Air conditioning system

Abstract

To provide an air conditioning system calculating the lifetime of a refrigerant detection sensor, capable of confirming the lifetime of the refrigerant detection sensor using a terminal device, and capable of improving an exchange work efficiency of the refrigerant detection sensor.SOLUTION: An air conditioning system includes: a plurality of indoor units; a plurality of refrigerant detection sensors provided to the plurality of indoor units respectively; a storage part storing an integrated energization time to the plurality of refrigerant detection sensors; a control part and a terminal device. In the air conditioning system, the control part makes notification to a user when the integrated energization time to the refrigerant detection sensors approaches a prescribed time, selects the refrigerant detection sensor to be simultaneously exchanged when making the notification, and also notifies the user of the selected refrigerant detection sensor as the one better to be exchanged.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to air conditioning systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a technology in which a refrigerant detection sensor is provided in an air conditioning device, the accumulated time that the refrigerant detection sensor is energized is counted, and when the accumulated time that the refrigerant detection sensor is energized exceeds a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the refrigerant detection sensor is nearing the end of its life and a notification is sent to the user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] WO2017 / 026147 publication Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides an air conditioning system that calculates the end of life of a refrigerant detection sensor and allows the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor to be checked on a terminal device, thereby improving the efficiency of the replacement work of the refrigerant detection sensor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The air conditioning system of the present disclosure includes a plurality of indoor units, a plurality of refrigerant detection sensors provided in each of the plurality of indoor units, a memory unit that stores an accumulated power supply time to the plurality of refrigerant detection sensors, a control unit, and a terminal device, in which the control unit notifies a user when the accumulated power supply time of a refrigerant sensor approaches a predetermined time, and, when notifying, selects a refrigerant detection sensor to be replaced at the same time and also notifies the user that it is a refrigerant detection sensor that should be replaced. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present disclosure, the end of life of a refrigerant detection sensor can be calculated and the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor can be checked on a terminal device, thereby improving the efficiency of the replacement work of the refrigerant detection sensor. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing an indoor unit according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an indoor unit according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] Refrigeration cycle diagram showing an air conditioner according to embodiment 1 [Figure 4] A block diagram showing a control configuration according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a recommended replacement time for a refrigerant detection sensor according to the first embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the recommended replacement timing of the refrigerant detection sensor according to the first embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] (The knowledge and other information that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time the inventors came up with the idea of ​​the present disclosure, a refrigerant detection sensor was provided in an air conditioning apparatus, and the accumulated time that electricity was applied to the refrigerant detection sensor was counted. If the accumulated time that electricity was applied to the refrigerant detection sensor exceeded a predetermined threshold, it was determined that the refrigerant detection sensor was nearing the end of its life, and a notification was sent to the user.

[0009] However, in conventional technology, if the accumulated power supply time exceeds a predetermined threshold, the technology only notifies the user that the refrigerant detection sensor is nearing the end of its life, and the inventors discovered a problem in that it is not possible to determine when a refrigerant detection sensor that does not exceed the threshold will reach the end of its life. In order to solve this problem, the inventors have come up with the subject matter of the present disclosure. The present disclosure provides an air conditioning system that calculates the end of life of a refrigerant detection sensor and allows the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor to be checked on a terminal device, thereby improving the efficiency of the replacement work of the refrigerant detection sensor.

[0010] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 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 more redundant than necessary and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of the air conditioner in embodiment 1. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the air conditioner in embodiment 1.

[0012] [1-1-1. Indoor unit configuration] 1 and 2, an air conditioner 1 in this embodiment includes an indoor unit 5. The indoor unit 5 includes a box-shaped housing 10. The housing 10 includes a top plate 11 and a bottom plate 12. The left side of the housing 10 in FIG. 1 is an air blower chamber 13, and the right side of the housing 10 in FIG. 1 is a heat exchanger chamber 14 that houses an indoor heat exchanger 20. The air blower chamber 13 and the heat exchanger chamber 14 are separated by a partition wall 15.

[0013] An intake port 16 for taking in indoor air is provided at the rear of the blower chamber 13, and a plurality of scroll casings 31 (three in this embodiment) each accommodating a sirocco fan 30 as an indoor fan are provided inside the blower chamber 13. An outlet port 17 is provided in the heat exchanger chamber 14 forward of the indoor heat exchanger 20.

