Air conditioning control system, controller, air conditioning control method and program

Abstract

To easily reduce waste electric power consumption.SOLUTION: An air conditioning control system 100 includes a control section 11, an acquisition section 12 and a determination section 13. The control section 11 controls a plurality of air conditioners 2. Each of the plurality of air conditioners 2 has an indoor unit 31 and an outdoor unit 32, and the indoor unit 31 is installed in an object space 4. The acquisition section 12 acquires a parameter related on operation of the compressor 323 provided in the outdoor unit 32 from each of the plurality of air conditioners 2. The determination section 13 determines the number of air conditioners 2 to be operated out of the plurality of air conditioners 2 on the basis of the parameter of each of the plurality of air conditioners 2 acquired by the acquisition section 12. The control section 11 operates only the air conditioners 2 of which number is determined by the determination section 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioning control system that controls a plurality of air conditioners, an air conditioning system, an air conditioning control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner. This air conditioner includes multiple air conditioners and a control calculation unit. The air conditioners have indoor and outdoor units, and form a single complete refrigeration cycle with the indoor and outdoor units. Multiple indoor units are placed in one air-conditioned area. The control calculation unit then equalizes the air conditioning capacity of each air conditioner according to the air conditioning load detected by each air conditioner by communicating with each other between the air conditioners. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-121798 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides an air conditioning control system etc. that makes it easy to reduce wasteful power consumption. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] An air conditioning control system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a control unit, an acquisition unit, and a determination unit. The control unit controls a plurality of air conditioners. Each of the plurality of air conditioners has an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, and the indoor unit is installed in a target space. The acquisition unit acquires parameters related to the operation of a compressor of the outdoor unit from each of the plurality of air conditioners. The determination unit determines the number of air conditioners to be operated among the plurality of air conditioners based on the parameters of each of the plurality of air conditioners acquired by the acquisition unit. The control unit operates the number of air conditioners determined by the determination unit among the plurality of air conditioners.

[0006] An air conditioning system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the air conditioning control system and the plurality of air conditioners controlled by the air conditioning control system.

[0007] An air conditioning control method according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a control step, an acquisition step, and a determination step. In the control step, a plurality of air conditioners are controlled. Each of the plurality of air conditioners has an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, and the indoor unit is installed in a target space. In the acquisition step, parameters related to the operation of a compressor of the outdoor unit are acquired from each of the plurality of air conditioners. In the determination step, the number of air conditioners to be operated among the plurality of air conditioners is determined based on the parameters of each of the plurality of air conditioners acquired in the acquisition step. In the control step, the number of air conditioners determined in the determination step is operated among the plurality of air conditioners.

[0008] A program according to an embodiment of the present disclosure causes one or more processors to execute the air conditioning control method. Effect of the Invention

[0009] The air conditioning control system and the like according to the present disclosure has the advantage that wasteful power consumption can be easily reduced. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration including an air-conditioning control system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a correlation diagram between the operating efficiency and the processing load of the air conditioner during normal operation. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a correlation diagram between the operating efficiency and the processing load of the air conditioners during linked operation. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a correlation diagram between the operating efficiency and the processing load of the air conditioner during switching operation. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a correlation diagram between the operating efficiency for each outside air temperature and the processing load of the air conditioner. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing data relating to threshold values ​​when an air conditioner is in heating operation. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing data relating to threshold values ​​when an air conditioner is in cooling operation. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the air conditioning control system according to the embodiment. [Figure 9A] FIG. 9A is a schematic diagram showing a first switching example of the number of operating air conditioners in an air conditioning control system according to an embodiment. [Figure 9B] FIG. 9B is a schematic diagram showing a first switching example of the number of operating air conditioners in the air conditioning control system according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a second switching example of the number of operating air conditioners in the air conditioning control system according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of operation in the second switching example in the air conditioning control system according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] (Findings on which this disclosure is based) First, the inventor's viewpoint will be explained below.

[0012] Conventionally, in a target space having a relatively large area, multiple air conditioners may be installed to condition the air. Each air conditioner includes an indoor unit installed in the target space and an outdoor unit installed outside the target space. In such a case, a controller that controls the multiple air conditioners may operate the multiple air conditioners simultaneously, for example, so that the required load is equally divided.

[0013] Here, when the required load is relatively large, for example when the difference between the target temperature of the target space and the outdoor temperature is large, the load processed by each air conditioner is also relatively large, and the operating efficiency of each air conditioner is unlikely to decrease. On the other hand, when the required load is relatively small, for example when the difference between the target temperature of the target space and the outdoor temperature is small, the load processed by each air conditioner is also relatively small, and the operating efficiency of at least one air conditioner may decrease. And when the operating efficiency of one or more air conditioners decreases, the power consumption may increase along with the decrease in operating efficiency.

[0014] In other words, when multiple air conditioners are operating simultaneously in a target space, if the required load becomes relatively small, the overall operation will be inefficient, and there is a problem that power tends to be consumed wastefully. A situation in which the required load becomes small as described above can occur, for example, when multiple air conditioners are operating in cooling mode and the outside air temperature is not very high compared to the target temperature of the target space.

[0015] In view of the above, the inventors have created the present disclosure.

[0016] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming unnecessarily redundant and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0017] In the following, a predetermined value (for example, the total value of the operation frequencies described below) is compared with a threshold value, but in the comparison, one branching condition may include a threshold value, or the other branching condition may include a threshold value. For example, one branching condition may be that "the predetermined value is equal to or greater than (or less than) the threshold value," or that "the predetermined value exceeds (or falls below) the threshold value."

[0018] The inventor provides the accompanying drawings and the following description so that those skilled in the art can fully understand the present disclosure, and does not intend for them to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0019] (Embodiment) [1-1. Overall composition] First, the overall configuration including an air conditioning control system 100 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration including an air conditioning control system 100 according to an embodiment. The air conditioning control system 100 is a system for controlling a plurality of air conditioners 2 installed to condition the air in a target space 4. In the embodiment, the air conditioning control system 100 controls two air conditioners 2. Hereinafter, one of the two air conditioners 2 will be referred to as a first air conditioner 21, and the other air conditioner 2 will be referred to as a second air conditioner 22.

