Ventilation control device

Abstract

To control humidity within a prescribed range while suppressing an amount of ventilation.SOLUTION: A ventilation control device for controlling a ventilator which performs ventilation in a building, includes: acquisition means for acquiring a CO2 concentration and a humidity in the building; and ventilation control means for controlling the ventilator so that the humidity falls within a prescribed range. When the CO2 concentration is lower than a prescribed threshold, the ventilation control means controls the ventilator in a first mode, in which an amount of ventilation is smaller than usual. When the CO2 concentration is higher than the prescribed threshold, the control means controls the ventilator in a second mode, in which the amount of ventilation is larger than that in the first mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a ventilation control device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioning control device that estimates the CO2 concentration inside a building from the air conditioning load by area, and the measured values ​​of the outside air CO2 concentration and the exhaust CO2 concentration, and controls the ventilation volume. This air conditioning control device can improve energy conservation by controlling ventilation with the amount of outside air introduced as small as possible. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-47579 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the air conditioning control device disclosed in Patent Document 1 was unable to control humidity to a predetermined range while suppressing the ventilation volume. In addition, the CO2 sensor requires periodic calibration, and if this calibration is neglected, the appropriate CO2 concentration cannot be measured, resulting in insufficient ventilation or an excessive ventilation volume.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and has an object to control humidity within a predetermined range while suppressing ventilation volume. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A ventilation control device that controls a ventilation device that performs ventilation in a building, An acquisition means for acquiring a CO2 concentration and a humidity in the building; a ventilation control means for controlling the ventilation device so that the humidity falls within a predetermined range; having The ventilation control means includes: When the CO2 concentration is lower than a predetermined threshold, the ventilation device is controlled in a first mode in which the ventilation amount is smaller than normal; When the CO2 concentration is higher than a predetermined threshold, the ventilation device is controlled in a second mode having a larger ventilation volume than the first mode. Ventilation control device. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to control the humidity within a predetermined range while suppressing the amount of ventilation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the ventilation control device according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a ventilation control device 1 according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a ventilation control process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a ventilation control process according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] <Summary> Hereinafter, a ventilation control system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an example of ventilating a building will be described, but this may be ventilation of the entire building or ventilation of a room (a dwelling unit) in the building.

[0010] The ventilation control system according to this embodiment appropriately controls the humidity inside a building such as a residence or a store by ventilating the building. For example, the ventilation control system according to this embodiment performs ventilation control so as to make the humidity in the indoor space appropriate. Here, the appropriate humidity differs depending on the season and how people feel, but is preferably, for example, 40% to 60%. Also, for example, the ventilation control system according to the present embodiment performs ventilation control in at least three modes: a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode.

[0011] The first mode (low ventilation volume) is a ventilation mode for adjusting humidity, in which the ventilation volume is controlled to be increased or decreased more than normal (predetermined standard) by comparing the absolute humidity by weight between the outside air and the room. Specifically, the weight absolute humidity of the outdoor air and the room is calculated from the temperature and humidity of the outdoor air and the room, and the control method is changed according to the relative humidity of the room. For example, if the relative humidity of the room falls below 40% in winter, ventilation is stopped or the amount of ventilation is kept as low as possible. If the relative humidity of the room exceeds 60% in any other season than winter, the amount of ventilation is increased if the weight absolute humidity of the outdoor air is lower than the weight absolute humidity of the room, and ventilation is stopped or kept as low as possible if it exceeds that, thereby controlling humidity. In general, the widely used 24-hour ventilation systems constantly ventilate a certain amount to meet the specified standard (changing at least half of the air in the living space per hour) to prevent sick house syndrome caused by the effects of chemicals. However, building materials that reduce the emission of chemicals are often used these days, and it is known that ventilation volumes lower than the above specified standard are not a problem. Here, by reducing the ventilation rate from normal levels, it is expected that the heat and excessive humidity in summer and the cold and dryness in winter can be suppressed. However, if there are people in the room with the ventilation rate reduced, the CO2 concentration may increase due to breathing, etc. Therefore, in the ventilation control system according to this embodiment, when the CO2 concentration inside the building (indoors) exceeds a predetermined threshold value Th1 (for example, 980 ppm), the ventilation is controlled to be performed in the second mode.

