saving set temperature is set to 1, whereas in the third embodiment, the number e_c of indoor units to be excluded from control is set to 2. Therefore, according to the third embodiment, it is expected that the effect of further preventing the outdoor unit 60 from falling into the outdoor unit thermo-off state can be achieved as compared to the second embodiment.

[0101] [Coordinated operation of the air conditioners 50 in the third air conditioning control system 13-3] Next, the coordinated operation of the air conditioners 50 provided in the third air conditioning control system 13-3 according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9B. FIG. 9B is a time chart illustrating the coordinated operation of the air conditioner 50 (during cooling operation) provided in the third air conditioning control system 13-3 according to the third embodiment.

[0102] The differences between the second and third embodiments are as follows. That is, in the second embodiment, at time t1 when the power difference between the target power and the current power (target power - current power) Pdf changes from positive to negative, there are three indoor units 70 in the indoor unit thermo on state: the eleventh indoor unit 23, the thirteenth indoor unit 27, and the fifteenth indoor unit 31. Incidentally, for the fifteenth indoor unit 31, time t1 is the timing immediately after the indoor unit thermo state transitions from indoor unit thermo off to indoor unit thermo on. At this time, of these three units, the difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature (current room temperature - set temperature) is the one that is most inclined toward the anti-comfort side is the 15th indoor unit 31. For this reason, in the second embodiment, the 15th indoor unit 31 is set as an exception (see step S15 shown in FIG. 7A), and the set temperatures of the remaining four indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29 are changed to the power saving set temperature (see step S12 shown in FIG. 7A, and FIG. 7B).

[0103] In contrast, in the third embodiment, of the three indoor units, in addition to the 15th indoor unit 31, which has the difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature (current room temperature - set temperature) that is most inclined toward the anti-comfort side, the 11th indoor unit 23, which has the next largest difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature (current room temperature - set temperature) that is most inclined toward the anti-comfort side, is set as an exception (see step S15 shown in FIG. 9A), and the set temperatures of the remaining three indoor units 25, 27, 29 are changed to the power saving set temperature (see step S12 shown in FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B).

[0104] As a result, the three indoor units 25, 27, 29 will be in the indoor unit thermo-off state and the air conditioning load on the first outdoor unit 21 will decrease, thereby reducing power consumption; however, because two indoor units (the eleventh indoor unit 23 and the fifteenth indoor unit 31) maintain the indoor unit thermo-on state, the risk of the first outdoor unit 21 transitioning to the outdoor unit thermo-off state can be further reduced.

[0105] In the third embodiment, compared to the second embodiment, at time t1 when the power difference between the target power and the current power (target power - current power) Pdf changes from positive to negative, the number of indoor units (the eleventh indoor unit 23 and the fifteenth indoor unit 31) that maintain the indoor unit thermo-on state increases from one to two. Therefore, even if one of these two units switches to the indoor unit thermo-off state unexpectedly early, the other unit will maintain the indoor unit thermo-on state.

[0106] Therefore, according to the third embodiment, it is possible to further reduce the risk of the first outdoor unit 21 transitioning to the outdoor unit thermo-off state compared to the second embodiment. As a result, it is expected to have the effect of preventing an increase in power consumption (see the comparative example shown in FIG. 12) that occurs when the first outdoor unit 21 transitions to the outdoor unit thermo-on state after transitioning to the outdoor unit thermo-off state.

[0107] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, with regard to the control-excluded indoor unit (15th indoor unit 31) that was excluded (as an exception) from the target range of indoor units 70 when the set temperature is changed to the power saving set temperature, the set temperature of the excluded indoor unit (15th indoor unit 31) is changed to the power saving set temperature at time t3, which is slightly delayed from time t2, triggered by the timing of time t2 when one indoor unit (12th indoor unit 25) of the four indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29 whose set temperature has already been changed to the power saving set temperature transitions to the indoor unit thermo-on state.