[0020] Here, the target space 4 refers to an area having a relatively large area in which air is conditioned by a plurality of air conditioners 2 within the facility 5. In other words, the target space 4 is basically a closed space within the facility 5. Note that the target space 4 does not have to be a space that is completely closed off from the space outside the facility 5, and may be connected to the space outside the facility 5 through, for example, one or more doors provided at an entrance to the facility 5 and one or more windows provided on an outer wall of the facility 5.

[0021] The facility 5 includes, for example, a store such as a convenience store or a supermarket. Note that the facility 5 is not limited to a store, and may be, for example, a residential facility such as a detached house or an apartment building, or may include non-residential facilities such as an office, a school, a welfare facility, a hospital, and a factory.

[0022] Each of the multiple air conditioners 2 has an indoor unit 31 and an outdoor unit 32, and the indoor unit 31 is installed in the target space 4. The indoor unit 31 and the outdoor unit 32 are provided for each air conditioner 2, and are connected to each other by refrigerant piping P1. In this embodiment, the air conditioner 2 is capable of both cooling operation and heating operation. Note that the air conditioner 2 may be a dedicated cooling unit or a dedicated heating unit.

[0023] The indoor unit 31 is, for example, a ceiling embedded type and is installed on the ceiling of the target space 4. Note that the indoor unit 31 is not limited to being a ceiling embedded type, and may be a ceiling suspended type, a wall mounted type, or a floor standing type. The indoor unit 31 has a fan 311 that blows cool air or warm air into the target space 4, and a heat exchanger 312. During cooling operation, the heat exchanger 312 functions as an evaporator that absorbs ambient heat to evaporate liquid refrigerant, and during heating operation, it functions as a condenser that releases heat from the gas refrigerant to liquefy the refrigerant.

[0024] The outdoor unit 32 is installed outside the facility 5. The outdoor unit 32 has a fan 321, a heat exchanger 322, a compressor 323, a four-way valve 324, and an expansion valve 325. The fan 321 blows air to the heat exchanger 322. The heat exchanger 322 functions as a condenser during cooling operation and as an evaporator during heating operation. The compressor 323 draws in and compresses gas refrigerant to increase the pressure. The four-way valve 324 is used to reverse the flow of the refrigerant between cooling operation and heating operation. The expansion valve 325 expands the liquid refrigerant to reduce the pressure.

[0025] [1-2. Air conditioning control system] Next, details of the air conditioning control system 100 will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the air conditioning control system 100 includes a control unit 11, an acquisition unit 12, a determination unit 13, a transmission unit 14, and a storage unit 15. In the embodiment, the air conditioning control system 100 needs to include at least the control unit 11, the acquisition unit 12, and the determination unit 13, and does not need to include other components. For example, the above-mentioned other components can be realized by a system other than the air conditioning control system 100.

[0026] In the embodiment, the air conditioning control system 100 is realized by a controller 101 installed in the facility 5. The controller 101 may be installed in the target space 4 or outside the target space 4. The controller 101 is connected to the indoor unit 31 and the outdoor unit 32 of each air conditioner 2 by a signal line. The controller 101 communicates with the indoor unit 31 of each air conditioner 2 via the signal line. The controller 101 also communicates with the outdoor unit 32 of each air conditioner 2 via the signal line.

[0027] The controller 101 has a processor and a memory, and realizes various functions by executing a computer program stored in the memory by the processor. In this embodiment, the memory is the storage unit 15.

[0028] The control unit 11 controls the multiple air conditioners 2. In this embodiment, the control unit 11 controls each air conditioner 2 by transmitting a signal including a command to the indoor unit 31 and the outdoor unit 32 of each air conditioner 2 via a signal line. In this embodiment, the control unit 11 causes the multiple air conditioners 2 to operate normally or in coordinated operation according to instructions from a user. The user here is, for example, a user of the target space 4 who has the authority to operate the air conditioning control system 100. Switching between normal operation and coordinated operation is performed, for example, by the user directly operating the controller 101 or by the user operating a remote controller installed in the target space 4.

[0029] Normal operation refers to each of the multiple air conditioners 2 operating independently. During normal operation, each air conditioner 2 performs cooling or heating operation so that the temperature of the target space 4 (i.e., the intake temperature of the indoor unit 31) becomes the set temperature. Here, in the target space 4, there are places where cooling (or heating) is effective and places where cooling (or heating) is not effective. Therefore, during normal operation, the processing load of each air conditioner 2 tends to differ from one another.

[0030] Coordinated operation refers to multiple air conditioners 2 operating in coordination. During coordinated operation, each air conditioner 2 performs cooling or heating operation so that the temperature of the target space 4 (i.e., the suction temperature of the indoor unit 31) becomes the set temperature, just like during normal operation. Furthermore, during coordinated operation, each air conditioner 2 performs cooling or heating operation in coordination so that the processing load is divided equally. Therefore, during coordinated operation, the processing load of each air conditioner 2 is almost the same.

[0031] Furthermore, the control unit 11 controls each air conditioner 2 so as to operate the number of air conditioners 2 determined by the determination unit 13 among the multiple air conditioners 2. In the embodiment, if the number determined by the determination unit 13 is two, the control unit 11 operates both the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22. On the other hand, if the number determined by the determination unit 13 is one, the control unit 11 stops one of the air conditioners 2 of the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22, and operates only the other air conditioner 2. Which air conditioner 2 to operate when reducing the number of air conditioners 2 to be operated will be described in detail later in [3. Example of switching the number of operating units].

[0032] The acquisition unit 12 acquires parameters related to the operation of the compressor 323 of the outdoor unit 32 from each of the multiple air conditioners 2. In the embodiment, the acquisition unit 12 acquires the parameters related to the operation of the compressor 323 by receiving a signal transmitted via a signal line from the outdoor unit 32 of each air conditioner 2. In the embodiment, the parameter related to the operation of the compressor 323 is the operating frequency of the compressor 323, that is, the rotation speed of the motor of the compressor 323.

[0033] The determination unit 13 determines the number of air conditioners 2 to be operated among the multiple air conditioners 2, based on the parameters (parameters related to the operation of the compressors 323) of each of the multiple air conditioners 2 acquired by the acquisition unit 12. In the embodiment, the determination unit 13 determines the number of air conditioners 2 to be operated, based on the operating frequency of the compressors 323 of each air conditioner 2.