[0014] The scroll casing 31 is provided with a fan opening 32 formed at both ends of the scroll casing 31, which draws in air flowing in from the suction port 16 by the rotation of the sirocco fan 30, and an air passage 33 which discharges the air drawn in from the fan opening 32 toward the heat exchanger chamber 14. An electric motor 34 is provided between the scroll casings 31. The electric motor 34 is connected to a rotating shaft 35 of the sirocco fan 30, and drives the sirocco fan 30 to rotate.

[0015] The sirocco fan 30 is a centrifugal fan, and when the sirocco fan 30 is operating, air is drawn in from the suction port 16, and flows into the inside of the scroll casing 31 from the fan opening 32 in the direction of the rotation axis 35. The air is then blown out through the air passage 33 to the indoor heat exchanger 20, and the conditioned air that has been heat exchanged in the indoor heat exchanger 20 is discharged into the room from the air outlet 17. A drain pan 21 is disposed below the indoor heat exchanger 20 housed in the heat exchanger chamber 14 in FIG.

[0016] 2, in this embodiment, a first partition plate 23 is provided in the heat exchanger chamber 14 to separate the heat exchange region 22 of the indoor heat exchanger 20 from a pipe connection region on one end side of the indoor heat exchanger 20 to which refrigerant pipes 47, 48 (see FIG. 4) from the outdoor unit 40 (see FIG. 4) are connected. The pipe connection region is defined as a first region 24. Further, a second partition plate 25 is provided in the heat exchanger chamber 14 to separate the heat exchange area 22 from a bend area on the other end side of the indoor heat exchanger 20 where the refrigerant piping of the indoor heat exchanger 20 is folded back. The bend area is defined as a second area 26.

[0017] A refrigerant duct 36 is provided in the heat exchanger chamber 14. The refrigerant duct 36 extends in the width direction of the heat exchanger chamber 14. An opening is provided at one end in the width direction of the refrigerant duct 36, and the refrigerant duct 36 is configured to communicate from the first partition plate 23 to the first region 24. In addition, an opening is provided at the other end in the width direction of the refrigerant duct 36, and the refrigerant duct 36 is configured to communicate from the second partition plate 25 to the second region 26. Therefore, the first region 24 and the second region 26 are spatially connected through the refrigerant duct 36 .

[0018] In the first region 24, a refrigerant detection sensor 50 is disposed for detecting leakage of the refrigerant. The refrigerant detection sensor 50 is capable of detecting refrigerant leakage in the first region 24. Furthermore, when refrigerant leakage occurs in the second region, the refrigerant detection sensor 50 is capable of detecting the refrigerant leakage based on the refrigerant that has flowed into the first region 24 through the refrigerant duct 36. The refrigerant detection sensor 50 may be provided inside the refrigerant duct 36. The refrigerant detection sensor 50 may also be provided in the second region .

[0019] [1-1-2. Air conditioner configuration] Next, the configuration of the air conditioner 1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a refrigeration cycle diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner 1 according to the first embodiment. 3, the air conditioner 1 includes an outdoor unit 40 and a plurality of indoor units 5. The outdoor unit 40 houses a compressor 41, a four-way valve 42 that switches the refrigerant flow path, an outdoor heat exchanger 43, an outdoor fan 44, and an outdoor throttling device 45, and the compressor 41, the four-way valve 42, the outdoor heat exchanger 43, and the outdoor throttling device 45 are connected in sequence by refrigerant piping 46.

[0020] The indoor unit 5 accommodates an indoor heat exchanger 20, an indoor throttling device 27, and a sirocco fan 30, and the indoor heat exchanger 20 and the indoor throttling device 27 are connected via a refrigerant piping . The compressor 41 of the outdoor unit 40 and the indoor heat exchanger 20 of the indoor unit 5 are connected by a liquid refrigerant pipe 47 and a gas refrigerant pipe 48. A refrigerant shutoff valve 49 is provided in the liquid refrigerant pipe 47 and the gas refrigerant pipe 48 near the indoor unit 5, respectively.