[0108] In contrast, in the third embodiment, with regard to the indoor units excluded from control (the eleventh indoor unit 23 and the fifteenth indoor unit 31), the set temperature is changed to the power saving set temperature at time t7, which is slightly delayed from time t6, and is triggered by the timing at which one indoor unit (the twelfth indoor unit 25) of the four indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29 whose set temperatures have already been changed to the power saving set temperature transitions to the indoor unit thermo-on state. According to the third embodiment, it is possible to quickly increase the number of indoor units 70 whose set temperatures are changed to the power-saving set temperatures, compared to the second embodiment. Also, it is possible to further enhance the effect of equally providing the opportunity to change the set temperature to the power-saving set temperature for each of the multiple indoor units 70.

[0109] [Schematic configuration of the fourth air conditioning control system 1-4 according to the fourth embodiment] Next, the schematic configuration of a fourth air conditioning control system 1-4 according to a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram functionally illustrating an overview of a fourth air conditioning control system 1-4 according to a fourth embodiment.

[0110] The first air conditioning control system 1-1 according to the first embodiment and the fourth air conditioning control system 1-4 according to the fourth embodiment have a common basic configuration. Therefore, the following description will focus on the differences between the two and will be used instead of describing the fourth air conditioning control system 1-4 according to the fourth embodiment.

[0111] The first air conditioning control device 11-4 of the fourth embodiment differs from the configuration of the first air conditioning control device 11-1 of the first embodiment (target power setting unit 51, power consumption acquisition unit 53, air conditioning information acquisition unit 55, control instruction creation unit 57, and control instruction transmission unit 59) in that it adds a time change rate recording unit 56. The time change rate recording unit 56 has a function of recording the time change rate of the current room temperature of each indoor unit 70 when each indoor unit 70 transitions from the indoor unit thermo on state to the indoor unit thermo off state. The time change rate data recorded by the time change rate recording unit 56 is referenced when predicting the timing at which the thermo state of a certain indoor unit 70 will transition from the indoor unit thermo on state to the indoor unit thermo off state.

[0112] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the current room temperature of each of the multiple indoor units 70 is detected by a temperature sensor 75 installed at the air intake port, whereas in the fourth embodiment, in addition to the temperature sensor 75, the outdoor ambient temperature is detected by an outdoor air temperature sensor 76 installed outdoors of the fourth building air conditioning system 13-4.

[0113] In the first air conditioning control device 11-4 of the fourth embodiment, the CPU 91 predicts the timing of the transition from the indoor unit thermo on state to the indoor unit thermo off state for a certain indoor unit 70 (the 15th indoor unit 31 in the example shown in Figure 11C) by correlating slope data indicating the time rate of change of the current room temperature for, for example, several hours with the outdoor ambient temperature based on the time rate of change of the current room temperature for the indoor units 70 when each of the indoor units 70 transitions from the indoor unit thermo on state to the indoor unit thermo off state, which is recorded by the time rate of change recording unit 56, and the outdoor ambient temperature measured by the outdoor temperature sensor 76. The hardware configuration of the fourth air conditioning control device 11-4 is substantially the same as that of the first air conditioning control device 11-1.

[0114] [Operation of the fourth air conditioning control device 11-4] Next, the operation of the fourth air conditioning control device 11-4 according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B. 11A and 11B are flow charts illustrating the operation of the fourth air conditioning control device 11-4 according to the fourth embodiment. The flows shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B are executed, for example, at one-minute intervals by the CPU 91 (mainly the control instruction generating unit 57) belonging to the fourth air conditioning control device 11-4.

[0115] The second air conditioning control device 11-2 according to the second embodiment and the fourth air conditioning control device 11-4 according to the fourth embodiment share the same basic operation. Therefore, the following description will focus on the differences between the two and will be used instead of describing the operation of the fourth air conditioning control device 11-4 according to the fourth embodiment.

