Air-conditioning control system

Abstract

To provide an air-conditioning control system which can realize air-cooling operation which can provide a user with higher comfort, by adjusting room temperature while sufficiently carrying out dehumidification.SOLUTION: An air-conditioning control system according to the present invention has an air-conditioning unit having a cycle unit including an indoor heat exchanger and a compressor and an indoor blower, a control unit for control the air-conditioning unit to carry out cooling operation, a humidity difference calculating unit for calculating a humidity difference between an indoor absolute humidity and a target absolute humidity, and an ideal heat exchange temperature calculation unit for calculating an ideal temperature of the indoor heat exchanger based on the humidity difference. After starting the cooling operation, the control unit controls an air amount to be blown into the indoor to be a predetermined initial blow amount, and, until the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger becomes the ideal temperature or lower after starting the cooling operation, controls the air amount to be blown into the indoor not to exceed the initial blow amount to the indoors.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The following disclosure relates to climate control systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Various technologies have been developed for air conditioners to improve user comfort. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes an air conditioner that acquires the temperature and humidity of the air-conditioned space and switches operating modes depending on the acquired temperature and humidity. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2020 / 035912 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In conventional air conditioners, when the temperature difference between the room temperature and the set temperature is large, the cooling capacity is increased to lower the room temperature while decreasing the humidity, and when the temperature difference becomes small, the dehumidification operation starts. However, in cooling operation, if the temperature difference is reduced before dehumidification is started, the humidity does not decrease sufficiently, and if only the dehumidification operation with increased dehumidification capacity is performed, the room temperature does not decrease sufficiently, so in either case there are issues with user comfort.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an air conditioning control system that can achieve cooling operation that is highly comfortable for the user by adjusting the room temperature while performing sufficient dehumidification. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) One embodiment of the present disclosure is an air conditioning control system including an air conditioning unit having a cycle unit including an indoor heat exchanger and a compressor and an indoor air blowing unit, a control unit that controls the air conditioning unit to perform a cooling operation, a humidity difference calculation unit that calculates a humidity difference between an absolute humidity in the room and a target absolute humidity, and an ideal heat exchange temperature calculation unit that calculates an ideal temperature of the indoor heat exchanger based on the humidity difference, wherein when the cooling operation is started, the control unit controls the amount of air blown into the room to be a predetermined initial air blowing amount, and controls the amount of air blown into the room not to exceed the initial air blowing amount from the start of the cooling operation until the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger becomes equal to or lower than the ideal temperature.

[0007] (2) Furthermore, one embodiment of the present disclosure is an air conditioning control system in which, in addition to the configuration of (1) above, the control unit reduces the amount of air blown into the room over time until a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the cooling operation.

[0008] (3) In addition to the configuration of (1) or (2) above, an embodiment of the present disclosure further includes a heat exchange temperature difference calculation unit that calculates a heat exchange temperature difference between a temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and an ideal temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, a target air supply volume determination unit that calculates a target air supply volume based on the heat exchange temperature difference, and a judgment unit, wherein the control unit reduces the air supply volume into the room by the threshold value A when the judgment unit determines that the difference between the air supply volume into the room and the target air supply volume is equal to or greater than a threshold value A.

[0009] (4) Furthermore, in addition to the configuration of (3) above, an embodiment of the present disclosure is an air conditioning control system in which the greater the humidity difference, the greater the threshold value A is set.

[0010] (5) Furthermore, an embodiment of the present disclosure is an air conditioning control system that, in addition to the configuration of (3) or (4) above, further includes a temperature sensor that measures both indoor and outdoor temperatures, and sets the threshold value A to a larger value as the temperature difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures decreases.

[0011] (6) Furthermore, an embodiment of the present disclosure is an air conditioning control system that, in addition to the configuration of (1), (2), (3), (4) or (5) above, sets the ideal temperature of the indoor heat exchanger lower as the humidity difference increases.

[0012] (7) Furthermore, an embodiment of the present disclosure is an air conditioning control system that, in addition to the configuration of (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), or (6), further includes a temperature sensor that measures the indoor and outdoor temperatures, and the smaller the temperature difference between the indoors and outdoors, the lower the ideal temperature of the indoor heat exchanger is set.

[0013] (8) Furthermore, an embodiment of the present disclosure is an air conditioning control system further comprising, in addition to the configuration of (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) or (7) above, a temperature sensor that measures an indoor temperature, and an indoor temperature difference calculation unit that calculates an indoor temperature difference between the indoor temperature and a target temperature, wherein the control unit controls the rotation speed of the compressor based on the indoor temperature difference.

[0014] (9) Furthermore, an embodiment of the present disclosure is an air conditioning control system in which, in addition to the configuration of (8) above, the control unit controls the amount of air blown into the room independently of the rotation speed of the compressor.

