Air conditioner and control method of the same

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner which can deal with a load in a peak period and enables power saving operation in a period other than the peak period.SOLUTION: An air conditioner 1 includes: a latent heat unit 10 having a latent heat coil 11 and a latent heat blower 12 which sends air whose temperature is adjusted by the latent heat coil 11 to an air conditioning space; a sensible heat unit 20 having a sensible heat coil 21 and a sensible heat blower 22 which sends air whose temperature is adjusted by the sensible heat coil 21 to the air conditioning space; a ventilation unit 30 having a ventilating blower 32 which sends air to the air conditioning space; and a control unit 42 which operates one or more units of the latent heat unit 10, the sensible heat unit 20, and the ventilation unit 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner or the like that adjusts the temperature of air, etc. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional air conditioners perform all of the functions of blowing air, adjusting temperature, and adjusting humidity in one unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In such air conditioners, the maximum output is set so that the target temperature and humidity can be adjusted even during peak load times, such as in midsummer when many people are present in the air-conditioned space, and so a blower and coil that consume a lot of energy are used. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-115053 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Air conditioners operate at maximum output only for a very short period of the year. During other periods, air conditioners operate at low output. Even when operating at such low output, conventional air conditioners use fans and coils that consume a lot of energy, so there is a problem that the degree of energy reduction is limited. For example, even if it is possible to operate an air conditioner at 30% of maximum output, there is a problem that the air conditioner will be operated at excessive output because the maximum output is set high.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an air conditioner or the like that can handle peak load times and can perform energy-saving operation outside of peak load times. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an air conditioning device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises at least two units selected from the group consisting of a latent heat unit having a latent heat coil and a latent heat blower that sends air whose temperature has been adjusted by the latent heat coil to the air-conditioned space, a sensible heat unit having a sensible heat coil and a sensible heat blower that sends air whose temperature has been adjusted by the sensible heat coil to the air-conditioned space, and a blower unit having a blower that sends air to the air-conditioned space. With this configuration, for example, during peak load times, all units in the air conditioning system can be operated, and during non-peak load times, one or more units can be turned off, allowing for energy-saving air conditioning.

[0007] The air conditioner according to an aspect of the present invention may include a latent heat unit, a sensible heat unit, and a blower unit. With this configuration, it becomes possible to adjust humidity, adjust temperature, and blow air by operating each unit.

[0008] In addition, in an air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present invention, the latent heat unit further has a return air blower which at least one of exhausts and blows the return air from the air-conditioned space to the latent heat blower, the latent heat coil adjusts the temperature of at least one of the outside air and the return air blown by the return air blower possessed by the latent heat unit, the sensible heat unit further has a return air blower which at least one of exhausts and blows the return air from the air-conditioned space to the sensible heat blower, the sensible heat coil adjusts the temperature of at least one of the outside air and the return air blown by the return air blower possessed by the sensible heat unit, the blower unit further has a return air blower which at least one of exhausts and blows the return air from the air-conditioned space to the blower blower, and the blower blows at least one of the outside air and the return air blown by the return air blower possessed by the blower unit. With this configuration, for example, it becomes possible to perform dehumidification, temperature adjustment, and blowing of mixed air obtained by mixing outside air and return air.

[0009] Moreover, the air conditioner according to an aspect of the present invention may further include a control unit that operates one or more of the latent heat unit, the sensible heat unit, and the air blower unit. With this configuration, for example, the control unit can stop one or more units from operating, thereby making it possible to perform energy-saving air conditioning.

[0010] In addition, in an air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present invention, when the latent heat unit and the sensible heat unit are at least operated by the control unit, cold water from a heat source equipment having a chiller is supplied to the latent heat coil, and cold water obtained by mixing cold water discharged from the latent heat coil and cold water from the heat source equipment is supplied to the sensible heat coil, and the control unit may control the mixing ratio of the cold water discharged from the latent heat coil and the cold water from the heat source equipment so that the cold water supplied to the sensible heat coil is at a desired temperature. With this configuration, the cold water that has passed through the latent heat coil can be reused in the sensible heat coil, thereby promoting energy savings.

[0011] In addition, an air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present invention further includes an acquisition unit that acquires the temperature and humidity of the outside air, the temperature and humidity of the return air, the temperature and humidity of the air-conditioned space, the occupancy density in the air-conditioned space, and the carbon dioxide concentration in the air-conditioned space, and the control unit may operate one or more of the latent heat unit, the sensible heat unit, and the blower unit based on the results acquired by the acquisition unit and the target temperature and target humidity of the air-conditioned space. With this configuration, one or more units can be operated based on the outside air temperature, etc.

[0012] In addition, in an air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present invention, the control unit may determine the volume of supply air supplied to the air-conditioned space based on the occupancy density in the air-conditioned space, determine the proportion of outside air contained in the supply air based on the carbon dioxide concentration in the air-conditioned space, determine whether to operate the latent heat unit based on the proportion of outside air, the temperature and humidity of the outside air, the temperature and humidity of the return air, the temperature and humidity of the air-conditioned space, and the target temperature and target humidity of the air-conditioned space, determine whether to operate the sensible heat unit based on the proportion of outside air, the temperature of the outside air, the temperature of the return air, the temperature of the air-conditioned space, and the target temperature of the air-conditioned space, determine whether to operate the blower unit based on the volume of supply air, and control the latent heat unit, sensible heat unit, and blower unit depending on the determination results. With this configuration, optimal control can be achieved according to the obtained results, thereby achieving energy-saving air conditioning without sacrificing comfort in the air-conditioned space.

[0013] In addition, in an air conditioning device according to one aspect of the present invention, when the latent heat unit and the sensible heat unit are operated, the control unit may control the temperature and humidity in the latent heat unit to be adjusted using the air from the outside or the return air, whichever has the higher absolute humidity. With this configuration, efficient dehumidification can be achieved.

[0014] Furthermore, a method for controlling an air conditioner according to one aspect of the present invention includes a latent heat unit having a latent heat coil, a latent heat blower that sends air whose temperature has been adjusted by the latent heat coil to an air-conditioned space, and a return air blower that performs at least one of exhaust and blowing of return air from the air-conditioned space to the latent heat blower, a sensible heat unit having a sensible heat coil, a sensible heat blower that sends air whose temperature has been adjusted by the sensible heat coil to the air-conditioned space, and a return air blower that performs at least one of exhaust and blowing of return air from the air-conditioned space to the sensible heat blower, and a blower that sends air to the air-conditioned space, and a blower that blows the return air from the air-conditioned space to the exhaust and blower and a blower unit having a return air blower that performs at least one of the above, wherein the latent heat coil adjusts the temperature of at least one of the outside air and the return air blown by the return air blower of the latent heat unit, the sensible heat coil adjusts the temperature of at least one of the outside air and the return air blown by the return air blower of the sensible heat unit, and the blower blows at least one of the outside air and the return air blown by the return air blower of the blower unit, and the method includes the steps of operating one or more of the latent heat unit, the sensible heat unit, and the blower unit. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to an air conditioner according to one aspect of the present invention, for example, during peak load times, all units of the air conditioner can be operated, and during non-peak times, one or more units can be not operated, thereby enabling energy-saving air conditioning. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration related to control of an air conditioner according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a piping system in the air conditioning device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4]A flowchart showing the operation of the air conditioner according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of a piping system in the air conditioning device according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] An air conditioner and a method for controlling the air conditioner according to the present invention will be described below using an embodiment. In the following embodiments, components and steps with the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent, and repeated explanations may be omitted. The air conditioner according to this embodiment includes a latent heat unit that performs latent heat processing, a sensible heat unit that performs sensible heat processing, and a blower unit that blows air, and operates one or more units depending on the acquired results such as temperature.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioner 1 according to this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration related to the control of the air conditioner 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a piping system for supplying cold water to the latent heat coil 11 and the sensible heat coil 21.