[0116] In the second embodiment, in step S8-2, the CPU 91 employs a procedure for calculating the number of indoor units excluded from control [e_c] by substituting 1-[the number of indoor units that are at the power saving set temperature and in the thermo-on state], whereas in the fourth embodiment, in step S8-4 (see Figure 11A), the CPU 91 employs a procedure for calculating the number of indoor units excluded from control [e_c=1]. As a result, in the second embodiment, the number e_c of indoor units not to be controlled, whose set temperature is not changed to the power saving set temperature, was set to 1 or 0 (when there are no indoor units with the power saving set temperature and thermo on), whereas in the fourth embodiment, the number e_c of indoor units not to be controlled is set to 1.

[0117] Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment, the processes of steps S7 and S23 are inserted immediately before step S8-2 (immediately before step S8-4) in the second embodiment. In step S7 shown in FIG. 11A, the CPU 91 substitutes the number of indoor units which belong to system i and are in the indoor unit thermo-on state into the indoor unit thermo-on number ThOn_num. In step S23, the CPU 91 determines whether the indoor unit thermo-on number ThOn_num is 1 or not. If the result of the judgment in step S23 is that the number of indoor units with thermo-on ThOn_num is not equal to 1 (No in step S23), the CPU 91 advances the processing flow to the above-mentioned step S8-4, whereas if the number of target indoor units is 1 (Yes in step S23), the CPU 91 advances the processing flow to the next step S24 (see FIG. 11B).

[0118] In step S24 shown in FIG. 11B, the CPU 91 acquires the indoor unit identification related to one target indoor unit 70 listed in the target indoor unit list.

[0119] In step S25, the CPU 91 calculates a predicted transition time t_th that is predicted to be required for the target indoor unit 70, which has been assigned an indoor unit identification, to transition to the next thermo-off state based on the temperature change over a predetermined time t_fx (for example, a time length of 2 minutes, etc.). Here, the predicted transition time t_th corresponds to the "grace period" of the present invention, and the predetermined time t_fx corresponds to the "predetermined time threshold" of the present invention.

[0120] In step S26, the CPU 91 determines whether or not the transition predicted time t_th calculated in step S25 is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time t_fx. If the result of the judgment in step S26 is that the transition prediction time t_th is equal to or less than the predetermined time t_fx (Yes in step S26), the CPU 91 advances the process to the next step S27. On the other hand, if the transition prediction time t_th exceeds the predetermined time t_fx (No in step S26), that is, if it is predicted that there is a certain amount of time before the target indoor unit 70 in the thermo-on state transitions to the thermo-off state, the CPU 91 returns the process to step S14.

[0121] In step S27, the CPU 91 acquires a list of target indoor units 70 that belong to system i, are in the indoor unit thermo-on state, and have a power saving set temperature (target indoor unit list).

[0122] In step S28, the CPU 91 acquires, from the target indoor unit list acquired in step S27, the indoor unit identification assigned to the indoor unit 70 that is installed in the room in which the temperature difference (current room temperature - set temperature) for each indoor unit 70 is the largest during cooling operation, and the temperature difference (set temperature - current room temperature) for each indoor unit 70 is the largest during heating operation, in other words, the room in which the air-conditioning environment is currently the poorest.

[0123] In step S29, the CPU 91 returns the set temperature for the indoor unit 70 with the indoor unit identification acquired in step S28 to the set temperature immediately before the change (non-power saving set temperature). After that, the CPU 91 returns the process flow to step S14.

[0124] [Coordinated operation of the air conditioners 50 in the fourth air conditioning control system 13-4] Next, the coordinated operation of the air conditioners 50 provided in the fourth air conditioning control system 13-4 according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 11C. FIG. 11C is a time chart illustrating the coordinated operation of the air conditioner 50 (during cooling operation) provided in the fourth air conditioning control system 13-4 according to the fourth embodiment.