[0012] The second mode (ventilation volume: medium to high) is a mode in which, when the CO2 concentration in the building exceeds a predetermined threshold Th1 (for example, 980 ppm), the ventilation device 2 is operated to forcibly ventilate the building. In order to maintain the CO2 concentration in the building at 1000 ppm or less, it is preferable to set the predetermined threshold at 980 ppm. When the CO2 concentration falls below the predetermined threshold Th1, the mode is switched to the above-mentioned first mode. Some ventilation equipment allows multiple settings for the air volume. In that case, the threshold is also controlled in multiple steps, such as 700 ppm, 900 ppm, etc.

[0013] The third mode (ventilation volume: 0 to very low) is a mode in which, when the CO2 concentration inside the building is significantly lower than the threshold value set in the second mode, such as below 500 ppm, or when the power consumption in the building is significantly below a predetermined power value for a predetermined period of time (e.g., one day), the building is considered to be vacant and the ventilation device 2 is further restricted than in the first mode.

[0014] In this embodiment, a calibration mode may be provided. The calibration mode (high ventilation volume) is a mode in which, when the indoor CO2 concentration or the power consumption in the building falls below a specified power value for a specified period of time, it is assumed that no one is in the building, and the ventilation device 2 is operated to forcibly ventilate the building and then the CO2 sensor 4 is calibrated.

[0015] <Ventilation control system> The ventilation control system includes a ventilation control device 1 that controls a ventilation device that ventilates a building, a ventilation device 2, an air conditioning device 3, a CO2 sensor 4, a humidity sensor 5, a power consumption meter 6, a temperature sensor 7, and the like.

[0016] The ventilation control device 1 controls the ventilation device 2, the air conditioning device 3, and the like based on signals acquired by a CO2 sensor 4, a humidity sensor 5, a temperature sensor 7, a power consumption meter 6, and the like.

[0017] The ventilation device 2 (e.g., a ventilation fan) ventilates the inside of a building by exchanging the air inside the building with the outside air. Specifically, the ventilation device 2 ventilates the building by taking in the outside air through an air intake port provided in a wall or the like and discharging the air inside the building through an exhaust port. Air intakes are provided in each room in a building and are the flow paths through which outside air is naturally drawn into the building under the influence of atmospheric pressure. The ventilation device 2 is installed in spaces in a building where a lot of moisture is discharged, such as a bathroom, a toilet, and a kitchen.

[0018] The air conditioning device 3 is appropriately installed inside the building to regulate the temperature and humidity inside the building.

[0019] The CO2 sensor 4 is provided in a building to detect the CO2 concentration in the building. The CO2 sensor 4 is preferably provided in an exhaust duct of a ventilation fan or in a place where many people gather (for example, a living room).

[0020] The humidity sensor 5 is a sensor that is provided in an exhaust duct of a ventilation fan or inside a building, and detects the humidity inside the building.

[0021] The power consumption meter 6 is a device that detects the power consumption in a building or a specific room using a smart power meter, a smart distribution board, or an individual power meter.

[0022] The temperature sensor 7 is a sensor that is provided in an exhaust duct of a ventilation fan or inside a building, and detects the temperature inside the building.

[0023] <Hardware configuration> 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a ventilation control device 1 according to this embodiment. The ventilation control device 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a bus 14, an input / output interface 15, an output unit 16, an input unit 17, a storage unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20.

[0024] The CPU 11 executes various processes according to a program recorded in the ROM 12 or a program loaded from the storage unit 18 to the RAM 13. The RAM 13 also stores data and the like required for the CPU 11 to execute various processes. The CPU 11, the ROM 12, and the RAM 13 are interconnected via a bus 14. An input / output interface 15 is also connected to this bus 14.