[0019] The air conditioner 1 conditions the air in the air-conditioned space 3, and includes a latent heat unit 10 for dehumidification, a sensible heat unit 20 for adjusting the temperature of the air, a blower unit 30 for blowing air, an acquisition unit 41 for acquiring information such as the temperature and humidity of the air-conditioned space 3, and a control unit 42 for controlling the latent heat unit 10, the sensible heat unit 20, and the blower unit 30 based on the acquisition results by the acquisition unit 41. The air-conditioned space 3 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, an office, a commercial facility, a store, a station, an airport, an underground mall, or the like. The air-conditioned space 3 may be, for example, a space where people come and go. In this embodiment, the case where the air-conditioned space 3 is cooled will be mainly described.

[0020] The latent heat unit 10 is a unit that performs latent heat treatment to adjust the humidity of the air, and has a latent heat coil 11, a latent heat blower 12, and a return air blower 13, and may have dampers 14 to 16 as necessary. The damper 14 adjusts the volume of air exhausted (EA) by the return air blower 13, the damper 15 adjusts the volume of outside air (OA) taken in by the latent heat blower 12, and the damper 16 may adjust the volume of return air (RA) blown from the return air blower 13 to the latent heat blower 12.

[0021] The latent heat coil 11 is a heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature and humidity of the air. To adjust the humidity, i.e., to perform dehumidification, cold water at a temperature equal to or lower than the dew point temperature of the air passing through the latent heat coil 11 may be supplied to the latent heat coil 11. As an example, cold water at 8°C may be supplied to the latent heat coil 11.

[0022] The latent heat blower 12 sends air whose temperature has been adjusted by the latent heat coil 11 to the air-conditioned space 3. Since the latent heat coil 11 adjusts the temperature and humidity, the air whose temperature has been adjusted by the latent heat coil 11 is, strictly speaking, air whose temperature has been adjusted by the latent heat coil 11. The latent heat blower 12 may blow at least one of outside air and return air. The ratio of outside air to return air may be changed, for example, by adjusting the airflow rates of the dampers 15 and 16.

[0023] The return air blower 13 exhausts the return air from the air-conditioned space 3 and / or blows it to the latent heat blower 12. The ratio of exhaust air and blowing air to the latent heat blower 12 may be changed, for example, by adjusting the air volumes of the dampers 14, 16. The return air blown by the return air blower 13 to the latent heat blower 12 is subject to temperature adjustment by the latent heat coil 11. Therefore, in the latent heat coil 11, the temperature of at least one of the outside air and the return air blown by the return air blower 13 is adjusted.

[0024] Sensible heat unit 20 is a unit that performs sensible heat processing to adjust the temperature of air, and has sensible heat coil 21, sensible heat blower 22, and return air blower 23, and may have dampers 24 to 26 as necessary. Damper 24 adjusts the volume of air exhausted by return air blower 23, damper 25 adjusts the volume of outside air taken in by sensible heat blower 22, and damper 26 may adjust the volume of return air blown from return air blower 23 to sensible heat blower 22.

[0025] The sensible heat coil 21 is a heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature of the air. Since dehumidification is not performed, cold water at a temperature higher than the dew point temperature of the air passing through the sensible heat coil 21 may be supplied to the sensible heat coil 21. In other words, the temperature of the cold water supplied to the sensible heat coil 21 may be higher than the temperature of the cold water supplied to the latent heat coil 11. As an example, cold water at 13°C may be supplied to the sensible heat coil 21.

[0026] The latent heat coil 11 and the sensible heat coil 21 may have the same configuration except for the temperature of the cold water supplied, or the latent heat coil 11 may be capable of holding more cold water than the sensible heat coil 21. In this case, for example, the number of rows of the latent heat coil 11 may be greater than the number of rows of the sensible heat coil 21.

[0027] Sensible heat blower 22 sends air whose temperature has been adjusted by sensible heat coil 21 to air-conditioned space 3. Sensible heat blower 22 may blow at least one of outside air and return air. The ratio of outside air to return air may be changed by adjusting the airflow rates of dampers 25 and 26, for example.

[0028] The return air blower 23 exhausts the return air from the air-conditioned space 3 and / or blows it to the sensible heat blower 22. The ratio of exhaust air to blowing air to the sensible heat blower 22 may be changed, for example, by adjusting the air volumes of the dampers 24, 26. The return air blown to the sensible heat blower 22 by the return air blower 23 is subject to temperature adjustment by the sensible heat coil 21. Therefore, in the sensible heat coil 21, the temperature of at least one of the outside air and the return air blown by the return air blower 23 of the sensible heat unit 20 is adjusted.

[0029] The air blowing unit 30 is a unit that performs air blowing processing, and has an air blower 32 for blowing air and an air return blower 33, and may have dampers 34 to 36 as necessary. The damper 34 adjusts the volume of air exhausted by the air return blower 33, the damper 35 adjusts the volume of outside air taken in by the air blower 32 for blowing air, and the damper 36 may adjust the volume of return air blown from the air return blower 33 to the air blower 32 for blowing air.

[0030] The blower 32 sends air to the air-conditioned space 3. The air blown by the blower 32 is air whose temperature and humidity have not been adjusted. The blower 32 may blow at least one of outside air and return air. The ratio of outside air to return air may be changed by adjusting the airflow rates of the dampers 35 and 36, for example.

[0031] The return air blower 33 at least exhausts the return air from the air-conditioned space 3 and sends it to the blower 32. Therefore, the blower 32 blows at least one of the outside air and the return air blown by the return air blower 33 of the blowing unit 30. The ratio of exhaust air and air sent to the blower 32 may be changed by adjusting the air volumes of the dampers 34, 36, for example.

[0032] The capacity of the blowers and coils of each unit may be determined so that the total capacity of the blowers and coils of all units in the air conditioner 1 according to this embodiment is approximately the same as the capacity of the blowers and coils of a conventional air conditioner. In this way, for example, by operating all units, it is possible to perform air conditioning at the same level as a conventional air conditioner, and by reducing the number of units to be operated, it is possible to perform air conditioning with less energy than a conventional air conditioner. As an example, the maximum air volume of the blowers of each unit may be 1 / 3 of the maximum air volume of the blowers of a conventional air conditioner.

[0033] Furthermore, the volume of the supply air supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 may be adjusted, for example, by a blower in each unit, or by a variable air volume device (VAV: Variable Air Volume) provided in a duct through which the supply air passes. When adjusting the volume of the air by a blower, a blower capable of adjusting the volume of the air, for example, an inverter-controlled blower or a blower using a DC motor, may be used in each unit.

[0034] The dampers 14-16, 24-26, 34-36 may be, for example, motor dampers, and the air volume may be adjusted by the control unit 42. For example, in the latent heat unit 10, the air volumes of the dampers 15 and 16 may be adjusted to change the ratio of outside air in the air supplied from the latent heat unit 10 to the air-conditioned space 3. Also, in the latent heat unit 10, the air volumes of the dampers 14 and 16 may be adjusted to change the ratio of exhaust air in the return air to the latent heat unit 10. The same applies to the sensible heat unit 20 and the blower unit 30. Also, in order to prevent the air sent from each unit to the air-conditioned space 3 from flowing back into the other units, the supply air output from each unit may be supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 via a backflow prevention damper provided in each duct.