[0034] The reason for determining the number of air conditioners 2 to be operated based on parameters related to the operation of the compressor 323 will be explained below.

[0035] First, the correlation between the operation efficiency of the air conditioner 2 and the processing load of the air conditioner 2 will be explained using Fig. 2 to Fig. 4. Fig. 2 is a correlation diagram between the operation efficiency during normal operation and the processing load of the air conditioner 2. Fig. 3 is a correlation diagram between the operation efficiency during linked operation and the processing load of the air conditioner 2. Fig. 4 is a correlation diagram between the operation efficiency and the processing load of the air conditioner 2 during switchover operation. The switchover operation here refers to reducing the number of air conditioners 2 to be operated and operating only one of the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22.

[0036] 2 to 4, the vertical axis represents the coefficient of performance (COP) and the horizontal axis represents the processing load (unit: kW) of the air conditioner 2. The COP is the energy consumption efficiency (in other words, the operating efficiency) of the air conditioner 2, and is an index of the effect of cooling operation or heating operation per 1 kW. As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the COP (operating efficiency) is expressed as a nonlinear function that takes the processing load of the air conditioner 2 as a variable and shows a maximum value at a specified load.

[0037] In the example shown in Fig. 2, the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22 are performing cooling or heating operation to process different loads, and the processing load of the second air conditioner 22 is larger than the processing load of the first air conditioner 21. As shown in Fig. 2, the second air conditioner 22 exhibits a coefficient of performance close to a maximum value, while the first air conditioner 21 exhibits a low coefficient of performance due to a small processing load. In other words, during normal operation, the operating efficiency of the first air conditioner 21 is low, and the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22 are operating inefficiently overall.

[0038] In the example shown in Fig. 3, the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22 are performing cooling operation or heating operation so as to process the same load. As shown in Fig. 3, the processing load of the first air conditioner 21 has increased compared to normal operation, and therefore the coefficient of performance has increased. On the other hand, the processing load of the second air conditioner 22 has decreased compared to normal operation, and therefore the coefficient of performance has decreased. In other words, even during linked operation, the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22 are still operating inefficiently overall.

[0039] In the example shown in Fig. 4, the first air conditioner 21 is not operating, and only the second air conditioner 22 is operating in cooling or heating mode. As shown in Fig. 4, the processing load of the second air conditioner 22 is increased by the amount of the load that the first air conditioner 21 was processing, compared to the time of linked operation. As a result, the coefficient of performance of the second air conditioner 22 is almost at its maximum value, and is higher than during normal operation and linked operation. In other words, during switching operation, the first air conditioner 21 is not operating, but the second air conditioner 22 is operating efficiently.

[0040] Here, an example of a comparison result between power consumption during linked operation and power consumption during switched operation will be described. In the following, it is assumed that the total processing load of the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22 is 6 kW. In addition, it is assumed that the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22 each have an operating performance such that the coefficient of performance is "3" when the processing load is 3 kW, and the coefficient of performance is "4" when the processing load is 6 kW.

[0041] During linked operation, the processing load is equally divided between the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22, so the processing load of each of the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22 is 3 kW. Here, the power consumption can be calculated by dividing the processing load of the air conditioner 2 by the coefficient of performance. As described above, since the coefficient of performance is "3" when the processing load is 3 kW, the power consumption of each of the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22 is 3 kW / 3 = 1 kW. In other words, the power consumption during linked operation is 2 kW, which is the sum of the power consumption of the first air conditioner 21 and the power consumption of the second air conditioner 22.

[0042] On the other hand, during switching operation, only the second air conditioner 22 processes the load, so the processing load of the second air conditioner 22 is 6 kW. As described above, since the coefficient of performance when the load to be processed is 6 kW is "4", the power consumption of the second air conditioner 22 is 6 kW / 4 = 1.5 kW. In other words, the power consumption during switching operation is 1.5 kW, which is the power consumption of the second air conditioner 22, because the first air conditioner 21 is not operating.

[0043] In this way, even if the overall processing load is the same, it is possible to reduce power consumption by switching the number of air conditioners 2 to operate (number of operating units) while taking into consideration the operating efficiency. Therefore, it is conceivable to estimate the processing load of the air conditioners 2 and determine the number of operating air conditioners 2 to maximize the operating efficiency based on the estimated processing load.

[0044] Here, the processing load of the air conditioner 2 can be calculated, for example, by multiplying the enthalpy difference between the air drawn in and the air blown out by the indoor unit 31 of the air conditioner 2 by the air volume and air density of the air conditioner 2. However, with this calculation method, since it is necessary to obtain the humidity in the target space 4 in order to find the enthalpy difference, it is necessary to install a humidity sensor in the target space 4, which is costly. In addition, with this calculation method, there is a problem that it is difficult to accurately calculate the load because the humidity measured varies depending on the installation location of the humidity sensor.

[0045] To solve the above problems, the inventors have focused on the fact that there is a correlation between the processing load of the air conditioner 2 and the operating frequency of the compressor 323 of the outdoor unit 32 equipped in the air conditioner 2. Specifically, the processing load of the air conditioner 2 is almost directly proportional to the operating frequency of the compressor 323. Therefore, in the embodiment, the operating frequency of the compressor 323 is acquired, and the number of operating air conditioners 2 is determined based on the acquired operating frequency. This technique is essentially equivalent to a method of estimating the processing load of the air conditioner 2 and determining the number of operating air conditioners 2 based on the estimated processing load.

[0046] In the embodiment, the determination unit 13 compares the sum of the operating frequencies of the compressors 323 of each air conditioner 2 acquired by the acquisition unit 12 with a threshold value, and if the sum of the operating frequencies falls below the threshold value, determines the number of air conditioners 2 to be operated to be one. Furthermore, if the sum of the operating frequencies is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the determination unit 13 determines the number of air conditioners 2 to be operated to be two. Here, the operating frequency of the compressors 323 of each air conditioner 2 used in the comparison with the threshold value is, for example, a representative value of the operating frequencies acquired multiple times by the acquisition unit 12 over a certain period (for example, several minutes). In the embodiment, the representative value is an average value, but it may also be a median, a mode, or the like.

[0047] In this embodiment, the sum of the operating frequencies at which operating one air conditioner 2 consumes less power than operating two air conditioners 2 (in other words, operating one air conditioner 2 can be operated more efficiently than operating two air conditioners 2) is stored in memory unit 15 as a threshold value.