[0125] In the fourth embodiment, with regard to a control-excluded indoor unit (fifteenth indoor unit 31: see FIG. 11C) that is excluded (as an exception) from the target range of indoor units 70 when the set temperature is changed to the power saving set temperature, the timing at which the thermo state of this indoor unit (fifteenth indoor unit 31) will transition from the indoor unit thermo on state to the indoor unit thermo off is predicted based on the time rate of change of the current room temperature of the indoor units 70 when each of the indoor units 70 transitions from the indoor unit thermo on state to the indoor unit thermo off, as recorded by the time change rate recording unit 56, and based on this prediction result (predicted transition time t10 in the example of FIG. 11C), the set temperature of the indoor unit (twelfth indoor unit 25) with the poorest air-conditioned environment among the four indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29 whose set temperature has been changed to the power saving set temperature is returned to the default set temperature immediately before the change (non-power saving set temperature) at predicted transition time t8. As a result, the twelfth indoor unit 25 transitions from the indoor unit thermo-off state to the indoor unit thermo-on state.

[0126] According to the fourth embodiment, even when the set temperature is changed in a power-saving direction in the integrated air conditioner 50, in addition to the effect of the first embodiment of contributing to energy conservation while improving the air-conditioned environment in the room that is currently considered inferior, and the effect of the second embodiment of obtaining an even greater power-saving effect and providing each of the multiple indoor units 70 with an equal opportunity to change the set temperature to the power-saving set temperature, it is possible to expect the effect of timely and appropriate schedule management of the set temperature for each of the multiple indoor units 70 in the integrated air conditioner 50. As a result, it is possible to prevent an increase in power consumption that occurs when the first outdoor unit 21 transitions to the outdoor unit thermo-off state (see the outdoor unit thermo-off section divided into times t1-t11 in the comparative example shown in Figure 12) and then transitions to the outdoor unit thermo-on state (see time t11 in Figure 12).

[0127] As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioning control system 1 according to the present invention may include an air conditioning control device 11 and a building air conditioning system 13 in which an integrated air conditioner 50 is provided, which are electronically connected via a communication medium 103, and each of the multiple indoor units 70 notifies the air conditioning control device 11 of air conditioning information relating to that indoor unit 70, and the air conditioning control device 11 calculates a change value for the set temperature relating to the power saving state (power saving set temperature) based on the set temperature relating to that indoor unit from the air conditioning information notified from a target indoor unit that does not fall under the exception, and notifies the indoor unit of the calculated change value for the set temperature. With this configuration, it is possible to present a more specific configuration for obtaining an air-conditioning control system 1 that can contribute to energy conservation while improving the air-conditioning environment in a room where comfort is low.

[0128] In addition, the air conditioning control method of the present invention includes the steps of acquiring air conditioning information including the operating state, indoor unit thermo state, set temperature, and current room temperature for each of a plurality of indoor units 70, adjusting the set temperature for the indoor units 70 when switching the operating state of the air conditioner 50 and creating a control instruction including the adjusted set temperature, and transmitting the created control instruction to the indoor units 70. In the step of creating the control instruction, when switching the operating state of the air conditioner 50 from a default state to a power saving state, a configuration may be adopted in which, among the indoor units 70 whose indoor unit thermo state is in the indoor unit thermo on state, at least a predetermined number of indoor units 70, counting from the side where the difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature is leaning toward the anti-comfort side, are treated as exceptions, and the set temperatures of indoor units that do not fall under this exception are adjusted to the power saving set temperature. With this configuration, it is possible to present specific steps for obtaining an air-conditioning control method that can contribute to energy saving while improving the air-conditioning environment in a room where comfort is low.

[0129] Other embodiments The above-described embodiments are merely examples of the realization of the present invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited by these embodiments. The present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit or main characteristics of the present invention.

[0130] In addition, a part of the configuration of the embodiment described here can be replaced with the configuration of another embodiment, and a configuration of one embodiment can be added to a configuration of another embodiment. Furthermore, a part of the configuration of each embodiment can be added to, deleted from, or replaced with another configuration.

[0131] For example, a building air conditioning system 13 equipped with an integrated type air conditioner 50 to which the air conditioning control device 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied has two air conditioning systems, a first air conditioning system 41 and a second air conditioning system 43, as shown in FIG. 1, and an integrated type first air conditioner 81 associated with the first air conditioning system 41 combines five eleventh to fifteenth indoor units 23, 25, 27, 29, 31 with one first outdoor unit 21, while a second air conditioner 83 associated with the second air conditioning system 43 combines one second outdoor unit 33 with one 21st indoor unit 37. However, the present invention is not limited to this example.