[0035] The acquisition unit 41 acquires the temperature and humidity of the outside air, the temperature and humidity of the return air, the temperature and humidity of the air-conditioned space 3, the occupancy density in the air-conditioned space 3, and the carbon dioxide concentration in the air-conditioned space 3. The temperature may be the so-called dry-bulb temperature. The humidity may be, for example, relative humidity or absolute humidity. In addition, information other than humidity may be acquired as long as it is information that can acquire humidity as a result. For example, humidity can be acquired using the dry-bulb temperature and wet-bulb temperature of the air. Therefore, acquiring the temperature and humidity of the air may be, for example, acquiring the dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity of the air, or acquiring the dry-bulb temperature and wet-bulb temperature of the air. In this embodiment, a case where the humidity acquired by the acquisition unit 41 is relative humidity will be mainly described.

[0036] The temperature and humidity of the outside air may be acquired, for example, by a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the outside air and a humidity sensor that measures the humidity of the outside air. The temperature and humidity of the outside air may be measured, for example, near the intake of the outside air. The temperature and humidity of the return air may be acquired, for example, by a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the return air and a humidity sensor that measures the humidity of the return air. The temperature and humidity of the return air are preferably measured in the latent heat unit 10, the sensible heat unit 20, and the blower unit 30, or near each unit. It is also preferable to measure the temperature and humidity of the return air of the unit that is operating, i.e., the unit that is blowing air. When all the units are not operating, for example, the temperature and humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 may be used as the temperature and humidity of the return air. The temperature and humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 may be acquired, for example, by a temperature sensor arranged in the air-conditioned space 3 and a humidity sensor arranged in the air-conditioned space 3. When the air-conditioned space 3 is large, measurements may be performed at multiple locations, and the representative values ​​may be used as the temperature and humidity of the air-conditioned space 3. The representative value may be, for example, an average value or a median value. Also, as described above, for example, the wet bulb temperature may be acquired instead of the humidity.

[0037] The human density in the air-conditioned space 3 may be obtained, for example, by acquiring the number of people present in the air-conditioned space 3 and dividing the number by the area of ​​the air-conditioned space 3. The calculation of the human density may be performed, for example, by the acquisition unit 41, or may be performed by another device. In the latter case, the acquisition unit 41 may receive the calculated human density. The number of people present in the air-conditioned space 3 may be obtained, for example, by using a photographed image taken by a camera. The number of people may be obtained by detecting people in the photographed image and counting the detected people. When the air-conditioned space 3 is large, the number of people present in the air-conditioned space 3 may be obtained by using photographed images taken by two or more cameras. The number of people present in the air-conditioned space 3 may also be obtained by using other methods. For example, the acquisition unit 41 may acquire the number of people present in the air-conditioned space 3 by using a MAC (Media Access Control) address included in a wireless signal transmitted from a mobile terminal such as a smartphone. In addition, the acquisition unit 41 may acquire the number of people present in the air-conditioned space 3 by acquiring the number of people who have entered the air-conditioned space 3 and the number of people who have left the air-conditioned space 3 at the entrance and exit of the air-conditioned space 3, for example.

[0038] The carbon dioxide concentration in the air-conditioned space 3 may be measured, for example, by a CO2 sensor arranged in the air-conditioned space 3. If the air-conditioned space 3 is large, measurements may be taken at multiple locations and a representative value may be used as the carbon dioxide concentration in the air-conditioned space 3. The representative value may be, for example, an average value or a median value.

[0039] The acquisition unit 41 may include sensors such as a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, or may receive information from sensors such as a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor in a wired or wireless manner.

[0040] The control unit 42 operates one or more units among the latent heat unit 10, the sensible heat unit 20, and the blower unit 30. The control unit 42 may operate one or more units among the latent heat unit 10, the sensible heat unit 20, and the blower unit 30, for example, based on the acquisition result by the acquisition unit 41 and the target temperature and target humidity of the air-conditioned space 3. Details of this control will be described later. Note that, when the information acquired by the acquisition unit 41 satisfies a predetermined condition, such as the temperature and humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 being close to the target temperature and target humidity, the control unit 42 may not operate any of the units. In addition, the control unit 42 may control, for example, the heat source device 5. For example, when the latent heat unit 10 is not operated and the sensible heat unit 20 is operated, the control unit 42 may control the heat source device 5 to increase the temperature of the supplied cold water, and when the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20 are not operated, the control unit 42 may control the heat source device 5 to stop the supply of cold water.

[0041] The control unit 42 may control the temperature of the cold water supplied to the sensible heat coil 21. This control will be described with reference to FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the heat source device 5 may generate cold water using cooling water supplied from a cooling tower 5, and may return the used cooling water with a high temperature to the cooling tower 5. The cold water generated by the heat source device 5 may be supplied to the latent heat coil 11 and the sensible heat coil 21 via a pipe 61. The flow rate of the cold water supplied from the heat source device 5 to the latent heat coil 11 may be adjusted by a flow rate adjustment valve 51, and the flow rate of the cold water supplied from the heat source device 5 to the sensible heat coil 21 may be adjusted by a flow rate adjustment valve 54. The cold water discharged from the latent heat coil 11 may be supplied to the sensible heat coil 21 via a pipe 63. The flow rate of the cold water supplied from the latent heat coil 11 to the sensible heat coil 21 via the pipe 63 may be adjusted by a flow rate adjustment valve 53. Furthermore, the cold water discharged from the latent heat coil 11 and the sensible heat coil 21 may be returned to the heat source equipment 5 via the piping 62. Of the cold water discharged from the latent heat coil 11, the flow rate of the cold water returning to the heat source equipment 5 may be adjusted by the flow rate control valve 52. Furthermore, the temperature of the cold water supplied to the sensible heat coil 21 may be measured by a temperature sensor 55. The temperature measurement by this temperature sensor 55 may be performed, for example, between the connection point of the piping 61, 63 and the sensible heat coil 21. Although not shown in FIG. 3, the piping 61 may have a pump for sending the cold water to the latent heat coil 11, etc.

[0042] The control unit 42 may control the mixing ratio of the cold water discharged from the latent heat coil 11 and the cold water from the heat source device 5 so that the cold water supplied to the sensible heat coil 21 has a desired temperature when at least the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20 are operated. More specifically, when both the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20 are operated, the control unit 42 may supply the cold water from the heat source device 5 to the latent heat coil 11 by opening the flow rate adjustment valve 51. The control unit 42 may also open the flow rate adjustment valves 53 and 54 so that the cold water discharged from the latent heat coil 11 and the cold water from the heat source device 5 are mixed and supplied to the sensible heat coil 21. When the water pressure of the pipe 61 is higher than the water pressure of the pipe 63, the control unit 42 may only slightly open the flow rate adjustment valve 54. The control unit 42 may also obtain the temperature of the cold water supplied to the sensible heat coil 21 measured by the temperature sensor 55, and adjust the flow rate control valves 53, 54 so that the temperature becomes a target temperature. For example, when lowering the temperature of the cold water supplied to the sensible heat coil 21, the flow rate control valves 53, 54 may be adjusted so that more cold water from the heat source device 5 is supplied to the sensible heat coil 21, and when raising the temperature of the cold water supplied to the sensible heat coil 21, the flow rate control valves 53, 54 may be adjusted so that more cold water from the latent heat coil 11 is supplied to the sensible heat coil 21. The control unit 42 may also adjust the flow rate control valve 52 according to the flow rate of the cold water passing through the flow rate control valve 53, so that the cold water is appropriately discharged from the latent heat coil 11. As an example, when the cold water supplied from the heat source device 5 is 8°C, the flow rate control valves 53, 54 may be adjusted by the control unit 42 so that cold water of 13°C is supplied to the sensible heat coil 21. In this way, the control unit 42 can provide cold water at a target temperature to the sensible heat coil 21 by using the cold water discharged from the latent heat coil 11 and the cold water from the heat source device 5. In addition, by reusing the cold water discharged from the latent heat coil 11, the energy saving effect can be enhanced.