[0015] (10) Furthermore, another embodiment of the present disclosure is an air conditioning control system including an air conditioning unit having a cycle unit including an indoor heat exchanger and a compressor and an indoor air blowing unit, and a control unit that controls the air conditioning unit to perform a cooling operation, wherein when the cooling operation is started, the control unit controls the amount of air blown into the room to be a predetermined initial air blowing amount, and controls the amount of air blown into the room not to exceed the initial air blowing amount from the start of the cooling operation until the absolute humidity in the room becomes equal to or lower than a target absolute humidity. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an air conditioning control system that can realize cooling operation that is highly comfortable for the user by adjusting the room temperature while performing sufficient dehumidification. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioning control system 1. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a server 20. [Figure 3A] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the external appearance of an indoor unit 11 of an air conditioner 10. FIG. [Figure 3B] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the external appearance of an indoor unit 11 of an air conditioner 10. FIG. [Figure 4] 3B is a schematic cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. 3A). [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram conceptually showing refrigerant circulation during cooling operation. [Figure 6] 4 is an example of a flowchart showing processing in the air conditioning control system 1. [Figure 7] 7 is a flowchart showing an example of step S17 in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 1 is a chart conceptually showing the timing at which the amount of airflow S into the room (for example, the number of fan revolutions) is changed. [Figure 9] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioning control system 1. FIG. [Figure 10] 4 is an example of a flowchart showing processing in the air conditioning control system 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiments, and appropriate design changes can be made within the scope of the configuration of the present disclosure. In the drawings, the same or equivalent elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations are omitted.

[0019] In this specification, the indoor space refers to the space targeted by the air conditioner 10, i.e., the space in which the air conditioner 10 is installed. For example, when a split-type air conditioner composed of an indoor unit 11 and an outdoor unit 12 is used as the air conditioner 10, the indoor space refers to the space in which the indoor unit 11 is installed. Moreover, the outdoor space refers to a space other than the indoor space, and for example, when a split-type air conditioner is used, the outdoor space may be the space in which the outdoor unit 12 is installed.

[0020] (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioning control system 1 of this embodiment. The air conditioning control system 1 includes, as main components, an air conditioning unit 31, a control unit 32, and a calculation unit 37, and the calculation unit 37 includes a humidity difference calculation unit 371 and an ideal heat exchange temperature calculation unit 372. One or more of these functional units may be provided outside the air conditioner 10. In this case, it is preferable that the air conditioning control system 1 includes a server 20 that can be connected to the air conditioner 10 via a communication line (see FIG. 2). Operation information, environmental information, and the like are provided to the server 20 from the air conditioner 10. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the server 20.

[0021] The server 20 includes, as main components, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 210, a memory 220, a communication interface 230, and an operation unit 240 (see FIG. 2). The CPU 210 controls each unit by executing a program stored in the memory 220 or an external storage medium, for example. The memory 220 is realized by various ROMs, RAMs, etc., and may be included in the server 20, may be detachable from the server 20, or may be an external recording medium accessible from the server 20. The memory 220 records various programs, data, etc. The communication interface 230 is connected to a communication line via a router, a gateway, etc. The communication interface 230 is also capable of one-way or two-way communication with the air conditioner 10 or an operation terminal (not shown) owned by a user via the communication line. The operation terminal is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a smartphone, a smart speaker, and a tablet.

[0022] 3A and 3B are schematic perspective views showing the external appearance of the indoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 10, and FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view along line A-A') in FIG. 3A. FIG. 5 is a diagram conceptually showing refrigerant circulation during cooling operation. Only the main parts are shown in these drawings. In this embodiment, a split-type air conditioner composed of an indoor unit 11 and an outdoor unit 12 will be described as an example of the air conditioner 10.

[0023] The air conditioner 10 includes an indoor unit 11 and an outdoor unit 12. The components of the indoor unit 11 and the outdoor unit 12 are connected by refrigerant piping to form a cycle unit 13, and the cycle unit 13 includes an indoor heat exchanger 116 (also referred to as an evaporator), as well as an outdoor heat exchanger 121 (also referred to as a condenser), a compressor 14, a four-way valve 15, and an expansion valve (also referred to as a pressure reducing unit) 16 (see FIG. 5).

[0024] The indoor unit 11 has a housing 110 that houses various structures therein. The housing 110 is, for example, a member formed in a generally box shape with the left-right direction as the longitudinal direction. An intake port 111 is formed on the top surface of the housing 110, and an air outlet 112 is formed on the front surface of the housing 110. An air guide plate 113 is provided in the air outlet 112. The air guide plate 113 changes the direction of air blown out from the air outlet 112 and opens and closes the air outlet 112.

[0025] A filter 114 is provided inside the housing 110 to collect dust and the like in the air. A filter cleaning device 115 for cleaning the filter 114 may also be provided. An indoor heat exchanger 116, an indoor blower 117 for passing indoor air through the indoor heat exchanger 116, and the like are also arranged inside the housing 110. The indoor heat exchanger 116 functions as a condenser during heating operation and as an evaporator during cooling operation. The indoor blower 117 is, for example, a fan such as a crossflow fan or a sirocco fan.

[0026] The configuration of the air-conditioning control system 1 will be further described with reference mainly to Fig. 1. The air-conditioning control system 1 includes at least the air-conditioning unit 31, the control unit 32, and the calculation unit 37, as described above.