[0048] As already mentioned, the coefficient of performance (operating efficiency) is expressed as a nonlinear function that takes the processing load of the air conditioner 2 as a variable and shows a maximum value at a certain load, but it can also change depending on the environment of the target space 4. Specifically, the coefficient of performance (operating efficiency) can change depending on the suction temperature of the outdoor unit 32 (i.e., the outside air temperature), the air volume of the air conditioner 2, etc.

[0049] An example of the change in the coefficient of performance (operating efficiency) depending on the environment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a correlation diagram between the operating efficiency for each outdoor temperature and the processing load of the air conditioner 2. In the example shown in Fig. 5, the solid line represents the coefficient of performance (operating efficiency) when the outdoor temperature is 0°C, the dotted line represents the coefficient of performance (operating efficiency) when the outdoor temperature is 7°C, and the dashed and dotted line represents the coefficient of performance (operating efficiency) when the outdoor temperature is -10°C. As shown in Fig. 5, the higher the outdoor temperature, the higher the coefficient of performance (operating efficiency) becomes, and the maximum value shifts toward a higher processing load of the air conditioner 2.

[0050] 6 and 7, the threshold value is set according to the operating state of the air conditioner 2, the suction temperature of the outdoor unit 32 (i.e., the outside air temperature), and the air volume of the air conditioner 2. In other words, in the embodiment, the determination unit 13 determines the number by further referring to at least one of the suction temperature of the outdoor unit 32 and the air volume of the air conditioner 2.

[0051] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing data on the threshold value during heating operation of the air conditioner 2. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing data on the threshold value during cooling operation of the air conditioner 2. In each of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the "outdoor unit suction temperature" is the average value of the suction temperatures (outdoor air temperature) of the multiple outdoor units 32. In each of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the "air volume" is the smallest air volume among the multiple air conditioners 2. Note that, if the multiple air conditioners 2 have the same air volume, the "air volume" is the air volume of any one of the air conditioners 2. In FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the threshold value is expressed as a percentage with the total value of the operation frequency under the rated environment set to 100%. Of course, the threshold value may be expressed as the total value of the operation frequency itself. As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the threshold value is set so that the higher the suction temperature (outdoor air temperature) of the outdoor unit 32 is during heating operation, the higher the threshold value, and the higher the suction temperature (outdoor air temperature) of the outdoor unit 32 is during cooling operation, the lower the threshold value. Furthermore, the threshold value is set to be higher as the air volume of the air conditioner 2 increases. The threshold value is set appropriately according to the characteristics of the air conditioner 2.

[0052] The transmitter 14 transmits signals including instructions via signal lines to the indoor unit 31 and the outdoor unit 32 of each air conditioner 2. Here, the instructions may include commands to instruct each air conditioner 2 to operate normally, or commands to instruct each air conditioner 2 to operate in conjunction with each other, etc. Furthermore, the instructions may include commands to instruct each air conditioner 2 to stop operation, or commands to instruct each air conditioner 2 to start operation, etc.

[0053] The memory unit 15 is a storage device that stores information (such as computer programs) necessary for the processor of the controller 101 to perform various controls. The memory unit 15 is realized by, for example, a semiconductor memory, but is not particularly limited and any known means for storing electronic information can be used. The memory unit 15 stores data related to thresholds when the air conditioner 2 is in cooling operation, and data related to thresholds when the air conditioner 2 is in heating operation.

[0054] [2. Operation] The operation of the air conditioning control system 100 configured as above will be described below with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the air conditioning control system 100 according to the embodiment. In the following, the operation will be described as starting in a state where multiple air conditioners 2 (here, two air conditioners, the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22) are already operating in coordination.

[0055] First, the acquisition unit 12 periodically acquires data on the operating state, the suction temperature (outdoor air temperature) of the outdoor unit 32, the air volume, and the operating frequency of the compressor 323 from each of the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22 (S1). Process S1 corresponds to acquisition step ST2 of the air conditioning control method. Next, the determination unit 13 sets a threshold by referring to the data on the operating state, the suction temperature of the outdoor unit 32, and the air volume acquired by the acquisition unit 12 (S2). Then, the determination unit 13 calculates the sum of the operating frequencies of the compressor 323 of the first air conditioner 21 and the compressor 323 of the second air conditioner 22 acquired by the acquisition unit 12, and compares the calculated sum of the operating frequencies with the threshold (S3).

[0056] If the total value of the operation frequencies is equal to or greater than the threshold value (S3: No), the determination unit 13 determines the number of air conditioners 2 to be operated to be two (S4). Therefore, in this case, the number of operating air conditioners 2 does not change, and the operating states of the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22 are maintained (S5). On the other hand, if the total value of the operation frequencies is below the threshold value (S3: Yes), the determination unit 13 determines the number of operating air conditioners 2 to be one (S6). Then, the control unit 11 switches the number of operating air conditioners 2 from two to one by stopping the operation of either the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22 according to the number determined by the determination unit 13 (S7). Processes S2 to S4 and S6 correspond to determination step ST3 of the air conditioning control method. Processes S5 and S7 correspond to control step ST1 of the air conditioning control method.

[0057] Until a predetermined time (e.g., 30 minutes) has elapsed since the number of operating air conditioners 2 was switched from two to one (S8: No), the state in which only one of the air conditioners 2, either the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22, is operated is maintained. On the other hand, when the predetermined time has elapsed since the number of operating air conditioners 2 was switched from two to one (S8: Yes), the determination unit 13 compares the total value of the operating frequency with a threshold value based on the latest data acquired by the acquisition unit 12 at that time (S9).

[0058] If the total value of the operation frequencies is below the threshold value (S9: No), the determination unit 13 determines the number of operating air conditioners 2 to be one (S10). Therefore, in this case, the state in which only one of the air conditioners 2, the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22, is operated is maintained (S11). On the other hand, if the total value of the operation frequencies is equal to or greater than the threshold value (S9: Yes), the determination unit 13 determines the number of operating air conditioners 2 to be two (S12). Then, the control unit 11 switches the number of operating air conditioners 2 from one to two by restarting the operation of the air conditioners 2 that were stopped according to the number determined by the determination unit 13 (S13). The processes S9, S10, and S12 correspond to the determination step ST3 of the air conditioning control method. The processes S11 and S13 correspond to the control step ST1 of the air conditioning control method. Thereafter, the above series of processes are repeated.