[0043] When the latent heat unit 10 is not operated, the control unit 42 may close the flow rate control valve 51 so that cold water is not supplied to the latent heat coil 11. In this case, only cold water from the heat source equipment 5 may be supplied to the sensible heat coil 21. Since the cold water supplied to the sensible heat coil 21 may have a higher temperature than the cold water supplied to the latent heat coil 11, when the latent heat unit 10 is not operated, the control unit 42 may control the heat source equipment 5 to increase the temperature of the cold water supplied by the heat source equipment 5.

[0044] Furthermore, when sensible heat unit 20 is not operated, control unit 42 may close flow rate control valves 53 and 54 so that cold water is not supplied to sensible heat coil 21. In this case, control unit 42 may fully open flow rate control valve 52.

[0045] Next, the control of latent heat unit 10, sensible heat unit 20, and blower unit 30 by control unit 42 using the results acquired by acquisition unit 41 will be described. First, the control unit 42 may determine the air volume of the supply air supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 based on the occupancy density in the air-conditioned space 3 acquired by the acquisition unit 41. For example, the air volume may be determined so that the air volume of the supply air increases as the occupancy density in the air-conditioned space 3 increases. The relationship between the occupancy density and the air volume of the supply air may be represented by, for example, a table or a function, and the control unit 42 may use these to determine the air volume according to the occupancy density. As an example, when the occupancy density in the air-conditioned space 3 is 0.4 people / m 2 exceeding this limit, the control unit 42 may determine the air volume of the supply air to be the maximum air volume, i.e., the maximum air volume that can be realized by the three units. Note that, for example, when the air volume of the supply air supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 is adjusted by a variable air volume device, the control unit 42 may control the variable air volume device in accordance with the determined air volume. Also, for example, when the air volume of the supply air supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 is adjusted by a fan of each unit, the control unit 42 may control each fan of the target unit to be operated so as to realize the determined air volume.

[0046] Note that, when determining the volume of supply air, the control unit 42 may use the temperature of the air-conditioned space 3 acquired by the acquisition unit 41 and the target temperature of the air-conditioned space 3. For example, when the absolute value of the difference between the temperature of the air-conditioned space 3 and the target temperature is smaller than a first threshold value and the occupancy density in the air-conditioned space 3 is smaller than a second threshold value, the control unit 42 may determine the volume of supply air supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 to be 0. The first threshold value is preferably, for example, a positive real number that is small enough to determine that both temperatures are substantially the same. For example, the first threshold value may be 1°C or 2°C. The second threshold value is preferably, for example, a positive real number that is small enough to determine that there are substantially few people in the air-conditioned space 3. For example, the second threshold value is preferably 0.1 people / m 2 or 0.05 people / m 2 etc. When the volume of air supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 becomes zero, the control unit 42 may, for example, stop the operation of all units. In this case, the air supply by the air conditioner 1 is stopped, and the volume of return air also becomes zero. Therefore, it becomes impossible to measure the temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration of the air-conditioned space 3 using the return air. Therefore, when there is a possibility that the volume of air supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 will become zero, it is preferable that the temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration of the air-conditioned space 3 be measured directly in the air-conditioned space 3.

[0047] The control unit 42 may determine the proportion of outside air contained in the supply air based on the carbon dioxide concentration in the air-conditioned space 3 acquired by the acquisition unit 41. For example, the proportion of outside air may be determined such that the proportion of outside air contained in the supply air supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 increases as the carbon dioxide concentration in the air-conditioned space 3 increases. The relationship between the carbon dioxide concentration and the proportion of outside air is represented by, for example, a table or a function, and the control unit 42 may use them to determine the proportion of outside air according to the carbon dioxide concentration.

[0048] The control unit 42 may determine whether to operate the latent heat unit 10 based on the determined ratio of outside air, the temperature and humidity of the outside air, the temperature and humidity of the return air, and the temperature and humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 acquired by the acquisition unit 41, and the target temperature and target humidity of the air-conditioned space 3. The target temperature and target humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 are stored in a recording medium (not shown), and the control unit 42 may read and use them. The target temperature and target humidity may be set, for example, by a user or the like, or may be set by a central control device.

[0049] The control unit 42 may, for example, use information such as the determined ratio of outside air and the acquired temperature and humidity of the outside air to determine whether dehumidification is necessary for the mixed air of outside air and return air mixed in the determined ratio, and may decide to operate the latent heat unit 10 if dehumidification is necessary, and may decide not to operate the latent heat unit 10 if dehumidification is not necessary.

[0050] Whether or not dehumidification is necessary for the mixed air may be determined, for example, as follows. The control unit 42 can obtain the current absolute humidity of the mixed air of the outside air and the return air mixed at the determined ratio by using the determined ratio of the outside air, the acquired temperature and humidity of the outside air, and the acquired temperature and humidity of the return air. The control unit 42 can obtain the current absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 by using the acquired temperature and humidity of the air-conditioned space 3. The control unit 42 can obtain the target absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 by using the target temperature and target humidity of the air-conditioned space 3. The absolute humidity may be obtained by using a psychrometric chart, for example.

[0051] The control unit 42 may also determine the absolute humidity of the supply air to be supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 based on, for example, the current absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 and the target absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3. For example, when the current absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 is equal to or lower than the target absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3, the absolute humidity of the supply air may be determined to be the target absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3, and when the current absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 is higher than the target absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3, the absolute humidity of the supply air may be determined to be lower than the target absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3. Note that when the current absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 is higher than the target absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3, the greater the difference between the two absolute humidities, the lower the absolute humidity of the supply air may be determined to be. The control unit 42 may then determine that dehumidification is necessary, for example, when dehumidification is necessary to change the absolute humidity of the current mixed air to the absolute humidity of the supply air.

[0052] More specifically, the control unit 42 may determine that dehumidification is necessary when the result of subtracting the absolute humidity of the supply air from the absolute humidity of the current mixed air is greater than the third threshold value, and may determine that dehumidification is not necessary when the result of the subtraction is smaller than the third threshold value. Note that, for example, when the result of the subtraction is equal to the third threshold value, it may or may not determine that dehumidification is necessary. The third threshold value is a real number equal to or greater than 0, and is preferably a value small enough to determine that the two absolute humidities are substantially equal when the result of subtracting the absolute humidity of the supply air from the absolute humidity of the current mixed air is equal to or greater than 0 and smaller than the third threshold value. For example, the third threshold value may be 0.0001 kg / kg (DA), etc.

[0053] The control unit 42 may determine whether dehumidification of the mixed air is necessary by a method different from that described above. For example, the control unit 42 may determine that dehumidification is necessary when the current absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 is higher than the target humidity and dehumidification is necessary to bring the current absolute humidity of the mixed air to the target absolute humidity, and may determine that dehumidification is not necessary when this is not the case.