[0027] The air conditioning control system 1 may have a receiving unit 30 that receives operation instructions for the air conditioner 10. Operation instructions for the air conditioner 10 are, for example, instructions from a user such as starting operation (operation ON), stopping operation (operation OFF), operation type (cooling, heating, dehumidification, ventilation, air purification, etc.), operation mode (automatic mode, wind power setting mode, energy saving operation mode, etc.), setting or changing temperature and humidity. The receiving unit 30 receives instructions from a user via a remote control device, an operation terminal, an input unit of the main body of the air conditioner 10, etc. Examples of the receiving unit 30 include an optical sensor that receives light (e.g., infrared rays) as an operation signal output from a remote control device, and a communication interface 230 of the server 20, etc. The receiving unit 30 outputs the received operation instructions to the control unit 32 directly or via another functional unit.

[0028] The control unit 32 causes the air conditioner 10 (particularly the air conditioning unit 31) to execute an operating operation corresponding to the operating instruction received by the receiving unit 30. The control unit 32 and the calculation unit 37 are configured with a CPU or the like, and execute a program stored in a storage device (for example, the storage unit 36, etc.). The control unit 32 and the calculation unit 37 may be a microcomputer equipped with a CPU and a storage device. The control unit 32 includes, for example, an operating condition determination unit 321 that determines the operating conditions, and an operation instruction unit 322 that instructs the air conditioning unit 31, the air direction adjustment unit 38, etc. of the determined operating conditions. The control unit 32 may also include a determination unit 320.

[0029] The main part of the air conditioner 10 is referred to as the air conditioning unit 31. The air conditioning unit 31 has various functions such as cooling, heating, blowing air, dehumidifying, deodorizing, and ventilation, and performs these operations appropriately upon receiving instructions from the control unit 32, etc. The air conditioning unit 31 at least includes a cycle unit 13 including an indoor heat exchanger 116 and a compressor 14, and an indoor blower unit 117. Usually, it also includes an outdoor blower unit, etc. In FIG. 1, the air direction adjustment unit 38 (corresponding to the air guide plate 113) is shown separately from the air conditioning unit 31, but it is preferable that the air direction adjustment unit 38 is also controlled in conjunction with the control of the air conditioning unit 31 by the control unit 32.

[0030] The calculation unit 37 includes at least a humidity difference calculation unit 371 and an ideal heat exchange temperature calculation unit 372.

[0031] The humidity difference calculation unit 371 receives an instruction from the control unit 32, etc., and calculates the absolute humidity H in the room at that time and the target absolute humidity H i The humidity difference between d (=HH i The humidity difference calculation unit 371 calculates the calculated value (i.e., the humidity difference H d ) is output to the ideal heat exchange temperature calculation unit 372, etc.

[0032] The indoor absolute humidity is calculated from the indoor humidity (RH) and the indoor temperature (referred to as room temperature). For example, the air conditioning control system 1 of this embodiment further includes a sensor unit 33 that detects environmental factors such as temperature and humidity, and the sensor unit 33 preferably includes a humidity sensor that detects the indoor humidity and a room temperature sensor (also referred to as room temperature thermo) that detects the room temperature. Then, the calculation unit 37 or an external device (i.e., an external device not included in the air conditioning control system 1 of this embodiment) may calculate the indoor absolute humidity from the indoor humidity (RH) detected by the humidity sensor and the room temperature detected by the room temperature sensor.

[0033] The sensor unit 33 detects environmental factors such as humidity and temperature based on instructions from the control unit 32, and outputs the detected values ​​(also referred to as measured values) to the control unit 32, the calculation unit 37, etc. One or more of the sensors included in the sensor unit 33 may be located outside the air conditioner 10. Information from the external sensor is provided to the air conditioner 10 or the server 20 via a communication line or the like.

[0034] Target absolute humidity H i is a target absolute humidity, for example, an absolute humidity set by a user or an absolute humidity preset in the automatic operation mode. i Alternatively, the calculation unit 37 or an external device may calculate the target indoor humidity (RH) and the target temperature. The target indoor humidity (RH) is the humidity set by the user or the humidity set in advance in the automatic operation mode. The target temperature is the target room temperature (also called the target room temperature), and more specifically, is the temperature set by the user or the temperature set in advance in the automatic operation mode. The target temperature is also called the set temperature. The target absolute humidity H i The target indoor humidity and target temperature may be obtained from a user or the like via the receiving unit 30, or may be determined by the control unit 32 or the like.

[0035] The ideal heat exchange temperature calculation unit 372 calculates the humidity difference H d Based on this, the ideal temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 is i More specifically, the humidity difference H d Based on the dew point (also called the dew point temperature), the ideal temperature T i For example, it is preferable to determine the humidity difference H d Based on this, the ideal temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 is calculated from the dew point. i By determining how much to lower the ideal temperature T i The ideal heat exchange temperature calculation unit 372 determines the calculated ideal temperature T i is output to the control unit 32 etc.

[0036] Here, the indoor absolute humidity H and the target absolute humidity H i Humidity difference H d The larger the ideal temperature T i As described later, in this embodiment, the control unit 32 determines the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 and the ideal temperature T i For example, the humidity difference H d When the latent heat ratio is large, the ideal temperature T i It is preferable to lower the temperature so that the amount of air blown into the room S is small. This further improves the comfort of the user.