[0059] [3. Example of changing the number of operating vehicles] Here, examples of switching the number of operating air conditioners 2 are listed. In the embodiment, the control unit 11 switches the number of operating air conditioners 2 from two to one in process S7 shown in Fig. 8 according to one of the switching examples listed below, so that only one of the air conditioners 2, either the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22, is operated. Note that the switching examples listed below are merely examples, and the control unit 11 may switch the number of operating air conditioners 2 according to rules other than the switching examples listed here.

[0060] In a first switching example and a second switching example among the switching examples listed below, the acquisition unit 12 further acquires exhaust information indicating the exhaust status in the target space 4. Then, based on the exhaust information acquired by the acquisition unit 12, the control unit 11 determines the air conditioner 2 to operate.

[0061] [3.1. First switching example] First, the first switching example will be described with reference to Figures 9A and 9B. Figure 9A is a schematic diagram showing a first switching example of the number of operating air conditioners 2 in an air conditioning control system 100 according to an embodiment. Figure 9B is a schematic diagram showing a first switching example of the number of operating air conditioners 2 in an air conditioning control system 100 according to an embodiment.

[0062] In the first switching example, it is assumed that the target space 4 is a space inside a store such as a convenience store. As shown in FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B, the target space 4 includes a product sales floor, a cash register counter, a kitchen, an office, an eat-in space (illustrated as "eat-in"), a back yard, and a toilet. The target space 4 is a closed space surrounded by the exterior walls of the store. Note that the target space 4 is not a space that is completely closed off from the space outside the store, and may be connected to the space outside the store through an automatic door installed at the entrance of the store and one or more windows installed in the exterior walls of the store.

[0063] In the first switching example, the indoor unit 31 of the first air conditioner 21 and the indoor unit 31 of the second air conditioner 22 are both installed on the ceiling of the sales floor of the store. Moreover, the indoor unit 31 of the first air conditioner 21 is installed in the space on the entrance side of the store when the store is divided into two longitudinally, and the indoor unit 31 of the second air conditioner 22 is installed in the space on the rear side of the store. Furthermore, in the first switching example, a ventilation fan 60 for a fryer is installed on the ceiling or wall in the kitchen.

[0064] In a first switching example, the control unit 11 switches the number of operating air conditioners 2 from two to one so as to operate only one of the air conditioners 2, either the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22, depending on the exhaust status of the target space 4. Specifically, in the first switching example, the control unit 11 refers to the operating state of the fryer ventilation fan 60 as exhaust information.

[0065] That is, in the first switching example, one or more ventilation fans 6 (here, ventilation fans 60 for a fryer) are installed in the target space 4. Then, the acquisition unit 12 acquires operation information of the one or more ventilation fans 6 (here, the operating state of the ventilation fans 60 for a fryer) as exhaust information by communicating with the ventilation fans 60 for a fryer, for example, via a signal line. Then, based on the exhaust information acquired by the acquisition unit 12, when the ventilation fan 60 for a fryer is operating, the control unit 11 switches the number of operating air conditioners 2 from two to one so as to operate only the second air conditioner 22, as shown in FIG. 9B.

[0066] Here, since the fryer ventilation fan 60 has a relatively large exhaust volume, it can not only suck in and exhaust air from the kitchen, but also suck in and exhaust air from a part of the space of the sales floor adjacent to the kitchen. If only the first air conditioner 21 is operated as shown in FIG. 9A while the fryer ventilation fan 60 is operating, the air blown from the first air conditioner 21 to the sales floor is likely to be exhausted by the fryer ventilation fan 60 without circulating through the sales floor (see the white arrow in the figure), and the first air conditioner 21 will operate unnecessarily. In contrast, if only the second air conditioner 22 is operated as shown in FIG. 9B, the air blown from the second air conditioner 22 to the sales floor will pass through the sales floor and then be exhausted by the fryer ventilation fan 60 (see the white arrow in the figure), so the second air conditioner 22 will not operate unnecessarily.

[0067] In the first switching example, when the fryer ventilation fan 60 is not operating, the control unit 11 may operate only the first air conditioner 21 or only the second air conditioner 22. In this case, the control unit 11 may determine which air conditioner 2, the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22, to operate, depending on, for example, whether the store is in a busy season as described below.

[0068] [3.2. Second switching example] Next, the second switching example will be described with reference to Fig. 10 and Fig. 11. Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a second switching example of the number of operating air conditioners 2 in the air conditioning control system 100 according to the embodiment. Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation example in the second switching example in the air conditioning control system 100 according to the embodiment.

[0069] In the second switching example, the target space 4 is, for example, a space inside a store such as a convenience store, as in the first switching example. In the second switching example, a plurality of ventilation fans 6 (six in this case, the first ventilation fan 61 to the sixth ventilation fan 66) are installed in the target space 4. The first ventilation fan 61 is a ventilation fan for a fryer as in the first switching example, and is installed in the kitchen. The second ventilation fan 62 is installed on the ceiling of the eat-in space. The third ventilation fan 63 is installed on the ceiling of the cash register counter. The fourth ventilation fan 64 is installed on the ceiling near the entrance to the backyard. The fifth ventilation fan 65 is installed on the ceiling near the entrance to the toilet. The sixth ventilation fan 66 is installed on the ceiling in the backyard.

[0070] In the second switching example, the multiple ventilation fans 6 are divided into two groups, a first group and a second group. The first group is a group to which the ventilation fans 6 installed in the space on the entrance side of the store when the store is divided into two longitudinally, and the second group is a group to which the ventilation fans 6 installed in the space on the back side of the store belong. The first group includes the first ventilation fan 61 to the third ventilation fan 63, and the second group includes the fourth ventilation fan 64 to the sixth ventilation fan 66. The first group includes the first air conditioner 21, and the second group includes the second air conditioner 22.