[0054] The control unit 42 may decide whether to operate the sensible heat unit 20 based on the determined proportion of outside air, the temperature of the outside air, the temperature of the return air, and the temperature of the air-conditioned space 3 acquired by the acquisition unit 41, and the target temperature of the air-conditioned space 3.

[0055] The control unit 42 may, for example, use information such as the determined ratio of outside air and the acquired temperature of outside air to determine whether the mixed air of outside air and return air mixed in the determined ratio requires temperature adjustment, or more specifically, cooling, and may decide to operate the sensible heat unit 20 if temperature adjustment is required, or may decide not to operate the sensible heat unit 20 if temperature adjustment is not required.

[0056] Whether or not the temperature of the mixed air needs to be adjusted may be determined, for example, as follows. The control unit 42 can acquire the current temperature of the mixed air of the outside air and the return air mixed at the determined ratio by using the determined ratio of the outside air, the acquired temperature of the outside air, and the acquired temperature of the return air. The control unit 42 may also determine the temperature of the supply air to be supplied to the air-conditioned space 3, for example, based on the acquired temperature of the air-conditioned space 3 and the target temperature of the air-conditioned space 3. For example, when the acquired temperature of the air-conditioned space 3 is equal to or lower than the target temperature of the air-conditioned space 3, the temperature of the supply air may be determined to be the target temperature of the air-conditioned space 3, and when the acquired temperature of the air-conditioned space 3 is higher than the target temperature of the air-conditioned space 3, the temperature of the supply air may be determined to be lower than the target temperature of the air-conditioned space 3. Note that when the acquired temperature of the air-conditioned space 3 is higher than the target temperature of the air-conditioned space 3, the larger the difference between the two temperatures, the lower the temperature of the supply air may be determined to be. Then, the control unit 42 may determine that temperature adjustment is necessary, for example, when temperature adjustment is necessary to change the temperature of the mixed air from the current temperature to the temperature of the supply air.

[0057] More specifically, the control unit 42 may determine that temperature adjustment is necessary when the result of subtracting the temperature of the supply air from the temperature of the current mixed air is greater than the fourth threshold value, and may determine that temperature adjustment is not necessary when the result of the subtraction is smaller than the fourth threshold value. In addition, when the result of the subtraction is equal to the fourth threshold value, for example, it may determine that temperature adjustment is necessary, or it may not be necessary. The fourth threshold value is a real number equal to or greater than 0, and is preferably a small value that can determine that the two temperatures are substantially equal when the result of subtracting the temperature of the supply air from the temperature of the current mixed air is equal to or greater than 0 and smaller than the fourth threshold value. In addition, the control unit 42 may change the threshold value depending on, for example, whether or not the latent heat unit 10 is operated. For example, when the latent heat unit 10 is not operated, the control unit 42 may make a judgment using the fourth threshold value as described above, and when the latent heat unit 10 is operated, the control unit 42 may make a judgment using the fifth threshold value instead of the fourth threshold value. The fifth threshold value may be a real number greater than the fourth threshold value. The fifth threshold value is preferably a value that allows the current mixed air temperature to be adjusted to the determined supply air temperature by the operated latent heat unit 10 when the result of subtracting the supply air temperature from the current mixed air temperature is greater than the fourth threshold value and less than the fifth threshold value. For example, the fourth threshold value may be 1°C, 2°C, etc., and the fifth threshold value may be 4°C, 5°C, etc.

[0058] The control unit 42 may determine whether or not the temperature of the mixed air needs to be adjusted by a method different from that described above. For example, the control unit 42 may determine that the temperature adjustment is necessary when the current temperature of the air-conditioned space 3 is higher than the target temperature and the temperature adjustment is necessary to change the current temperature of the mixed air to the target temperature, and may determine that the temperature adjustment is not necessary when this is not the case.

[0059] The control unit 42 may determine whether to operate the blower unit 30 based on the determined volume of air of the supply air. For example, when at least one of the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20 is operated, the control unit 42 may determine not to operate the blower unit 30 when the determined volume of air of the supply air can be covered by the unit to be operated, and may determine to operate the blower unit 30 when this is not the case. Note that the control unit 42 may determine to operate the blower unit 30 when, for example, both the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20 are not operated and the determined volume of air of the supply air is not 0.

[0060] Also, the control unit 42 may control the latent heat unit 10, the sensible heat unit 20, and the blower unit 30 according to the result of the determination. That is, the control unit 42 may operate the latent heat unit 10, the sensible heat unit 20, and the blower unit 30 that are determined to be operated, and may not operate the units that are determined not to be operated. For example, when the latent heat unit 10 becomes the operation target, the control unit 42 may operate the latent heat blower 12 and the return air blower 13, and adjust the flow rate control valves 51 and 52 so that cold water is supplied to the latent heat coil 11. Also, for example, when the sensible heat unit 20 becomes the operation target, the control unit 42 may operate the sensible heat blower 22 and the return air blower 23, and adjust the flow rate control valves 52 to 54 according to the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 55 so that cold water of a desired temperature is supplied to the sensible heat coil 21. Furthermore, for example, when the blower unit 30 becomes the operation target, the control unit 42 may operate the blower 32 for supplying air and the return air blower 33. Furthermore, the control unit 42 may control, for example, the dampers 14-16, 24-26, and 34-36 so that a desired ratio of outside air and return air is blown in each unit.

[0061] Furthermore, when operating the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20, the control unit 42 may control the outside air and the return air, whichever has a higher absolute humidity, to have its temperature and humidity adjusted in the latent heat unit 10. That is, the outside air and the return air may be allocated to each unit so that the air with the higher absolute humidity is preferentially processed in the latent heat unit 10. In summer, the absolute humidity of the outside air is usually higher than the absolute humidity of the return air. In this case, the control unit 42 may control the dampers of the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20 so that the temperature of the outside air is mainly adjusted by the latent heat unit 10.

[0062] More specifically, the volume of the outside air can be specified according to the determined volume of air and the ratio of the outside air. When the entire volume of the outside air can be allocated to the latent heat unit 10, that is, when the entire volume of the outside air can be blown by the latent heat unit 10, the control unit 42 may control the dampers 14-16, 24-26 so that the outside air is introduced only to the latent heat unit 10. In this case, only the outside air may be subject to temperature adjustment in the latent heat unit 10, or the mixed air of the outside air and the return air may be subject to temperature adjustment. When the entire volume of the determined volume of the outside air cannot be blown by the latent heat unit 10 alone, the control unit 42 may, for example, allocate the volume of the outside air to the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20, and may also allocate it to the blower unit 30. That is, the control unit 42 may control the latent heat unit 10 so that only the outside air is subject to temperature adjustment, and may control the remaining outside air to be blown by the sensible heat unit 20 and, if necessary, by the blower unit 30. Furthermore, the control unit 42 may control the volume of return air supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 from the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20 so as to achieve the determined ratio of outside air to return air, and may also control the volume of return air supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 from the blower unit 30, if necessary. These controls may be performed by adjusting the volume of air in the dampers of each unit.

[0063] Furthermore, when operating sensible heat unit 20 and blower unit 30, control unit 42 may control the sensible heat unit 20 to adjust the temperature of the outside air or the return air, whichever has a higher temperature. That is, the outside air and the return air may be allocated to each unit so that the air with a higher temperature is preferentially blown out by sensible heat unit 20. In summer, the temperature of the outside air is usually higher than the temperature of the return air. In this case, control unit 42 may control the dampers of sensible heat unit 20 and blower unit 30 so that the temperature of the outside air is mainly adjusted by sensible heat unit 20.