[0037] In addition, the control unit 32 adjusts the ideal temperature T i It is also preferable to set the temperature T low. When the temperature difference between the indoors and outdoors is small, heat from the outside is not easily transferred to the indoor heat exchanger 116, and the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 is likely to drop. Therefore, the control unit 32 sets the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 at the ideal temperature T i In order to increase the latent heat ratio until the ideal temperature T i It is preferable to lower the temperature so that the amount of air blown into the room S is small. This improves the comfort of the user. The indoor / outdoor temperature difference means the difference between the indoor temperature (i.e., room temperature) and the outdoor temperature (i.e., outside air temperature), and the indoor and outdoor temperatures are detected by, for example, a room temperature sensor and an outside air temperature sensor.

[0038] The control unit 32 controls the air conditioning unit 31 to start cooling operation. An outline of the control by the control unit 32 will be further explained below with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is an example of a flowchart showing the processing in the air conditioning control system 1 of this embodiment. As will be described later, the control unit 32 preferably controls not only the amount of air blown into the room S, but also the cycle unit 13. In FIG. 6, (a) mainly shows an outline of the control of the amount of air blown into the room S, and (b) mainly shows an outline of the control of the cycle unit 13.

[0039] The above-mentioned sensor unit 33 preferably further includes an indoor heat exchange sensor (also referred to as an indoor heat exchanger thermo). The sensor unit 33 also preferably further includes an outdoor air temperature sensor. The indoor heat exchanger sensor detects the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 116, and outputs the detected value to the control unit 32, the calculation unit 37, etc. The outdoor air temperature sensor (also referred to as an outdoor air temperature thermo) detects the outdoor air temperature, and outputs the detected value to the control unit 32, the calculation unit 37, etc.

[0040] Before starting the cooling operation, the air conditioning control system 1 preferably calculates the indoor temperature difference between the indoor temperature and the target temperature (step S11). That is, the air conditioning control system 1 preferably further includes an indoor temperature difference calculation unit that calculates the indoor temperature difference between the indoor temperature and the target temperature. The indoor temperature difference calculation unit is, for example, one of the temperature difference calculation units 373 in FIG. 1, and obtains the room temperature at that time (i.e., the current room temperature) from, for example, a room temperature sensor, and obtains the target temperature (i.e., the target room temperature) from the receiving unit 30, the control unit 32, etc. The indoor temperature difference calculation unit outputs the calculated indoor temperature difference to the control unit 32, etc.

[0041] The control unit 32 preferably determines the initial airflow rate S0 by referring to the calculated indoor temperature difference and, for example, an initial operation condition table stored in the memory unit 36. Specifically, for example, the control unit 32 sets the initial operation conditions so that the airflow rate increases as the indoor temperature difference increases. When the cooling operation starts (preferably at the same time as the cooling operation starts), the control unit 32 controls the airflow rate S to the room to be a predetermined initial airflow rate S0.

[0042] As will be described later, it is also preferable that the control unit 32 determines the rotation speed C of the compressor 14 (for example, the initial rotation speed C0 of the compressor 14) based on the calculated indoor temperature difference. In this manner, it is preferable that the control unit 32 sets the amount of air sent into the room S to the initial air sent amount S0 and the rotation speed C of the compressor 14 to the initial rotation speed C0, and causes the air conditioning unit 31 to start cooling operation (step S12). The control unit 32 also refers to the calculated indoor temperature difference and, for example, an initial operation condition table stored in the memory unit 36, and determines the initial ideal temperature T i0In addition, in FIG. 1, an initial airflow amount determination unit that determines the initial airflow amount S0 and an initial ideal temperature T i0 and an initial ideal temperature determination unit that determines the ideal temperature.

[0043] In this specification, "starting cooling operation" means starting operation from a state in which the compressor 14 is stopped and the refrigerant is not circulating through the cycle unit 13, and specifically includes both starting cooling operation upon receiving an instruction to start operation from a user or the like, and switching from a thermo-off state to a thermo-on state. The thermo-off state means a state in which the refrigerant circulation in the cycle unit 13 has stopped, for example, when the room temperature reaches a target temperature. The thermo-on state means that the refrigerant circulation in the cycle unit 13 resumes, for example, when the deviation between the room temperature and the target temperature becomes large.

[0044] The "volume of air sent into the room" controlled by the control unit 32 can be controlled, for example, by adjusting the rotation speed of the indoor blower 117 and the air guide plate 113 (also referred to as air direction adjustment unit 38). By adjusting the air guide plate 113, the opening degree of the air outlet 112 and the air direction can be controlled. In particular, it is preferable for the control unit 32 to control the rotation speed of the indoor blower 117. That is, when the cooling operation is started, the control unit 32 preferably controls the rotation speed S of the indoor blower 117 so as to achieve a predetermined initial air volume (i.e., a predetermined initial rotation amount) S0, and also, as described later, controls the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 from the start of the cooling operation to the ideal temperature T i It is preferable to control the rotation speed S of the indoor blower 117 so that it does not exceed the initial airflow volume S0 until the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 falls to or below the ideal temperature Ti. This allows sufficient dehumidification to be performed in the early stage of operation from the start of cooling operation until the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 falls to or below the ideal temperature Ti. Note that the rotation speed of the indoor blower 117 essentially means the rotation speed of the fan, and is also referred to as the fan rotation speed.