[0025] An output unit 16, an input unit 17, a memory unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20 are connected to the input / output interface 15. The output unit 16 is composed of a display, a speaker, etc., and outputs various information as images and sounds. The input unit 17 is composed of a keyboard, a mouse, etc., and inputs various information. The memory unit 18 is composed of a hard disk, a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), etc., and stores various data. The communication unit 19 communicates with other devices via a network N including the Internet.

[0026] Removable media 21, which may be a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, is appropriately attached to the drive 20. Programs read from the removable media 21 by the drive 20 are installed in the storage unit 18 as necessary. The removable media 21 can also store various data stored in the storage unit 18 in the same manner as the storage unit 18.

[0027] <Functional configuration> 2 is a functional block diagram of the ventilation control device 1. The ventilation control device 1 according to this embodiment at least includes an acquisition unit 31, a ventilation control unit 32, and the like.

[0028] The acquisition unit 31 acquires the CO2 concentration inside the building by inputting a signal from the CO2 sensor 4. The acquisition unit 31 outputs the acquired CO2 concentration to the ventilation control unit 32 as a signal.

[0029] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 31 acquires the humidity inside the building by receiving a signal from the humidity sensor 5. The acquisition unit 31 converts the acquired humidity into a signal and outputs the signal to the ventilation control unit 32.

[0030] The acquisition unit 31 also acquires the power consumption in the building by receiving a signal from the power consumption meter 6. The acquisition unit 31 outputs the acquired power consumption as a signal to the ventilation control unit 32.

[0031] The acquisition unit 31 also acquires the outside air temperature outside the building by acquiring weather data for the location of the building via the communication unit 19. The acquisition unit 31 outputs the acquired outside air temperature as a signal to the ventilation control unit 32.

[0032] The acquisition unit 31 also acquires the room temperature of the building by receiving a signal from the temperature sensor 7. The acquisition unit 31 outputs the acquired room temperature as a signal to the ventilation control unit 32.

[0033] The ventilation control unit 32 controls the ventilation device 2 based on the various values ​​described above so that the humidity inside the building falls within a predetermined range. Further, the ventilation control unit 32 controls the ventilation device 2 in a first mode in which the ventilation amount is smaller than normal when the CO2 concentration is lower than a predetermined threshold value Th1, and controls the ventilation device 2 in a second mode in which the ventilation amount is larger than the first mode when the CO2 concentration is higher than the predetermined threshold value Th1.

[0034] Furthermore, when the power consumption is below a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time (for example, when no one is present), the ventilation control unit 32 controls the ventilator 2 in a third mode with a smaller ventilation amount than in the first mode. Furthermore, when the power consumption is below a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time, the ventilation control unit 32 controls the ventilator 2 in the second mode (calibration mode) and calibrates the CO2 concentration. In this way, in the second mode, for example, when outside air is taken in all at once, the CO2 concentration measured by the CO2 sensor can be set to the CO2 concentration of the outside air (e.g., 400 ppm), thereby calibrating the error of the CO2 sensor.

[0035] In addition, when the CO2 concentration falls below a predetermined value (e.g., 450 ppm) for a predetermined period of time (e.g., when no one is present), the ventilation control unit 32 controls the ventilation device 2 in a third mode with a smaller ventilation volume than the first mode. Furthermore, when the CO2 concentration falls below a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time, the ventilation control unit 32 may control the ventilator 2 in a second mode (calibration mode) and perform calibration of the CO2 concentration.

[0036] When the ventilation control unit 32 controls the ventilation device 2 so that the humidity inside the building falls within a predetermined range based on the various values ​​mentioned above, if at least one of the parameters among the outside air temperature outside the building, the room temperature of the building, and the insulation performance of the windows of the building is higher than the respective predetermined values ​​that are set, the upper limit value of the predetermined humidity range is set high.