[0021] The air conditioner is installed in a building, such as a building, that has rooms occupied by multiple tenants. In this case, at least one indoor unit 5 is installed for each tenant's room. A refrigerant detection sensor 50 is provided in each indoor unit 5.

[0022] [1-1-3. Control configuration] Next, the control configuration of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the air conditioner 1 includes a control unit 60. The control unit 60 includes a processor that executes programs, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), and memories, such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory), and performs various processes through cooperation between hardware and software, such as the processor reading out control programs stored in the memory and executing processing.

[0023] The control unit 60 controls the compressor 41 of the outdoor unit 40, the outdoor throttling device 45, the outdoor fan 44, the sirocco fan 30 of the indoor unit 5, and the indoor throttling device 27 based on a control program. The control unit 60 detects refrigerant leakage based on a detection signal from the refrigerant detection sensor 50 of the indoor unit 5. In addition, the control unit 60 controls the opening and closing of the refrigerant shutoff valve 49 and the indoor throttle device 27 based on the detection signal from the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0024] The control unit 60 of the present embodiment controls the operation of the refrigerant detection sensor 50. The control unit 60 controls the operation of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 by controlling whether or not electricity is applied to the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0025] The air conditioning apparatus 1 is configured to be able to communicate with a server 70 via a global network GN. The server 70 is installed, for example, in a management company of the air conditioning apparatus 1, and includes a server control unit 71, a server storage unit 72, and a server communication unit 73. The server control unit 71 is equipped with a processor such as a CPU or MPU that executes programs, and memory such as a ROM or RAM, and performs various processes through cooperation between hardware and software, such as the processor reading out a control program stored in the memory and executing processing. The server storage unit 72 stores information about each refrigerant detection sensor 50 of each air conditioner 1. The server communication unit 73 communicates with the air conditioner 1 via the global network GN.

[0026] In this embodiment, in the following explanation, the control unit 60 of the air conditioning device 1 performs various controls, and information such as the end of life and recommended replacement time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 calculated by the control unit 60 is sent to the server 70 and stored in the server memory unit 72 of the server 70. The server control unit 71 manages the refrigerant detection sensors 50 of the multiple air conditioners 1 based on information relating to the refrigerant detection sensors 50 stored in the server storage unit 72. The air conditioning apparatus 1 and the server 70 constitute an air conditioning system 100.

[0027] When the control unit 60 of the air conditioning apparatus 1 manages the refrigerant detection sensors 50, inspections of the refrigerant detection sensors 50 can be managed on an air conditioning apparatus 1 basis of the same system (such as a system in the same building). On the other hand, when the refrigerant detection sensors 50 are managed by the server control unit 71 of the server 70, inspections of the refrigerant detection sensors 50 can be managed even for air conditioning apparatus 1 of different systems.

[0028] The air conditioning system 100 also includes a terminal device 80. The terminal device 80 is, for example, a tablet terminal. The terminal device 80 comprises a terminal communication unit that communicates with the air conditioner 1 and the server 70 via the global network GN, and a display unit that displays predetermined information. The terminal device 80 is owned, for example, by a builder of the building in which the air conditioner 1 is installed, the building owner, a maintenance company, a management company for the air conditioner 1, or the like.

[0029] [1-2. Operation] Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. [1-2-1. Operation for obtaining the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor] The control unit 60 periodically calculates the end of life of the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50, and notifies the terminal device 80 of information relating to the end of life. It is preferable to notify information about the operating days of each tenant together with the information about the end of the sensor life. It is also preferable to notify a possible replacement date for the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on the information about the operating days of each tenant. Furthermore, in addition to the lifespan information of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, the control unit 60 preferably notifies the air conditioning apparatus 1 of regional information, building information, floor information, system information, information about the owner of the air conditioning apparatus 1, and the like, and stores this information in the server storage unit 72. This makes it possible to determine the appropriate time to replace the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on each piece of information.