[0064] Next, the operation of the air conditioner 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. (Step S101) The control unit 42 judges whether or not to perform control for each unit. If control is to be performed, the process proceeds to step S102, and if not, the process of step S101 is repeated until it is determined that control is to be performed. Note that the control unit 42 may, for example, periodically (for example, every 30 minutes or every hour) determine that control is to be performed.

[0065] (Step S102) The acquisition unit 41 acquires information such as the outside air temperature and humidity. The acquired information may be stored in, for example, a recording medium (not shown).

[0066] (Step S103) The control unit 42 determines the volume of supply air to be supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 based on the acquired occupancy density in the air-conditioned space 3.

[0067] (Step S104) The control unit 42 determines the ratio of outside air contained in the supply air based on the acquired carbon dioxide concentration in the air-conditioned space 3.

[0068] (Step S105) The control unit 42 determines whether or not dehumidification is necessary based on the ratio of outside air, etc. If dehumidification is necessary, the process proceeds to step S106, and if not, the process proceeds to step S107.

[0069] (Step S106) The control unit 42 sets the latent heat unit 10 as a unit to be operated.

[0070] (Step S107) The control unit 42 determines whether or not temperature adjustment is necessary based on the ratio of outside air, etc. If temperature adjustment is necessary, the process proceeds to step S108, and if not, the process proceeds to step S109.

[0071] (Step S108) Control unit 42 sets sensible heat unit 20 as a unit to be operated.

[0072] (Step S109) The control unit 42 determines whether additional air volume is necessary by comparing the air volume of the supply air supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 by the units that have been set as operation targets up to that point with the air volume determined in step S103. If additional air volume is necessary, the process proceeds to step S110, and if not, the process proceeds to step S111. Note that the control unit 42 may determine that additional air volume is not necessary if the air volume determined in step S103 can be covered by the units that have been set as operation targets up to that point, and may determine that additional air volume is necessary if this is not the case.

[0073] (Step S110) The control unit 42 sets the air blowing unit 30 as a unit to be operated.

[0074] (Step S111) The control unit 42 controls each unit set as an operation target so that supply air that has been subjected to temperature adjustment or the like is supplied to the air-conditioned space 3. Then, the process returns to step S101. Note that the control content in step S111 may be maintained until it is determined in step S101 that the next control is to be performed. In other words, the same control may be continued until it is determined in step S101 that the next control is to be performed.

[0075] Note that the order of the processes in the flowchart of Fig. 4 is an example, and the order of the steps may be changed as long as the same results can be obtained. In addition, in the flowchart of Fig. 4, the process ends when the power is turned off or an interrupt is issued to end the process.

[0076] Next, the operation of the air conditioner 1 according to this embodiment will be described using a specific example. When it is time to perform control, the control unit 42 instructs the acquisition unit 41 to acquire various information (step S101). Upon receiving the instruction, the acquisition unit 41 acquires various information such as the temperature and humidity of the outside air, and passes the information to the control unit 42 (step S102). Upon receiving the information acquired by the acquisition unit 41, the control unit 42 first determines the volume of air to be supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 based on the acquired occupancy density in the air-conditioned space 3 (step S103). It is assumed that the determined volume of air is A1. In addition, the control unit 42 determines the ratio of outside air contained in the air to be supplied to the air-conditioned space 3 based on the acquired carbon dioxide concentration in the air-conditioned space 3 (step S104). It is assumed that the determined ratio of outside air is A2.

[0077] The control unit 42 uses the ratio A2 of outdoor air, the acquired temperature and humidity of outdoor air, the acquired temperature and humidity of return air, and the acquired temperature and humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 to acquire the current absolute humidity of the mixed air of outdoor air and return air mixed at the ratio A2 of outdoor air, and the current absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3. The control unit 42 also uses the target temperature and target humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 to acquire the target absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3. Then, the control unit 42 uses the current absolute humidity of the mixed air, the current absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3, and the target absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3 to determine whether dehumidification is necessary (step S105). In this case, it is assumed that it is determined that dehumidification is necessary. Then, the control unit 42 sets the latent heat unit 10 as the unit to be operated (step S106).

[0078] Furthermore, control unit 42 uses ratio A2 of outdoor air, the acquired outdoor air temperature, and the acquired return air temperature to acquire the current temperature of the mixed air of outdoor air and return air mixed at ratio A2. Then, control unit 42 uses the current mixed air temperature, the current temperature of air-conditioned space 3, and the target temperature of air-conditioned space 3 to determine whether temperature adjustment is necessary (step S107). In this case, it is assumed that it is determined that temperature adjustment is necessary. Then, control unit 42 sets sensible heat unit 20 as the unit to be operated (step S108).

[0079] Furthermore, control unit 42 judges whether or not the determined air volume A1 can be covered by latent heat unit 10 and sensible heat unit 20 set as the operation target (step S109). In this case, it is assumed that air volume A1 is smaller than the sum of the air volume of latent heat unit 10 and the air volume of sensible heat unit 20. Then, control unit 42 judges that additional air volume is not necessary, and does not set blower unit 30 as the operation target unit.

[0080] Thereafter, the control unit 42 controls the latent heat units 10 and sensible heat units 20 that have been set as operation targets (step S111). Specifically, the control unit 42 calculates the outdoor air volume B1 and the return air volume B2 using the determined air volume A1 and the determined ratio A2 of outdoor air. Also, the control unit 42 compares the current absolute humidity of the outdoor air with the current absolute humidity of the return air to identify the one with the higher absolute humidity. In this case, it is assumed that the current absolute humidity of the outdoor air is higher than the current absolute humidity of the return air. Then, the control unit 42 allocates the outdoor air and the return air so that the outdoor air is preferentially processed by the latent heat unit 10.

[0081] Specifically, if the air volume B1 of the outside air is equal to or less than the air volume of the latent heat unit 10 set as the operation target, the control unit 42 allocates the air volume B1 of the outside air only to the latent heat unit 10. In this case, if the air volume B2 of the return air is equal to or less than the air volume of the sensible heat unit 20 set as the operation target, the control unit 42 allocates the air volume B2 of the return air only to the sensible heat unit 20, and otherwise allocates the air volume B2 of the return air to the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20. When the air volume B2 of the return air is allocated to the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20, the allocation is performed so that the sensible heat unit 20 processes only the return air.

[0082] If the air volume B1 of the outside air is not equal to or less than the air volume of the latent heat unit 10, the control unit 42 allocates the air volume B1 of the outside air to the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20. In this case, the allocation is performed so that only the outside air is processed in the latent heat unit 10. Then, the air volume B2 of the return air is allocated only to the sensible heat unit 20.

[0083] After allocating the outside air and the return air in this way, the control unit 42 controls the dampers 14-16, 24-26 so that air is sent according to the allocation. Specifically, by adjusting the dampers 14-16, the outside air and the return air are sent by the latent heat blower 12 in a ratio according to the allocation, and the temperature and humidity are adjusted by the latent heat coil 11 before being supplied to the air-conditioned space 3. By adjusting the dampers 24-26, the outside air and the return air are sent by the sensible heat blower 22 in a ratio according to the allocation, and the temperature is adjusted by the sensible heat coil 21 before being supplied to the air-conditioned space 3. Also, for example, if the blower of each unit can adjust the air volume by inverter control or the like, the blower of each unit set to be operated may be controlled so as to realize a desired air volume.