[0037] Here, the smaller the value [W / m2K] of the thermal insulation performance of a window is, the better it is and the more likely it is to cause condensation, so the worse the thermal insulation performance is, the smaller the upper limit value mentioned above will be, and the better the thermal insulation performance is, the higher the upper limit value mentioned above will be.

[0038] In addition, when there are multiple CO2 sensors 4, the weighted average of the values ​​detected by each CO2 sensor 4 may be used as the CO2 concentration. In addition, when there are multiple humidity sensors 5, the weighted average of the values ​​detected by each humidity sensor 5 may be used as the humidity. In addition, when there are multiple temperature sensors 7, the weighted average of the values ​​detected by each temperature sensor 7 may be used as the room temperature.

[0039] In winter, the humidity outside the building is lower than inside the building, so the ventilation device 2 ventilates the building to reduce the humidity inside the building. Conversely, in summer, the humidity outside the building is higher than inside the building, so the ventilation device 2 ventilates the building to increase the humidity inside the building. To reduce the humidity inside the building in summer, the air conditioner 3 is operated in cooling or dry mode.

[0040] <Processing content> FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of transition from the first mode to the second mode. As shown in FIG. 3, when the ventilation device 2 is controlled in the first mode (ventilation volume: low) (step S11) and the CO2 concentration inside the building exceeds a predetermined threshold value Th1 (S12-YES), the ventilation control unit 32 transitions to the second mode (ventilation volume: medium to high) (step S13).

[0041] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of transition from the first mode through calibration to the third mode. As shown in FIG. 4, when the ventilation control unit 32 is controlling the ventilation device 2 in the first mode (step S21) and it determines that no one is present in the building (S22-YES), it transitions to the third mode (step S24) via calibration in the second mode (step S23).

[0042] <Advantageous Effects of the Present Embodiment> In this way, according to the ventilation control system of this embodiment, the humidity can be controlled within a predetermined range by suppressing the ventilation volume to the minimum necessary.

[0043] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the amount of ventilation inside the building can be reduced regardless of the season, and power consumption for air conditioning can be reduced.

[0044] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, by keeping the humidity inside the building within a predetermined range, it is not necessary to use a humidifier, for example, and therefore it is possible to save the trouble of maintenance such as cleaning the humidifier. In addition, it is possible to suppress condensation caused by frequent use of the humidifier and the growth of mold caused by condensation.

[0045] <Modification> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes and modifications are possible.

[0046] For example, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which the ventilation device 2 performs type 3 ventilation, but this is not limited to this, and the ventilation device may also perform type 1 ventilation or type 2 ventilation.

[0047] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which weather data from the location of the building is used as the outside air temperature outside the building, but this is not limited to this, and a value detected by an outside air temperature sensor installed outside the building may also be used.

[0048] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which when it is determined that there are no people in the building, calibration is performed and then the transition to the third mode is made; however, this is not limited to this, and it is sufficient that when it is determined that there are no people in the building, calibration and the transition to the third mode can be made, and the timing of calibration and the third mode may be set as appropriate.

[0049] <Other> Also, for example, the above-mentioned series of processes can be executed by hardware or software. In other words, the above-mentioned functional configuration is merely an example and is not particularly limited. That is, it is sufficient that the information processing system is provided with a function capable of executing the above-mentioned series of processes as a whole, and the type of functional block used to realize this function is not particularly limited to the above example. In addition, the location of the functional block is not particularly limited and may be arbitrary. For example, the functional block of the ventilation control device may be transferred to another device or the like. Conversely, the functional block of the other device may be transferred to the ventilation control device or the like. In addition, one functional block may be configured as a single piece of hardware, may be configured as a single piece of software, or may be configured as a combination of them.

[0050] When a series of processes is executed by software, a program constituting the software is installed in a computer or the like from a network or a recording medium. The computer may be a computer built into dedicated hardware. The computer may also be a computer capable of executing various functions by installing various programs, such as a server, a general-purpose smartphone, or a personal computer.