[0030] The control unit 60 calculates the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on the specified usage time at which the refrigerant detection sensor 50 will reach its end of life, the usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 up to the present time, and the elapsed period from when the refrigerant detection sensor 50 started operating to the present time. The specified usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 is, for example, five years. The end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 is calculated as follows. Time elapsed up to the present: Accumulated usage time = Remaining life: (Specified time - Accumulated usage time) For example, if the specified usage time is 5 years, the accumulated usage time is 4 years, and the elapsed time is 6 years, 6 years:4 years = remaining life:(5 years - 4 years) This means that the remaining life expectancy is one and a half years.

[0031] The usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 can be obtained, for example, by counting the accumulated time of power supply to the refrigerant detection sensor 50. In this case, the refrigerant detection sensor 50 may be provided with a timer so that the refrigerant detection sensor 50 itself can count the power supply time, or the control unit 60 may be provided with a counter so that the counter can accumulate the time of power supply to the refrigerant detection sensor 50. Furthermore, the integrated time for which current is applied to the refrigerant detection sensor 50 may be counted based on the air conditioning control by the control unit 60. For example, when the air conditioning apparatus 1 controls the supply of electricity to the refrigerant detection sensor 50 while it is operating, the control unit 60 can count the time that electricity is supplied to the refrigerant detection sensor 50 by accumulating the time that electricity is supplied to the sirocco fan 30 and the indoor throttling device 27 of the indoor unit 5.

[0032] In addition, when performing control to stop the flow of electricity to the refrigerant detection sensor 50 when the refrigerant shutoff valve 49 is closed, the control unit 60 can count the time that electricity is supplied to the refrigerant detection sensor 50 by integrating the open operation time of the refrigerant shutoff valve 49. While the refrigerant shutoff valve is in a closed operation, the refrigerant does not flow into the indoor unit 5 side beyond the refrigerant shutoff valve, so safety can be ensured even if the power supply to the refrigerant detection sensor 50 is stopped. Furthermore, in the case of an air conditioning system having multiple indoor units 5, it is costly to provide a timer that counts the energization time for each refrigerant detection sensor 50. In particular, when multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50 are provided in the indoor unit 5, further costs are incurred. When multiple indoor units 5 are installed downstream of the refrigerant shutoff valve, the number of refrigerant shutoff valves is fewer than the number of refrigerant detection sensors 50. Therefore, counting the opening operation of the refrigerant shutoff valve by the control unit 60 can reduce the number of timers in the air conditioning apparatus 1 and can be implemented at a lower cost than providing a timer that counts the power supply time of the refrigerant detection sensors 50.

[0033] In addition, a human presence sensor may be installed to detect the presence of a person in the tenant's room, and the control unit 60 may stop powering the refrigerant detection sensor 50 or may power it intermittently while the human presence sensor determines that no one is present, and calculate the powering time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0034] As a means for calculating the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, the control unit 60 may calculate the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on a specified usage time until the end of the life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, the usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 up to the present time, and the ratio of the usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 within a specified period. In this case, the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 is calculated as follows. Remaining life = (specified time - cumulative usage time) x 1 / (cumulative power-on time ratio) For example, if the specified usage time is 5 years, the accumulated usage time is 4 years, and the ratio of the accumulated usage time is 0.8, the remaining life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 is Remaining lifespan = (5 years - 4 years) x 1 / 0.8 = 10 / 8 years It becomes.

[0035] The predetermined period for calculating the usage time ratio of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 may be, for example, the most recent month or the most recent year, and may be set arbitrarily. Further, the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 is preferably calculated by calculating the average usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 up to the present time per month. This is because the usage of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 varies from month to month.

[0036] As described above, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 notifies the terminal device 80 of information relating to the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 that is periodically calculated. Furthermore, if the periodically calculated lifespan of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 changes by a predetermined time or more during a predetermined period, the control unit 60 also notifies the user of this. For example, if a heatwave causes the frequency of use of the air conditioning apparatus 1 to increase and the lifespan of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 to change significantly, notification of this fact can be provided so that the planned replacement date for the refrigerant detection sensor 50 can be reviewed.