[0084] The control unit 42 also adjusts the flow rate control valve 51 so that cold water from the heat source equipment 5 is supplied to the latent heat coil 11. The control unit 42 also adjusts the flow rate control valves 53, 54 so that the temperature of the cold water acquired by the temperature sensor 55 becomes a predetermined temperature, and adjusts the flow rate control valve 52 according to the adjustment result so that water is appropriately drained from the latent heat coil 11. Note that the predetermined temperature may be, for example, a predetermined temperature, or may be determined based on the current temperature of the air-conditioned space 3 and the target temperature of the air-conditioned space 3. For example, the larger the difference between the two temperatures is, the lower the temperature may be determined.

[0085] If the air volumes of the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20 are not enough to cover the determined air volume A1, the blower unit 30 may also be set as an operation target (step S110). In this case, of the outside air and the return air, the air with a higher absolute humidity may be preferentially allocated to the latent heat unit 10, and next, of the outside air and the return air, the air with a higher temperature may be preferentially allocated to the sensible heat unit 20.

[0086] Furthermore, when it is determined that dehumidification is not necessary, the latent heat unit 10 is not set as an operation target, and only the sensible heat unit 20, only the blower unit 30, or both the sensible heat unit 20 and the blower unit 30 may operate. When the sensible heat unit 20 and the blower unit 30 operate, the air with a higher temperature out of the outside air and the return air may be preferentially allocated to the sensible heat unit 20.

[0087] As described above, according to the air conditioner 1 of this embodiment, the air conditioner 1 has three units each having a different role, which can promote energy saving when performing air conditioning at low output. For example, when air conditioning can be performed only by sensible heat treatment, energy consumption can be reduced by not operating the latent heat unit 10 and the blower unit 30. Also, for example, when each unit has a blower that can adjust the air volume by inverter control or the like, it is possible to operate only the sensible heat unit 20 at 30% output. Therefore, the air conditioner 1 as a whole can be operated at, for example, 10% of the maximum output, making it possible to operate at a lower output. Also, by operating all the units, it is possible to respond to air conditioning at peak loads. Also, since it is divided into multiple units, for example, even if some units break down, the other units can be operated, and it is possible to avoid a complete stop of air conditioning. Also, since it is divided into multiple units, there is an advantage that the installation work is easier than when installing an air conditioner composed of one large unit as in the past.

[0088] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a case has been described in which cold water discharged from the latent heat coil 11 is supplied to the sensible heat coil 21, but this is not essential. Cold water from a heat source device may be supplied to each of the latent heat coil 11 and the sensible heat coil 21. In this case, for example, cold water may be supplied from a first heat source device to the latent heat coil 11, and cold water may be supplied from a second heat source device different from the first heat source device to the sensible heat coil 21. As an example, cold water at 8°C may be supplied from the first heat source device to the latent heat coil 11, and cold water at 13°C may be supplied from the second heat source device to the sensible heat coil 21.

[0089] In addition, when the latent heat coil 11 is not used and the sensible heat coil 21 is used, that is, when the latent heat unit 10 is not operated by the control unit 42 and the sensible heat unit 20 is operated, cooling water may be supplied from the cooling tower 6 to the sensible heat coil 21 of the sensible heat unit 20. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the cooling water from the cooling tower 6 may be supplied to the pipe 61 via the pipe 71. In addition, the cooling water discharged from the sensible heat coil 21 may be returned to the cooling tower 6 via the pipe 62 and the pipe 72. In the case where the cooling water generated by the cooling tower 6 is supplied to the sensible heat coil 21, the valves 81 and 84 may be opened and the valves 82, 83, 85, and 86 may be closed. In addition, the valves 51 to 53 may be closed and the valve 54 may be opened. The opening and closing of these valves may be performed by, for example, the control unit 42. In this case, the heat source device 5 may be stopped. In this way, by operating the sensible heat unit 21 using the cooling water supplied from the cooling tower 6, it is possible to further promote energy saving. When cold water from the heat source equipment 5 is supplied to the latent heat coil 11, etc., the valves 81 and 84 may be closed, and the valves 82, 83, 85 and 86 may be opened, and the heat source equipment 5 may be operated. In this way, the control unit 42 may, for example, control the cooling water from the cooling tower 6 to be supplied to the sensible heat coil 21 when the sensible heat unit 20 is operated and the latent heat unit 10 is not operated, and may control the cooling water from the cooling tower 6 to be supplied to the heat source equipment 5 and control the cold water from the heat source equipment 5 to be supplied to the latent heat coil 11 or to the latent heat coil 11 and the sensible heat coil 21 when at least the latent heat unit 10 is operated. When cold water is supplied to the latent heat coil 11 and the sensible heat coil 21, as described above, for example, cold water discharged from the latent heat coil 11 and cold water from the heat source equipment 5 may be mixed and supplied to the sensible heat coil 21.

[0090] Also, in the present embodiment, a case has been mainly described in which when operating latent heat unit 10 and sensible heat unit 20, control unit 42 controls the temperature and humidity of the outside air or return air, whichever has a higher absolute humidity, to be adjusted in latent heat unit 10, but this is not essential. For example, each of the units to be operated may process mixed air of outside air and return air in a ratio determined by control unit 42. In this case, mixed air with the same ratio of outside air will be processed in each unit.

[0091] In addition, in this embodiment, a case has been described in which various information is acquired by the acquisition unit 41, but in a case in which some information is not used by the control unit 42, the acquisition unit 41 does not need to acquire information that is not used by the control unit 42.

[0092] Also, in this embodiment, the case where the air conditioner 1 is equipped with the acquisition unit 41 and the control unit 42 has been mainly described, but this is not necessarily the case. The air conditioner 1 does not necessarily have to be equipped with the acquisition unit 41, and does not necessarily have to be equipped with the control unit 42. When the air conditioner 1 does not have the acquisition unit 41 or the control unit 42, each unit of the air conditioner 1 may be controlled, for example, by an external control device or the like, or may be controlled manually.

[0093] In addition, in the present embodiment, the latent heat unit 10, the sensible heat unit 20, and the blower unit 30 are mainly described as having the return air blowers 13, 23, and 33, respectively, but this is not necessarily the case. For example, a unit that processes only outside air does not need to have a return air blower.

[0094] In the present embodiment, the air conditioner 1 is mainly described as having one each of the latent heat unit 10, the sensible heat unit 20, and the blower unit 30, but this is not necessarily the case. The air conditioner 1 may be provided with at least two units among the latent heat unit 10, the sensible heat unit 20, and the blower unit 30, for example. That is, the air conditioner 1 may be provided with the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20, the latent heat unit 10 and the blower unit 30, or the sensible heat unit 20 and the blower unit 30. As an example, the air conditioner 1 used in an environment where there is little need to perform sensible heat processing may be provided with the latent heat unit 10 and the blower unit 30, and may not be provided with the sensible heat unit 20. The air conditioner 1 may be provided with, for example, two or more latent heat units 10, two or more sensible heat units 20, or two or more blower units 30. For example, in an air conditioner 1 equipped with two or more latent heat units 10, the degree of dehumidification can be controlled more precisely by changing the number of latent heat units 10 that are in operation.

[0095] In addition, in the air conditioner 1 according to the present embodiment, the case where the blower unit 30 only blows air has been mainly described, but the blower unit 30 may further include a humidifier. Humidification may be performed using the blower unit 30. For example, when the absolute humidity of the mixed air of the return air and the outside air is lower than the target absolute humidity of the air-conditioned space 3, the control unit 42 may operate the blower unit 30 and control the blower unit 30 to perform humidification using the humidifier. For example, in commercial facilities, cooling may be performed in winter, and in such a case, the sensible heat unit 20 and the blower unit 30 may be operated and humidification may be performed using the blower unit 30.