[0051] The recording medium containing such a program may be configured not only as a removable medium (not shown) distributed separately from the device main body in order to provide the program to the user, etc., but also as a recording medium etc. provided to the user in a state in which the medium is pre-installed in the device main body. Since the program can be distributed via a network, the recording medium may be mounted on or accessible to a computer connected or connectable to the network.

[0052] In this specification, the steps describing the program recorded on the recording medium include not only processes performed in chronological order, but also processes that are not necessarily performed in chronological order but are performed in parallel or individually. In addition, in this specification, the term "system" refers to an overall device composed of multiple devices, multiple means, etc.

[0053] In other words, the ventilation control device to which the present invention is applied can take various embodiments having the following configurations. (1) That is, a ventilation control device that controls a ventilation device that ventilates a building, the ventilation control device having an acquisition means for acquiring a CO2 concentration and humidity inside the building, and a ventilation control means for controlling the ventilation device so that the humidity falls within a predetermined range, the ventilation control means controlling the ventilation device in a first mode with a lower ventilation volume than normal when the CO2 concentration is lower than a predetermined threshold, and controlling the ventilation device in a second mode with a higher ventilation volume than the first mode when the CO2 concentration is higher than the predetermined threshold.

[0054] (2) Furthermore, the acquisition means acquires power consumption in the building, and when the power consumption is below a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time, the ventilation control means controls the ventilation device in a third mode having a lower ventilation volume than the first mode.

[0055] (3) When the power consumption is below a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time, the ventilation control means may control the ventilation device in the second mode and calibrate the CO2 concentration.

[0056] (4) When the CO2 concentration falls below a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time, the ventilation control means may control the ventilation device in a third mode having a smaller ventilation amount than the first mode.

[0057] (5) When the CO2 concentration is below a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time, the ventilation control means may control the ventilation device in the second mode and calibrate the CO2 concentration.

[0058] (6) The ventilation control means acquires at least one of parameters selected from the outside air temperature outside the building, the room temperature of the building, and the insulation performance of the windows of the building, and when the parameter is higher than a predetermined value, the ventilation control means sets a high upper limit value within the predetermined range of humidity. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1: ventilation control device, 2: ventilation device, 3: air conditioner, 4: CO2 sensor, 5: humidity sensor, 6: power consumption meter, 7: temperature sensor, 11: CPU, 31: acquisition unit 31: ventilation control unit

Claims

1. A ventilation control device that controls a ventilation device that performs ventilation in a building, An acquisition means for acquiring a CO2 concentration and a humidity in the building; a ventilation control means for controlling the ventilation device so that the humidity falls within a predetermined range; having The ventilation control means includes: When the CO2 concentration is lower than a predetermined threshold, the ventilation device is controlled in a first mode in which the ventilation amount is smaller than normal; When the CO2 concentration is higher than a predetermined threshold, the ventilation device is controlled in a second mode having a larger ventilation amount than the first mode. Ventilation control device.

2. The acquisition means acquires power consumption in a building, the ventilation control means controls the ventilation device in a third mode having a smaller ventilation amount than the first mode when the power consumption is below a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time. The ventilation control device according to claim 1 .

3. The ventilation control means controls the ventilation device in the second mode and calibrates the CO2 concentration when the power consumption is below a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time. The ventilation control device according to claim 2 .

4. The ventilation control means controls the ventilation device in a third mode having a smaller ventilation amount than the first mode when the CO2 concentration is below a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time. The ventilation control device according to claim 1 .

5. The ventilation control means controls the ventilation device in the second mode and calibrates the CO2 concentration when the CO2 concentration is below a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time. The ventilation control device according to claim 4.

6. The ventilation control means acquires at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of an outside air temperature outside the building, an indoor room temperature of the building, and an insulating performance of a window of the building, The ventilation control means sets an upper limit value of the predetermined range of humidity to a high value when the parameter is higher than a predetermined value. The ventilation control device according to claim 1 .

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