[0071] In the second switching example, the control unit 11 switches the number of operating air conditioners 2 from two to one, so as to operate only one of the air conditioners 2, either the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22, depending on the operating status of the multiple ventilation fans 6. Specifically, in the second switching example, the acquisition unit 12 acquires operating information (here, the operating state of each ventilation fan 6) as exhaust information from each ventilation fan 6 by communicating with each of the multiple ventilation fans 6 via, for example, a signal line. Next, the control unit 11 calculates the exhaust volume in the first group and the exhaust volume in the second group, based on the exhaust information acquired by the acquisition unit 12. Here, it is assumed that the control unit 11 knows in advance the exhaust volume of each ventilation fan 6 when it is operating.

[0072] Then, if the exhaust volume of the first group is lower than that of the second group, the control unit 11 operates only the first air conditioner 21, and if the exhaust volume of the first group is higher than that of the second group, the control unit 11 operates only the second air conditioner 22. In other words, the control unit 11 stops operation of the air conditioner 2 that belongs to the group with the larger exhaust volume out of the first and second groups. This makes it easier for the air blown out from the air conditioner 2 to circulate around the sales floor before being exhausted, eliminating the need for the air conditioner 2 to operate unnecessarily.

[0073] Here, in the second switching example, the control unit 11 further switches the number of operating air conditioners 2 from two to one, so that only one of the air conditioners 2, either the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22, is operated depending on whether the store is in a busy season or not. In other words, when the store is in a busy season, the automatic doors at the store entrance are likely to open and close frequently, causing the air to be exhausted from the store entrance to the space outside the store. For this reason, whether the store is in a busy season or not can have a significant impact on the exhaust status of the target space 4, and thus corresponds to exhaust information. This control takes precedence over the control according to the operating status of the multiple ventilation fans 6 described above.

[0074] For example, the control unit 11 judges whether the store is in a busy season based on a preset schedule. The schedule includes time periods when it is expected that there will be a relatively large number of customers coming and going, or time periods when product sales are relatively high. Also, for example, the control unit 11 judges whether the store is in a busy season based on the number of times the automatic door at the store entrance opens and closes per unit time. In this case, the number of times the automatic door opens and closes can be obtained by communicating with a counter that counts the opening and closing of the automatic door. In other words, the schedule or the number of times the automatic door opens and closes, which are used to judge whether the store is in a busy season, correspond to the exhaust information obtained by the obtaining unit 12.

[0075] An operation example in the second switching example of the air conditioning control system 100 according to the embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 11. As shown in Fig. 11, if the store is in a busy season (S14: Yes), the control unit 11 operates only the air conditioner 2 (here, the second air conditioner 22) that is farthest from the store entrance out of the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22 (S15). On the other hand, if the store is not in a busy season (S14: No), the control unit 11 causes the acquisition unit 12 to acquire data on the operating state of each ventilation fan 6 (S16). Then, the control unit 11 compares the exhaust volume of the first group with the exhaust volume of the second group (S17).

[0076] If the exhaust volume of the first group is greater than the exhaust volume of the second group (S17: Yes), the control unit 11 stops the operation of the first air conditioner 21 and operates only the second air conditioner 22 (S18). On the other hand, if the exhaust volume of the first group is equal to or less than the exhaust volume of the second group (S17: No), the control unit 11 stops the operation of the second air conditioner 22 and operates only the first air conditioner 21 (S19).

[0077] [3.3. Other switching examples] Alternatively, the control unit 11 may determine which air conditioner 2 to operate based on the processing load of the multiple air conditioners 2. Specifically, the control unit 11 may switch the number of operating air conditioners 2 from two to one so that only one of the air conditioners 2, either the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22, operates according to the processing load of the air conditioner 2 that is originally to be processed. For example, when each air conditioner 2 is performing a heating operation, the control unit 11 compares the suction temperature of the outdoor unit 32 of the first air conditioner 21 (or the suction temperature of the indoor unit 31) with the suction temperature of the outdoor unit 32 of the second air conditioner 22 (or the suction temperature of the indoor unit 31), and operates only the air conditioner 2 with the lower suction temperature (in other words, the lower processing load). Also, for example, when each air conditioner 2 is performing cooling operation, the control unit 11 compares the suction temperature of the outdoor unit 32 of the first air conditioner 21 (or the suction temperature of the indoor unit 31) with the suction temperature of the outdoor unit 32 of the second air conditioner 22 (or the suction temperature of the indoor unit 31), and operates only the air conditioner 2 with the higher suction temperature (in other words, the smaller processing load).

[0078] In addition, when a showcase for freezing or refrigerating goods is installed in the sales floor, the control unit 11 may switch the number of operating air conditioners 2 from two to one so that only one of the air conditioners 2, either the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22, is operated according to the operating state of the showcase. Such a showcase may have a compressor inside. In this case, the ambient temperature of the showcase tends to rise due to the exhaust heat of the compressor. Therefore, when the air conditioner 2 is performing cooling operation, the control unit 11 operates only the air conditioner 2 that is closer to the showcase out of the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22. On the other hand, when the air conditioner 2 is performing heating operation, the control unit 11 operates only the air conditioner 2 that is farther from the showcase out of the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22.

[0079] Furthermore, the control unit 11 may switch the number of operating air conditioners 2 from two to one so as to operate only one of the air conditioners 2, either the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22, depending on whether the store is in a busy season or not, regardless of the exhaust status of the target space 4. The control unit 11 determines whether the store is in a busy season or not using a method similar to that of the second switching example described above.

[0080] When the store is in a busy season, the store staff tends to stay near the entrance of the store (in other words, near the cash register) to serve customers. In this case, the control unit 11 operates only the air conditioner 2 of the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22 that is closer to the store entrance. On the other hand, when the store is not in a busy season, the store staff tends to stay near the back of the store to engage in tasks such as arranging products or cleaning the store. In this case, the control unit 11 operates only the air conditioner 2 of the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22 that is closer to the back of the store. In other words, the control unit 11 operates only one of the air conditioners 2, either the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22, taking into consideration the comfort of the store staff.

[0081] Furthermore, the control unit 11 may switch the number of operating air conditioners 2 from two to one, so that only one of the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22 is operated depending on the display status of the products in the store. For example, when daily necessities are displayed as products, the control unit 11 operates only the air conditioner 2 of the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22 that is farther from the display location of the daily necessities. Furthermore, for example, when products that are sold mainly during a specific season, such as chocolates, are displayed as products, the control unit 11 operates only the air conditioner 2 of the first air conditioner 21 and the second air conditioner 22 that is closer to the display location of the products.