[0045] (a) Control of the amount of air blown into the room S The control unit 32 monitors the indoor humidity during the initial operation or the subsequent cooling operation, and calculates the indoor absolute humidity H and the target absolute humidity H i Humidity difference Hd (Step S13). This humidity difference H d The ideal heat exchange temperature calculation unit 372 calculates the ideal temperature T i (step S14), and outputs this to the control unit 32.

[0046] The control unit 32 calculates the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 at that time (i.e., the current temperature) acquired from the indoor heat exchange sensor and the ideal temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 acquired from the ideal heat exchange temperature calculation unit 372. i and are compared (step S15).

[0047] In step S15, the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 is set to the ideal temperature T i If it is lower (i.e., T <T i ), the determining unit 320 determines that the result is (i), and the control unit 32 increases the amount of air sent to the room S (step S16). Specifically, the control unit 32 increases the fan rotation speed, for example. i (i.e., T>T i ), the determination unit 320 determines it to be (ii), and the control unit 32 reduces the amount of air S sent into the room (step S17). Specifically, the control unit 32 reduces the fan rotation speed, for example. In step S17, it is preferable to reduce the amount of air S sent into the room over time in order to further enhance the comfort of the user. i (i.e., T=T i ), the determination unit 320 determines it to be (iii), and the control unit 32 maintains the amount of air blown into the room S without changing it (step S18). The air conditioning unit 31 receives an instruction from the control unit 32 and continues the cooling operation while changing or maintaining the amount of air blown into the room S (steps S16 to S18).

[0048] Even after steps S16 to S18, it is preferable for the control unit 32 to continue monitoring the indoor humidity, the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 116, and the like, and it is suitable to repeatedly execute steps S13 to S18 a number of times.

[0049] Usually, immediately after the start of the cooling operation, the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 is equal to or lower than the ideal temperature T i (i.e., T>T i In this embodiment, the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 is set to the ideal temperature T i Less than or equal to (i.e., T≦T i ), the amount of airflow S to the room is controlled not to exceed the initial amount of airflow S0 (i.e., S≦S0). In other words, it is only when T≦T i During the period until this occurs, the amount of air sent into the room S is controlled so that S≦S0.

[0050] It is preferable to gradually reduce the amount of air S sent into the room until a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the cooling operation. This makes it possible to avoid a sudden decrease in the amount of air sent, thereby achieving both dehumidification and cooling performance, and improving user comfort. The point at which the predetermined time has elapsed is when the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 reaches approximately the ideal temperature T i Therefore, the period from the start of the cooling operation until the predetermined time has elapsed is the time when the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 reaches the ideal temperature T i This corresponds to the "period until the temperature falls below the specified level." The specified time varies depending on factors such as the volume of the room and the outside temperature.

[0051] The method for reducing the amount of airflow S into the room over time is not particularly limited as long as it is a method for reducing the amount of airflow S over time, but a particularly preferred embodiment among them will be described below with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a flow chart showing an example of step S17 in Fig. 6.

[0052] Specifically, the air conditioning control system 1 calculates the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 and the ideal temperature T i a heat exchange temperature difference calculation unit that calculates a heat exchange temperature difference between the target airflow amount S iWhen the determination unit 320 determines the result as (ii) in step S15 of FIG. 6 (corresponding to x in FIG. 7), the control unit 32 instructs the heat exchange temperature difference calculation unit to determine the heat exchange temperature difference T d The heat exchange temperature difference T d Based on the target airflow S i (Step S171). The heat exchange temperature difference calculation unit is, for example, one of the temperature difference calculation units 373 in FIG.

[0053] Target air flow S i It is preferable to determine the target airflow rate S based on the heat exchange temperature difference as described above. However, it is also preferable to determine the target airflow rate S based on the heat exchange temperature difference as well as the indoor and outdoor temperature difference. i It is more preferable to determine the target airflow rate S when the temperature difference between the indoors and outdoors is small. If dehumidification is not prioritized, the humidity may not drop sufficiently before the room temperature reaches the target room temperature because heat from the outside is unlikely to enter the room when the temperature difference between the indoors and outdoors is small. Therefore, in order to prioritize dehumidification, the target airflow rate S i It is preferable to reduce the rotational speed of the fan, for example.

[0054] After that, the determination unit 320 determines the indoor airflow rate S and the target airflow rate S i Compare the indoor airflow volume S with the target airflow volume S i Difference with (SS i ) is equal to or greater than threshold value A (step S172). If the difference is equal to or greater than A, the determination unit 320 determines Yes, and if the difference is less than A, the determination is No.

[0055] If the difference is equal to or greater than A (Yes in step S172), the control unit 32 reduces the amount of air sent into the room S by the threshold value A (step S173). That is, the control unit 32 changes the amount of air sent into the room to a value (SA) obtained by subtracting A from the amount of air sent at that time S. In response to the instruction from the control unit 32, the air conditioning unit 31 continues the cooling operation at the changed amount of air sent (SA).