[0037] Furthermore, the control unit 60 may also notify the terminal device 80 of non-working days for the tenant in which the indoor unit 5 is installed. By also notifying information about the tenant's non-working days, it is possible to easily know when to replace the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0038] The control unit 60 may also notify the terminal device 80 of the time for regular inspection of the indoor unit 5. By also notifying the terminal device 80 of the time for regular inspection, it is possible to easily know when to replace the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0039] Furthermore, the control unit 60 may determine the degree of deterioration of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 or the number of times that the sensor has detected erroneous information. In general, the refrigerant detection sensor 50 detects the refrigerant by detecting the voltage value of the detection signal. At this time, it is known that when the refrigerant detection sensor 50 deteriorates, the detected voltage value tends to become higher. Therefore, by the control unit 60 measuring the detected voltage value of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, the degree of deterioration of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 can be determined. In addition, the control unit 60 may determine whether the refrigerant detection sensor 50 has made a false detection, and if the number of false detections by the refrigerant detection sensor 50 reaches or exceeds a certain number, it may determine that the refrigerant detection sensor 50 has deteriorated.

[0040] The control unit 60 may be configured to notify the terminal device 80 when it is determined that the refrigerant detection sensor 50 has deteriorated. Furthermore, when calculating the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, the control unit 60 may calculate the end of life based on the degree of deterioration of the refrigerant detection sensor 50. Since the degree of deterioration differs for each refrigerant detection sensor 50, safety can be improved by calculating the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 taking into account the degree of deterioration of the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0041] In addition, the control unit 60 may calculate an average degree of deterioration of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 for each accumulated power supply time from the degree of deterioration of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, compare the degree of deterioration of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 with the average degree of deterioration, and notify the terminal device 80 of the comparison result. By comparing the degree of deterioration of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 with the average degree of deterioration, it is possible to determine when to replace the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0042] The control unit 60 may correct the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on past usage information of the air conditioning apparatus 1. For example, based on usage information such as the usage status of the air conditioning device 1 in the previous year and the power supply status of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, the usage status up to the end of the current year is estimated and the current end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 is corrected. Furthermore, the control unit 60 may correct the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on information relating to the planned future use of the air conditioning apparatus 1. Information regarding planned use is, for example, tenant vacancy information, and if there is information that a tenant will be moving out in a few months, the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 can be corrected based on this information, and the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 can be determined according to the planned use of the air conditioning device 1. [1-2-2. Refrigerant detection sensor replacement time acquisition operation]

[0043] In the present embodiment, the control unit 60 calculates the recommended replacement timing for the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, and notifies the terminal device 80 of this. For example, the recommended replacement time is set six months before the end of the life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0044] In addition, the control unit 60 may calculate the recommended replacement time for the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on the end of its lifespan and the tenant's non-operating days for the indoor unit 5, and notify the terminal device 80 of the calculated recommended replacement time. If non-operating days, such as tenant holidays, are known, the air conditioning device 1 will not operate on those days. Therefore, the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 can be calculated taking into account those non-operating days, and the recommended replacement time for the refrigerant detection sensor 50 can be calculated based on this end of life, thereby obtaining the recommended replacement time for the refrigerant detection sensor 50 that is appropriate to the actual situation.

[0045] When the control unit 60 determines that the life prediction result is longer than the recommended replacement time when the recommended replacement time falls within a predetermined period, it notifies the terminal device 80 to that effect. When the life prediction result is close, if the life prediction result is extended beyond the recommended replacement time, the replacement time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 will also be extended, and this is notified to the terminal device 80. If necessary, the recommended replacement time is changed according to the extended life time, and notified to the terminal device 80. This allows the recommended replacement time to be set according to the end of the lifespan.

[0046] If the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 comes earlier than the previously calculated recommended replacement time, the control unit 60 notifies the terminal device 80 to that effect. If the end of the life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 becomes earlier than the current recommended replacement time, the recommended replacement time is notified to the terminal device 80. If necessary, the recommended replacement time is changed according to the earlier end of the life, and notified to the terminal device 80. This allows the recommended replacement time to be set according to the end of the lifespan.

[0047] The control unit 60 calculates the recommended replacement time for the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on the end of life and the periodic inspection time for the indoor unit 5, and notifies the terminal device 80 of the calculated recommended replacement time. In addition, if there are multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50, the control unit 60 calculates the end of life of each refrigerant detection sensor 50, selects the refrigerant detection sensor 50 that will be the earliest to reach the end of its life from among the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50, selects from the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50 a refrigerant detection sensor 50 to be replaced at the same time as replacing the selected refrigerant detection sensor 50, and notifies the terminal device 80 of information regarding the selected refrigerant detection sensor 50 as the refrigerant detection sensor 50 that should be replaced.