[0082] Furthermore, the control unit 11 may switch the number of operating air conditioners 2 from two to one, so that only one of the air conditioners 2, either the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22, is operated in accordance with a user's selection. The user here is a store clerk or a manager such as a store manager. In other words, the control unit 11 operates only one of the air conditioners 2, either the first air conditioner 21 or the second air conditioner 22, in accordance with a rule set in advance by the user.

[0083] [4. Advantages, etc.] The advantages of the air conditioning control system 100 according to the embodiment will be described below.

[0084] As already mentioned, when multiple air conditioners 2 are operating simultaneously in the target space 4, if the required load becomes relatively small, the air conditioners will operate inefficiently overall, which can lead to unnecessary consumption of electricity.

[0085] In contrast, in the air conditioning control system 100 according to the embodiment, the processing load of the air conditioners 2 is estimated by referencing parameters related to the operation of the compressor 323, and the number of operating air conditioners 2 is determined to maximize the operating efficiency based on the estimated processing load. Therefore, the air conditioning control system 100 according to the embodiment has the advantage that even if the overall load to be processed is the same, by switching the number of operating air conditioners 2 taking into consideration the operating efficiency, it is easier to reduce wasteful power consumption.

[0086] (Modification) As described above, the embodiments have been described as examples of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited to these, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are appropriately made. In addition, it is also possible to combine the components described in the above embodiments to create new embodiments.

[0087] Therefore, modifications of the embodiment will be exemplified below.

[0088] In the embodiment, multiple thresholds are set according to the operating state of the air conditioner 2, the suction temperature (outdoor air temperature) of the outdoor unit 32, and the air volume of the air conditioner 2, but this is not limited to the above. For example, multiple thresholds may be set with the suction temperature of the indoor unit 31 (i.e., the room temperature) as an additional parameter. Also, for example, multiple thresholds may be set according to at least one parameter of the operating state of the air conditioner 2, the suction temperature of the outdoor unit 32, and the air volume of the air conditioner 2. Also, for example, the threshold may be set to a single value regardless of these parameters.

[0089] In the embodiment, the parameter related to the operation of the compressor 323 is the operating frequency of the compressor 323, but is not limited to this. For example, the parameter related to the operation of the compressor 323 may be the input current or input power of the compressor 323. In other words, it is sufficient that the parameter related to the operation of the compressor 323 has a correlation with the processing load of the air conditioner 2.

[0090] In the embodiment, when there are three or more air conditioners 2, the threshold value may be set in stages. For example, when three air conditioners 2 are operating in cooperation with each other, if the sum of the operating frequencies of the compressors 323 of the air conditioners 2 falls below a first threshold value, the operation of one air conditioner 2 is stopped to switch the number of operating air conditioners 2 from three to two. Also, for example, when two air conditioners 2 are operating in cooperation with each other, if the sum of the operating frequencies of the compressors 323 of the air conditioners 2 falls below a second threshold value, the operation of one more air conditioner 2 is stopped to switch the number of operating air conditioners 2 from two to one. Which air conditioner 2 is to be stopped may be determined according to, for example, any of the switching examples listed in the embodiment.

[0091] In the embodiment, communication between the air conditioning control system 100 and the indoor unit 31 and outdoor unit 32 of each air conditioner 2 is wired communication using a signal line, but wireless communication may also be used. For example, the communication standard for communication between the air conditioning control system 100 and the indoor unit 31 and outdoor unit 32 of each air conditioner 2 may be WiFi (registered trademark) or BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy), etc. Similarly, communication between the air conditioning control system 100 and each ventilation fan 6 may be wireless communication instead of wired communication.

[0092] 1, the air conditioning control system 100 may constitute an air conditioning system 200 together with a plurality of air conditioners 2. That is, the air conditioning system 200 includes the air conditioning control system 100 and a plurality of air conditioners 2 controlled by the air conditioning control system 100.

[0093] Also, for example, in the above embodiment, the air conditioning control system 100 is realized as a single device, but it may be realized by multiple devices. When the air conditioning control system 100 is realized by multiple devices, the components of the air conditioning control system 100 may be distributed in any way among the multiple devices. For example, some of the components of the air conditioning control system 100 in the above embodiment may be provided in a server. In other words, the present disclosure may be realized by cloud computing or edge computing.

[0094] Also, for example, in the above embodiment, all or some of the components of the air conditioning control system 100 in the present disclosure may be configured with dedicated hardware, or may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component may be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a semiconductor memory.

[0095] Furthermore, the components of the air conditioning control system 100 in the present disclosure may be configured with one or more electronic circuits. Each of the one or more electronic circuits may be a general-purpose circuit or a dedicated circuit.

[0096] The one or more electronic circuits may include, for example, a semiconductor device, an integrated circuit (IC), or a large scale integration (LSI). The IC or LSI may be integrated into one chip or into multiple chips. Here, the IC or LSI is referred to as an IC or LSI, but the name may vary depending on the degree of integration, and may be called a system LSI, a very large scale integration (VLSI), or an ultra large scale integration (ULSI). Also, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) that is programmed after the LSI is manufactured can be used for the same purpose.

[0097] In addition, the general or specific aspects of the present disclosure may be realized as a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, or a computer program. Alternatively, the present disclosure may be realized as a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium such as an optical disk, a HDD, or a semiconductor memory in which the computer program is stored. For example, the present disclosure may be realized as a program for causing a computer to execute the air conditioning control method in the above-described embodiment. In addition, the program may be recorded on a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium such as a CD-ROM, or may be distributed via a communication channel such as the Internet.

[0098] As described above, the embodiments have been described as examples of the technology in the present disclosure. For this purpose, the attached drawings and detailed description have been provided.

[0099] Therefore, among the components described in the attached drawings and detailed description, not only are there components essential for solving the problem, but there may also be components that are not essential for solving the problem in order to illustrate the above technology. Therefore, the fact that such non-essential components are described in the attached drawings or detailed description should not be interpreted as immediately indicating that such non-essential components are essential.