[0056] If the difference is less than A (No in step S172), the control unit 32 sets the amount of air blown into the room S to the target amount of air blown S i That is, the control unit 32 controls the amount of air blown into the room to the target air blowing amount S i In response to the instruction from the control unit 32, the air conditioning unit 31 changes the airflow rate S i Cooling operation will continue.

[0057] The threshold A is set taking into consideration humidity, temperature, etc. Here, the humidity difference H between the indoor absolute humidity and the target absolute humidity d It is preferable to set the threshold value A larger as the humidity difference H d It is preferable to increase the change range (i.e., the decrease range) of the amount of airflow S to the room as the humidity difference H increases. In addition, it is also preferable to increase the threshold value A as the temperature difference between the indoors and outdoors decreases. d When the temperature difference between the indoors and outdoors is small, it is preferable to increase the threshold value A in order to increase the latent heat ratio. This allows the amount of air blown into the room S to be reduced, thereby improving the comfort of the user.

[0058] After steps S173 and S174, the process may return to step S171 and repeatedly execute the process shown in Fig. 7 a number of times. Also, the process may return to step S13 in Fig. 6 and repeatedly execute the process shown in Fig. 6 (and Fig. 7) a number of times. That is, it is preferable that the control unit 32 repeatedly executes the processes shown in Figs. 6 and 7 while continuing to monitor the indoor humidity, the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 116, etc. In Fig. 7, y corresponds to, for example, step S171 or step S13 in Fig. 6.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 7, the target airflow rate S i In comparison, by controlling the amount of air blown into the room S, a sudden decrease in the amount of air blown into the room S can be avoided, and thus the comfort of the user can be improved. In particular, it is preferable to gradually decrease the amount of air blown into the room S by repeatedly executing the process shown in Fig. 7 (i.e., steps S171 to S174) multiple times.

[0060] It is preferable that the change condition of the amount of airflow S into the room is not dependent on the room temperature. That is, for example, even if the room temperature approaches the target temperature, the amount of airflow S may be increased if the absolute humidity H in the room is low, and even if the room temperature deviates from the target temperature, the amount of airflow S may be decreased if the absolute humidity H in the room is high. Also, if the current absolute humidity H is equal to or greater than the target absolute humidity H, i Even if the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 reaches the ideal temperature T i If it is higher, it is preferable to reduce the airflow rate S (see, for example, step S17).

[0061] (b) Control of cycle section 13 The control unit 32 preferably controls not only the amount of air blown into the room S (see, for example, FIG. 6(a)), but also the cycle unit 13 (see, for example, FIG. 6(b)). Either the control of the amount of air blown into the room S or the control of the cycle unit 13 may be started first, but it is preferable to perform them simultaneously.

[0062] Specifically, the air conditioning control system 1 preferably further includes an indoor temperature difference calculation unit that calculates an indoor temperature difference between the indoor temperature and the target temperature, and a compressor rotation speed determination unit 3212 that determines the rotation speed C of the compressor 14 based on the calculated indoor temperature difference. The control unit 32 preferably monitors the room temperature, acquires the room temperature during the initial operation or the subsequent cooling operation (step S23), causes the indoor temperature difference calculation unit to calculate the indoor temperature difference between the indoor temperature at that time and the target temperature, and determines the rotation speed C of the compressor 14 in the compressor rotation speed determination unit 3212 based on the indoor temperature difference acquired from the indoor temperature difference calculation unit. The control unit 32 causes the air conditioning unit 31 to perform the cooling operation at the determined rotation speed C of the compressor 14 (step S24). The air conditioning unit 31 continues the cooling operation while changing or maintaining the rotation speed C of the compressor 14 in response to an instruction from the control unit 32 (step S24).

[0063] It is preferable that the control unit 32 controls the amount of air sent into the room S independently of the rotation speed C of the compressor 14. That is, it is preferable that the rotation speed C of the compressor 14 and the amount of air sent into the room S (particularly the fan rotation speed) are controlled independently of each other without being related to each other. This makes it possible to more effectively adjust the humidity and temperature in the room, thereby further improving the comfort of the user.

[0064] Thereafter, while monitoring the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 14 and the temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger 121, etc., the control unit 32 preferably controls the opening of the expansion valve 16 and the rotation speed of the outdoor blower unit so as to cause an optimal phase change of the refrigerant in the cycle unit 13 (step S25). Even after step S25, the control unit 32 preferably continues monitoring the room temperature, etc., and preferably repeats steps S23 to S25 multiple times.

[0065] FIG. 8 is a chart conceptually showing the timing at which the amount of air sent into the room S (e.g., the fan rotation speed) is changed. In FIG. 8, the horizontal axis represents time, with the point at which initial operation begins being taken as "0 (hour)." The horizontal axis is common to the two graphs shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, the vertical axis represents the amount of air sent (i.e., the fan rotation speed) in the upper graph, and the vertical axis represents absolute humidity in the lower graph.