[0096] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the case where the air-conditioned space 3 is cooled by the air-conditioning device 1 has been mainly described, but it goes without saying that the air-conditioned space 3 may also be heated by the air-conditioning device 1. When heating the space, hot water may be supplied to the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20, and the hot water may be used to raise the air temperature in the latent heat unit 10 and the sensible heat unit 20. Furthermore, for example, humidification may be performed using a humidifier in the blower unit 30.

[0097] In addition, in the above embodiments, each process or function may be realized by centralized processing in a single device or a single system, or may be realized by distributed processing in multiple devices or multiple systems.

[0098] In addition, in the above embodiments, the transfer of information between each component may be performed, for example, by one component outputting information and the other component receiving information if the two components transferring the information are physically different, or, if the two components transferring the information are physically the same, by shifting from a processing phase corresponding to one component to a processing phase corresponding to the other component.

[0099] In the above embodiment, information related to the processing performed by each component, such as information accepted, acquired, selected, generated, transmitted, or received by each component, and information such as thresholds, formulas, and addresses used by each component in processing, may be temporarily or long-term stored in a recording medium (not shown) even if not specified in the above description. Furthermore, each component or a storage unit (not shown) may store information in the recording medium (not shown). Furthermore, each component or a reading unit (not shown) may read information from the recording medium (not shown).

[0100] In the above embodiment, if the information used by each component, such as the thresholds, addresses, and various setting values ​​used by each component in processing, may be changed by the user, the user may be able to change the information as appropriate, even if not specified in the above description. If the information is changeable by the user, the change may be realized, for example, by a reception unit (not shown) that receives a change instruction from the user, and a change unit (not shown) that changes the information in response to the change instruction. The reception unit (not shown) may receive the change instruction from an input device, may receive information transmitted via a communication line, or may receive information read from a predetermined recording medium.

[0101] In addition, in the above embodiment, when two or more components included in the air conditioner 1 have a communication device, an input device, etc., the two or more components may physically have a single device, or may have separate devices.

[0102] In the above embodiment, each component may be configured by dedicated hardware, or a component that can be realized by software may be realized by executing a program. For example, a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory may be read and executed by a program execution unit such as a CPU, thereby realizing a component that can be realized by software. During execution, the program execution unit may execute the program while accessing a storage unit or a recording medium. The program may be executed by being downloaded from a server or the like, or may be executed by reading a program recorded on a predetermined recording medium (for example, an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a semiconductor memory, etc.). The program may be used as a program that constitutes a program product. The computer that executes the program may be a single computer or a plurality of computers. That is, centralized processing may be performed, or distributed processing may be performed.

[0103] The above-mentioned embodiments are merely examples for specifically implementing the present invention, and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention. The technical scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the description of the embodiments, and is intended to include modifications within the literal scope of the claims and the scope of equivalent meanings. [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] 1 Air conditioner 10 latent heat units 11 Latent heat coil 12 Latent heat blower 13, 23, 33 Return air blower 20 Sensible Heat Unit 21 Sensible heat coil 22 Sensible heat blower 30 Blower unit 32 Blower 41 Acquisition Department 42 Control section

Claims

1. a latent heat unit having a latent heat coil and a latent heat blower that sends air whose temperature has been adjusted by the latent heat coil to an air-conditioned space; a sensible heat unit having a sensible heat coil and a sensible heat blower that sends air whose temperature has been adjusted by the sensible heat coil to the air-conditioned space; and a blower unit having a blower for sending air to the air-conditioned space.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1 , comprising: the latent heat unit, the sensible heat unit, and the blower unit.

3. The latent heat unit further includes a return air blower that performs at least one of exhausting the return air from the air-conditioned space and blowing the return air to the latent heat blower, The latent heat coil adjusts the temperature of at least one of the outside air and the return air blown by the return air blower of the latent heat unit, The sensible heat unit further includes a return air blower that performs at least one of exhausting air from the air-conditioned space and blowing air to the sensible heat blower, The sensible heat coil adjusts the temperature of at least one of the outside air and the return air blown by the return air blower of the sensible heat unit, The blower unit further includes a return air blower that performs at least one of exhausting air from the air-conditioned space and blowing air to the blower, The air conditioner according to claim 2 , wherein the blower blows at least one of outside air and return air blown by a return air blower included in the blower unit.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 3 , further comprising a control unit that operates one or more of the latent heat unit, the sensible heat unit, and the air blowing unit.

5. When the control unit operates at least the latent heat unit and the sensible heat unit, the latent heat coil is supplied with cold water from a heat source device, and the sensible heat coil is supplied with cold water obtained by mixing the cold water discharged from the latent heat coil and the cold water from the heat source device, 5. The air conditioning device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit controls a mixing ratio of the cold water discharged from the latent heat coil and the cold water from the heat source equipment so that the cold water supplied to the sensible heat coil has a desired temperature.

6. The air conditioner further includes an acquisition unit that acquires the temperature and humidity of the outside air, the temperature and humidity of the return air, the temperature and humidity of the air-conditioned space, the occupancy density of the air-conditioned space, and the carbon dioxide concentration of the air-conditioned space. The air conditioning device according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the control unit operates one or more of the latent heat unit, the sensible heat unit, and the blower unit based on the results acquired by the acquisition unit and the target temperature and target humidity of the air-conditioned space.

7. The control unit is determining an air volume of supply air to be supplied to the air-conditioned space based on a occupancy density in the air-conditioned space; determining a ratio of outside air contained in the supply air based on a carbon dioxide concentration in the air-conditioned space; determining whether to operate the latent heat unit based on the ratio of outside air, the temperature and humidity of the outside air, the temperature and humidity of the return air, the temperature and humidity of the air-conditioned space, and a target temperature and target humidity of the air-conditioned space; determining whether to operate the sensible heat unit based on the proportion of outside air, the temperature of the outside air, the temperature of the return air, the temperature of the air-conditioned space, and a target temperature of the air-conditioned space; determining whether to operate the blower unit based on the volume of the supply air; The air conditioner according to claim 6 , further comprising: controlling the latent heat unit, the sensible heat unit, and the blower unit in response to the result of the determination.

8. The air conditioning device according to claim 7 , wherein when the latent heat unit and the sensible heat unit are operated, the control unit controls so that the temperature and humidity of the outside air or the return air, whichever has a higher absolute humidity, is adjusted in the latent heat unit.

9. a latent heat unit including a latent heat coil, a latent heat blower that sends air whose temperature has been adjusted by the latent heat coil to an air-conditioned space, and a return air blower that performs at least one of exhausting air and blowing air to the latent heat blower from the air-conditioned space; a sensible heat unit including a sensible heat coil, a sensible heat blower that sends air whose temperature has been adjusted by the sensible heat coil to the air-conditioned space, and a return air blower that performs at least one of exhausting air from the air-conditioned space and blowing air to the sensible heat blower; A control method for an air conditioner including a blower unit having a blower for blowing air to the air-conditioned space, and a return air blower for exhausting return air from the air-conditioned space and / or blowing the return air to the blower for blowing air, comprising: The latent heat coil adjusts the temperature of at least one of the outside air and the return air blown by the return air blower of the latent heat unit, The sensible heat coil adjusts the temperature of at least one of the outside air and the return air blown by the return air blower of the sensible heat unit, The blower blows at least one of outside air and return air blown by a return air blower included in the blowing unit, A method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising the step of operating one or more units selected from the latent heat unit, the sensible heat unit, and the air blower unit.

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