[0100] Furthermore, since the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology in the present disclosure, various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, and the like can be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

[0101] (summary) As described above, the air conditioning control system 100 according to the embodiment includes a control unit 11, an acquisition unit 12, and a determination unit 13. The control unit 11 controls a plurality of air conditioners 2. Each of the plurality of air conditioners 2 has an indoor unit 31 and an outdoor unit 32, and the indoor unit 31 is installed in the target space 4. The acquisition unit 12 acquires parameters related to the operation of the compressor 323 of the outdoor unit 32 from each of the plurality of air conditioners 2. The determination unit 13 determines the number of air conditioners 2 to be operated among the plurality of air conditioners 2, based on the parameters of each of the plurality of air conditioners 2 acquired by the acquisition unit 12. The control unit 11 operates the number of air conditioners 2 determined by the determination unit 13 among the plurality of air conditioners 2.

[0102] This has the advantage that even if the overall processing load is the same, by switching the number of operating air conditioners 2 taking into consideration operation efficiency, it is easier to reduce wasteful power consumption.

[0103] Also, for example, the parameter is the operating frequency of the compressor 323.

[0104] This has the advantage that it becomes easier to estimate the processing load of the air conditioner 2, making it easier to maximize the operating efficiency.

[0105] Also, for example, the determination unit 13 further refers to at least one of the suction temperature of the outdoor unit 32 and the air volume of the air conditioner 2 to determine the number.

[0106] This has the advantage that by taking the environment of the target space 4 into consideration, it is easy to maximize the operating efficiency.

[0107] Furthermore, for example, the acquisition unit 12 further acquires exhaust information indicating the exhaust status in the target space 4. Based on the exhaust information acquired by the acquisition unit 12, the control unit 11 determines the air conditioner 2 to operate.

[0108] This has the advantage that the air conditioner 2 can be operated in a way that makes it easier to avoid the air being blown into the target space 4 being exhausted without circulating within the target space 4, and therefore unnecessary operation of the air conditioner 2 is avoided.

[0109] Furthermore, for example, one or more ventilation fans 6 are installed in the target space 4. The acquisition unit 12 acquires operation information of the one or more ventilation fans 6 as exhaust information.

[0110] This has the advantage that the exhaust status of the target space 4 can be easily grasped with high accuracy.

[0111] Also, for example, the control unit 11 determines which air conditioners 2 to operate based on the processing loads of the multiple air conditioners 2.

[0112] This has the advantage that, for example, by operating an air conditioner 2 with a relatively large processing load, it is easy to maximize the operating efficiency.

[0113] For example, an air conditioning system 200 according to the embodiment includes the above air conditioning control system 100 and a plurality of air conditioners 2 controlled by the air conditioning control system 100.

[0114] This has the advantage that even if the overall processing load is the same, by switching the number of operating air conditioners 2 taking into consideration operation efficiency, it is easier to reduce wasteful power consumption.

[0115] Also, for example, the air conditioning control method according to the embodiment includes a control step ST1, an acquisition step ST2, and a determination step ST3. In the control step ST1, a plurality of air conditioners 2 are controlled. Each of the plurality of air conditioners 2 has an indoor unit 31 and an outdoor unit 32, and the indoor unit 31 is installed in the target space 4. In the acquisition step ST2, parameters related to the operation of the compressor 323 of the outdoor unit 32 are acquired from each of the plurality of air conditioners 2. In the determination step ST3, the number of air conditioners 2 to be operated among the plurality of air conditioners 2 is determined based on the parameters of each of the plurality of air conditioners 2 acquired in the acquisition step ST2. In the control step ST1, the number of air conditioners 2 determined in the determination step ST3 is operated among the plurality of air conditioners 2.

[0116] This has the advantage that even if the overall processing load is the same, by switching the number of operating air conditioners 2 taking into consideration operation efficiency, it is easier to reduce wasteful power consumption.

[0117] Also, for example, a program according to the embodiments causes one or more processors to execute the air conditioning control method described above.

[0118] This has the advantage that even if the overall processing load is the same, by switching the number of operating air conditioners 2 taking into consideration operation efficiency, it is easier to reduce wasteful power consumption. [Industrial Applicability]

[0119] The present disclosure is applicable to an air conditioning control system that controls a plurality of air conditioners in a store such as a convenience store. [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] 11 Control section 12 Acquisition Department 13 Decision Section 2 Air conditioner 31 Indoor unit 32 Outdoor unit 323 Compressor 4 Target Space 6. Ventilator 100 Air conditioning control system 200 Air Conditioning System ST1 Control step ST2 Acquisition step ST3 Decision step

Claims

1. A control unit that controls a plurality of air conditioners, each of which has an indoor unit and an outdoor unit and the indoor unit is installed in a target space; an acquisition unit that acquires parameters related to operation of a compressor provided in each of the outdoor units from each of the plurality of air conditioners; a determination unit that determines the number of air conditioners to be operated among the plurality of air conditioners based on the parameters of each of the plurality of air conditioners acquired by the acquisition unit, The control unit operates the number of air conditioners determined by the determination unit among the plurality of air conditioners. Climate control system.

2. The parameter is an operating frequency of the compressor. The air conditioning control system according to claim 1 .

3. the determination unit determines the number by further referring to at least one of an intake temperature of the outdoor unit and an air volume of the air conditioner.

3. An air conditioning control system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The acquisition unit further acquires exhaust information indicating an exhaust situation in the target space, The control unit determines the air conditioner to be operated based on the exhaust information acquired by the acquisition unit. The air conditioning control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. One or more ventilation fans are installed in the target space, The acquisition unit acquires operation information of the one or more ventilation fans as the exhaust information. The air conditioning control system according to claim 4.

6. The control unit determines the air conditioner to be operated based on a processing load of the plurality of air conditioners. The air conditioning control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. An air conditioning control system according to any one of claims 1 to 6; The plurality of air conditioners controlled by the air conditioning control system. Air conditioning system.

8. a control step of controlling a plurality of air conditioners each having an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, the indoor unit being installed in a target space; an acquisition step of acquiring parameters related to operation of a compressor provided in the outdoor unit from each of the plurality of air conditioners; a determination step of determining the number of air conditioners to be operated among the plurality of air conditioners based on the parameters of each of the plurality of air conditioners acquired in the acquisition step, In the control step, the number of air conditioners determined in the determination step is operated among the plurality of air conditioners. Air conditioning control method.

9. One or more processors, 9. The air conditioning control method according to claim 8, program.

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