[0066] First, the fan rotation speed S at the start of the cooling operation is controlled to the initial airflow rate S0. Immediately after the start of the operation, the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 is equal to the ideal temperature T i (i.e., T>T i ), the temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 is approximately the ideal temperature T i The fan speed S preferably decreases over time (see period (1)) until time X reaches the ideal temperature T. i During the period in which the fan speed is equal to the ideal temperature T i When the absolute humidity H in the room decreases, the fan speed decreases (see period (3)). Also, when the absolute humidity H in the room decreases, the target absolute humidity Hi When the temperature becomes lower than the ideal temperature T i increases, and the fan speed increases (see period (4)). By repeatedly changing the fan speed S in this manner, the room temperature and humidity are effectively adjusted.

[0067] According to the air conditioning control system 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to adjust the room temperature while performing sufficient dehumidification, and therefore it is possible to realize cooling operation that is highly comfortable for the user. An air conditioner 10 equipped with such an air conditioning control system 1 is also one of the inventions made by the present inventors.

[0068] (Embodiment 2) In this embodiment, features unique to this embodiment will be mainly described, and descriptions of contents overlapping with embodiment 1 will be omitted. This embodiment mainly differs from embodiment 1 in that the ideal heat exchange temperature calculation unit 372 is not essential.

[0069] In the first embodiment, the indoor absolute humidity H and the target absolute humidity H i Humidity difference H d From the ideal temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger 116 i Calculate this ideal temperature T i The amount of air sent to the room S was controlled by comparing the current temperature T of the indoor heat exchanger with the absolute humidity H in the room. i In this embodiment, the amount of air sent to the room S can be controlled directly based on the absolute humidity H in the room and the target absolute humidity H i Next, a mode in which the amount of air blown into the room S is controlled directly based on the above will be described.

[0070] 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioning control system 1 of this embodiment. The air conditioning control system 1 includes, as main components, an air conditioning unit 31 and a control unit 32. It is preferable to further include a sensor unit 33 including a humidity sensor. One or more of these functional units may be provided outside the air conditioner 10.

[0071] The control unit 32 controls the air conditioning unit 31 to start cooling operation. An outline of the control by the control unit 32 will be further explained below with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is an example of a flowchart showing the processing in the air conditioning control system 1 of this embodiment. In Fig. 10, (a) mainly shows an outline of the control of the amount of air blown into the room S, and (b) mainly shows an outline of the control of the cycle unit 13.

[0072] 10, steps S11 to S12 and the control shown in (b) (i.e., steps S23 to S25) are the same as those in embodiment 1. Even after step S25, the control unit 32 preferably continues monitoring the room temperature, etc., and suitably repeats steps S23 to S25 multiple times.

[0073] The control unit 32 monitors the indoor humidity during the initial operation or during the subsequent cooling operation, and compares the indoor absolute humidity at that time with the target absolute humidity (step S33).

[0074] In step S33, the indoor absolute humidity H is set to the target absolute humidity H i If H is greater than H i ), the determination unit 320 determines that the result is (i), and the control unit 32 increases the amount of air sent into the room S (step S34). Specifically, the control unit 32 increases the fan rotation speed, for example. i If it is less than the target absolute humidity H, the determination unit 320 determines that the result is (ii), and the control unit 32 reduces the amount of air S sent into the room (step S35). Specifically, the control unit 32 reduces the fan rotation speed, for example. In step S35, it is preferable to reduce the amount of air S sent into the room (for example, the fan rotation speed) over time in order to further increase the comfort of the user. i (i.e., H=H i ), the determination unit 320 determines it to be (iii), and the control unit 32 maintains the amount of air blown into the room S without changing it (step S36). The air conditioning unit 31 receives an instruction from the control unit 32 and continues the cooling operation while changing or maintaining the amount of air blown into the room S (steps S34 to S36).

[0075] Even after steps S34 to S36, the control unit 32 preferably continues monitoring the indoor humidity, and suitably repeats steps S33 to S36 a number of times.

[0076] Usually, immediately after the start of cooling operation, the indoor absolute humidity H is equal to the target absolute humidity H i (i.e., H>H i In this embodiment, the control unit 32 controls the indoor absolute humidity H to be equal to or lower than the target absolute humidity H i Less than or equal to (i.e., H≦H i ), the control unit 32 controls the volume of air sent to the room S not to exceed the initial volume of air sent S0 (i.e., S≦S0). In other words, the control unit 32 controls the volume of air sent to the room S not to exceed the initial volume of air sent S0 (i.e., S≦S0) until the volume of air sent to the room H becomes H≦H i During the period until this occurs, the amount of air sent into the room S is controlled so that S≦S0.

[0077] It is preferable that the control unit 32 gradually reduces the volume of air S sent into the room until a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the cooling operation. This makes it possible to avoid a sudden decrease in the volume of air sent, thereby improving the comfort of the user. The point at which the predetermined time has elapsed is when the absolute humidity H in the room reaches approximately the target absolute humidity H i Therefore, the period from the start of cooling operation to the time when a certain time has elapsed is the time when the indoor absolute humidity H reaches the target absolute humidity H i This corresponds to the "period until the temperature falls below the specified level." The specified time varies depending on factors such as the volume of the room and the outside temperature.