[0132] The number of outdoor units 60 and indoor units 70 belonging to one air conditioning system (air conditioner 50) is arbitrary, and any appropriate number of combinations may be adopted, such as combining two outdoor units 60 with five indoor units 70. Similarly, the number of air conditioning systems belonging to one building air conditioning system 13 is also arbitrary, and needless to say, any appropriate number may be set. [Explanation of symbols]

[0133] 1. Air conditioning control system 11 Air conditioning control device 13 Building air conditioning systems 15 Smart Meters 17 Control Terminal 19 Aggregation coordinator system (host system) 23a, 25a, 27a, 29a, 31a Individual refrigerant piping 45 Common refrigerant piping 50 Air conditioner 51 Target power setting unit 53 Power consumption acquisition section 54 Control terminal function unit 55 Air conditioning information acquisition section 56 Time rate of change recorder 57 Control Instruction Creation Department 59 Control instruction transmission unit 60 Outdoor unit (air conditioner) 61 Database 63 Compressor 70 Indoor unit (air conditioner) 75 Temperature Sensor 76 Outside Air Temperature Sensor 91 CPU 103, 105, 107 Communication media

Claims

1. An air conditioning control device that controls switching of an operating state of an integrated type air conditioner in which individual refrigerant piping provided in each of a plurality of indoor units is integrated and connected to a shared refrigerant piping provided in an outdoor unit having a compressor to either a default state or a power saving state, an air conditioning information acquisition unit that acquires air conditioning information including an operating state, an indoor unit thermostat state, a set temperature, and a current room temperature for each of the plurality of indoor units; a control instruction creation unit that adjusts a set temperature of the indoor unit when switching an operating state of the air conditioner and creates a control instruction including the set temperature after the adjustment; a control instruction transmission unit that transmits the control instruction created by the control instruction creation unit to the indoor unit, The control instruction creation unit When switching the operating state of the air conditioner from the default state to the power saving state, at least one or more predetermined number of indoor units, counting from the indoor units whose indoor unit thermo state is the indoor unit thermo on state and whose difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature leans toward the anti-comfort side, are treated as exceptions, and adjustment is performed to change the set temperature of the indoor units not falling under this exception to the set temperature related to the power saving state. An air conditioning control device comprising:

2. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1, The control instruction creation unit When the operating state of the air conditioner in the preceding stage is the power saving state, when any of the indoor units whose set temperature has been changed to the set temperature related to the power saving state transitions from the indoor unit thermo off state to the indoor unit thermo on state, among the indoor units whose set temperature has not been changed to the set temperature related to the power saving state as the exception, an adjustment is made to change the set temperature related to the indoor unit whose difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature is leaning toward the comfortable side to the set temperature related to the power saving state. An air conditioning control device comprising:

3. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1, A time rate of change recording unit is further provided which records a time rate of change of a current room temperature when the indoor unit thermo state for each of the indoor units is in an indoor unit thermo-on state, The control instruction creation unit Among the indoor units whose set temperature has not been changed to the set temperature related to the power saving state as the exception, when the grace period until the indoor unit thermo state related to the indoor unit transitions from the indoor unit thermo-on state to the indoor unit thermo-off state, which is calculated based on the time change rate for the indoor unit whose difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature leans toward the anti-comfort side, is equal to or less than a predetermined time threshold, the set temperature related to the indoor unit whose set temperature has been changed to the set temperature related to the power saving state and whose difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature leans toward the anti-comfort side is adjusted to return to the set temperature immediately before being changed to the set temperature related to the power saving state. An air conditioning control device comprising:

4. The air conditioning control device according to claim 3, The time change rate recording unit records a time change rate of the current room temperature when the indoor unit thermo state of each of the indoor units transitions from an indoor unit thermo-on state to an indoor unit thermo-off state. An air conditioning control device comprising:

5. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1, The integrated type air conditioner belongs to a plurality of air conditioning systems that make up a building air conditioning system, a power consumption acquisition unit that acquires power consumption related to the building air conditioning system; a target power setting unit that sets a target power, which is a target value for power consumption of the entire building in which the building air conditioning system is installed; The control instruction creation unit creates a control instruction to switch an operating state of the air conditioner belonging to at least one of the plurality of air conditioning systems from the default state to the power saving state when the power consumption is greater than the target power. An air conditioning control device comprising:

6. The air conditioning control device according to claim 5, The target power setting unit sets the target power based on a power saving request acquired from a host system. An air conditioning control device comprising:

7. The air conditioning control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The air conditioning information acquisition unit further acquires a protection state related to energy saving as the air conditioning information, The control instruction creation unit When switching the operating state of the air conditioner from the default state to the power saving state, an indoor unit for which a protection state related to energy saving is set as the air conditioning information is treated as an exception among the indoor units, and adjustment is performed to change the set temperature of the indoor unit not corresponding to this exception to a set temperature related to the power saving state. An air conditioning control device comprising:

8. An air conditioning control system comprising an integrated type air conditioner in which individual refrigerant piping provided in each of a plurality of indoor units is integrated and connected in communication with a shared refrigerant piping provided in an outdoor unit having a compressor, and an air conditioning control device that controls switching of an operating state related to the air conditioner to at least one of a default state and a power saving state, The air conditioning control device is an air conditioning information acquisition unit that acquires air conditioning information including an operating state, a set temperature, a current room temperature, and an indoor unit thermostat state for each of the plurality of indoor units; a control instruction creation unit that adjusts a set temperature of the indoor unit when switching an operating state of the air conditioner and creates a control instruction including the set temperature after the adjustment; a control instruction transmission unit that transmits the control instruction created by the control instruction creation unit to the indoor unit, The control instruction creation unit When switching the operating state of the air conditioner from the default state to the power saving state, among the indoor units whose indoor unit thermo state is the indoor unit thermo on state, at least one or more predetermined number of indoor units counting from the side where the difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature is leaning toward the anti-comfort side are considered as exceptions, and an adjustment is made to change the set temperature of the indoor units not falling under this exception to the set temperature related to the power saving state, The indoor unit corresponding to the exception performs air conditioning control operation according to the set temperature, The indoor units that do not fall under the exception perform air conditioning control operations according to the changed value of the set temperature. An air conditioning control system comprising:

9. 9. The air conditioning control system according to claim 8, The integrated type air conditioner and the air conditioning control device are electronically connected via a communication medium, Each of the plurality of indoor units is notifying the air conditioning information related to the indoor unit to the air conditioning control device; The air conditioning control device is A change value of the set temperature related to the power saving state is calculated based on the set temperature related to the indoor unit among the air conditioning information notified from the indoor unit not corresponding to the exception, and the calculated change value of the set temperature is notified to the indoor unit. An air conditioning control system comprising:

10. An air conditioning control method used in an air conditioning control device that controls switching an operating state of an integrated type air conditioner in which individual refrigerant piping provided in each of a plurality of indoor units is integrated and connected to a shared refrigerant piping provided in an outdoor unit having a compressor to either a default state or a power saving state, acquiring air conditioning information including an operating state, an indoor unit thermostat state, a set temperature, and a current room temperature for each of the plurality of indoor units; When switching the operating state of the air conditioner, adjusting the set temperature of the indoor unit and creating a control instruction including the adjusted set temperature; and transmitting the created control instruction to the indoor unit. In the step of generating the control instruction, When switching the operating state of the air conditioner from the default state to the power saving state, at least one or more predetermined number of indoor units, counting from the indoor units whose indoor unit thermo state is the indoor unit thermo on state and whose difference between the set temperature and the current room temperature leans toward the anti-comfort side, are treated as exceptions, and adjustment is performed to change the set temperature of the indoor units not falling under this exception to the set temperature related to the power saving state. An air conditioning control method comprising:

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