[0078] It is particularly preferable that the method of gradually decreasing the amount of air S blown into the room in step S35 is performed in a manner substantially similar to steps S171 to S174 shown in FIG. d Based on the target airflow S i However, in this embodiment, the indoor absolute humidity H and the target absolute humidity H i The target airflow S is directly based on i That is, for example, the control unit 32 calculates the indoor absolute humidity H and the target absolute humidity H i Based on this, the target airflow rate S iAfter calculating the above, the determination unit 320 determines the indoor airflow rate S and the target airflow rate S i Compare the indoor airflow volume S with the target airflow volume S i Difference with (SS i ) is equal to or greater than the threshold value A. If the difference is equal to or greater than A (if Yes), the control unit 32 reduces the amount of air sent into the room S by the threshold value A, and if the difference is less than A (if No), reduces the amount of air sent into the room S to the target amount of air sent i The air conditioning unit 31 continues the cooling operation at the changed airflow rate upon receiving the instruction from the control unit 32. It is preferable to repeat this process several times thereafter to gradually reduce the airflow rate S to the room. The threshold value A is as described above.

[0079] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be implemented in various aspects without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. In addition, the components disclosed in the above embodiments can be modified as appropriate. For example, a certain component among all the components shown in one embodiment may be added to a component of another embodiment, or some components among all the components shown in one embodiment may be deleted from the embodiment.

[0080] In addition, the drawings are mainly schematic illustrations of each component to facilitate understanding of the invention, and the thickness, length, number, spacing, etc. of each illustrated component may differ from the actual ones due to the convenience of creating the drawings. In addition, the configurations of each component shown in the above embodiment are merely examples and are not particularly limited, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible within a range that does not substantially deviate from the effects of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1: Air conditioning control system 10: Air conditioner 11: Indoor unit 12:Outdoor unit 13: Cycle Club 14: Compressor 15: Four-way valve 16: Expansion valve 20: Server 30: Receiving section 31: Air conditioning section 32: Control section 33: Sensor section 36: Storage section 37: Calculation section 38: Wind direction adjustment section 110: Housing 111: Inlet 112: Air outlet 113: Wind guide plate 114: Filter 115: Filter cleaning device 116:Indoor heat exchanger 117: Indoor ventilation section 121:Outdoor heat exchanger 210: CPU 220: Memory 230: Communication interface 240:Operation unit 320: Judgment section 321: Operation condition determination unit 322: Driving Instructions Department 371: Humidity difference calculation section 372: Ideal heat exchanger temperature calculation part 373: Temperature difference calculation section 3211: Target airflow determination unit 3212: Compressor speed determination unit Y: Yes N:No

Claims

1. An air conditioning unit having a cycle unit including an indoor heat exchanger and a compressor, and an indoor blower unit; A control unit that controls the air conditioning unit to perform a cooling operation; a humidity difference calculation unit that calculates a humidity difference between an indoor absolute humidity and a target absolute humidity; an ideal heat exchange temperature calculation unit that calculates an ideal temperature of the indoor heat exchanger based on the humidity difference; The control unit is When the cooling operation is started, the amount of air blown into the room is controlled to be a predetermined initial amount of air blown, From the start of the cooling operation until the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger becomes equal to or lower than the ideal temperature, the amount of air sent to the room is controlled so as not to exceed the initial amount of air sent. Climate control system.

2. The control unit reduces an amount of air sent into the room over time until a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the cooling operation. The air conditioning control system according to claim 1 .

3. a heat exchange temperature difference calculation unit that calculates a heat exchange temperature difference between a temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and an ideal temperature of the indoor heat exchanger; a target airflow rate determination unit that determines a target airflow rate based on the heat exchange temperature difference; A determination unit, When the determination unit determines that the difference between the amount of air blown into the room and the target amount of air blown is equal to or greater than a threshold A, the control unit reduces the amount of air blown into the room by the threshold A. The air conditioning control system according to claim 1 .

4. The greater the humidity difference, the greater the threshold value A is set. The air conditioning control system according to claim 3 .

5. Further provided with a temperature sensor for measuring each temperature inside and outside the room, The smaller the temperature difference between the indoors and outdoors, the larger the threshold value A is set. The air conditioning control system according to claim 3 .

6. The greater the humidity difference, the lower the ideal temperature of the indoor heat exchanger is set. The air conditioning control system according to claim 1 .

7. Further provided with a temperature sensor for measuring each temperature inside and outside the room, The smaller the temperature difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures is, the lower the ideal temperature of the indoor heat exchanger is set. The air conditioning control system according to claim 1 .

8. A temperature sensor for measuring the temperature inside the room; An indoor temperature difference calculation unit that calculates an indoor temperature difference between the indoor temperature and a target temperature, The control unit controls the rotation speed of the compressor based on the indoor temperature difference. The air conditioning control system according to claim 1 .

9. The control unit controls the amount of air blown into the room independently of the rotation speed of the compressor. The air conditioning control system according to claim 8.

10. An air conditioning unit having a cycle unit including an indoor heat exchanger and a compressor, and an indoor blower unit; A control unit that controls the air conditioning unit to perform a cooling operation, The control unit is When the cooling operation is started, the amount of air blown into the room is controlled to be a predetermined initial amount of air blown, From the start of the cooling operation until the absolute humidity in the room becomes equal to or lower than the target absolute humidity, the amount of air sent into the room is controlled so as not to exceed the initial amount of air sent. Climate control system.

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