[0048] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of recommended replacement timing for the refrigerant detection sensor 50. In FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, if there are five refrigerant detection sensors 50, from sensor A to sensor E, and it is determined that sensor A and sensor D will reach the end of their life in the fifth year, sensor C in the sixth year, sensor B in the seventh year, and sensor E in the eighth year, the control unit 60 will, for example, during the fifth year regular inspection, identify sensor A and sensor D as sensors that need to be replaced simultaneously, and notify the terminal device 80. Furthermore, for example, when replacing the A sensor and the D sensor, the control unit 60 may specify the C sensor, the B sensor, and the E sensor as refrigerant detection sensors 50 that should also be replaced. This allows the maintenance worker to know which refrigerant detection sensor 50 should be replaced during regular inspection, improving work efficiency.

[0049] Typically, the air conditioner 1 is inspected once a year, for example. In accordance with the Fluorocarbons Emissions Control Law, refrigerant leakage is inspected at a prescribed frequency (for example, once every three years). When calculating the end of the service life of the refrigerant detection sensors 50 and the recommended replacement timing, the number of years of use of the indoor unit 5 may be taken into consideration and the refrigerant detection sensor 50 that should be replaced at the same time as the refrigerant detection sensor 50 that is closest to the end of its service life may be selected.

[0050] In addition, the control unit 60 selects, among the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50, the refrigerant detection sensors 50 whose lifespan will end within a predetermined period from the lifespan of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 whose lifespan will end shortest, as the refrigerant detection sensors 50 to be replaced simultaneously. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of recommended replacement timings for the refrigerant detection sensor 50. In FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, if it is determined that the lifespan of sensors A and D will be reached in the fifth year, that of sensor C in the seventh year, that of sensor B in the 7.5th year, and that of sensor E in the eighth year, then only sensors A and D are identified as sensors to be replaced simultaneously, and the other sensors are not identified as sensors to be replaced simultaneously. This allows a maintenance worker to replace only the refrigerant detection sensor 50 that has reached the end of its life during a regular inspection.

[0051] In addition, when multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50 are provided in the indoor unit 5, if the other refrigerant detection sensors 50 do not reach the end of their lives at the end of the life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 whose life will soonest reach, the control unit 60 will not select the other refrigerant detection sensors 50 as sensors to be replaced simultaneously, even if the other refrigerant detection sensors 50 reach the end of their lives within a predetermined period of time from the end of the life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 whose life will soonest reach. If a refrigerant detection sensor 50 that has reached the end of its life is replaced, there is no problem even if other refrigerant detection sensors 50 reach the end of their life within a specified period of time, because the replaced refrigerant detection sensor 50 can still detect them.

[0052] The control unit 60 may identify multiple combinations of refrigerant detection sensors 50 to be replaced simultaneously from among multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50 based on multiple criteria, and notify the terminal device 80 of information regarding the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50 to be replaced simultaneously. As a specified criterion, for example, if a refrigerant detection sensor 50 that is reaching the end of its life is installed in a location nearby, the control unit 60 selects the refrigerant detection sensor 50 installed in the nearby location as the refrigerant detection sensor 50 to be replaced at the same time. For example, when the refrigerant detection sensors 50 of air conditioning devices 1 installed in different buildings are each reaching the end of their life, and the buildings are located close to each other, it is more convenient for maintenance workers to perform the replacement work all at once, so convenience can be ensured by selecting each refrigerant detection sensor 50 as the refrigerant detection sensors 50 to be replaced at the same time.

[0053] The control unit 60 may calculate the end of life of the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50, identify among the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50 those that should be replaced simultaneously in conjunction with a regular inspection of the air conditioning device 1, and notify the terminal device 80 of information regarding the refrigerant detection sensors 50 that should be replaced simultaneously at the regular inspection period. In this case, the control unit 60 determines that the refrigerant detection sensors 50 that will reach the end of their life between the earliest regular inspection time and the next regular inspection time are to be replaced at the same time. For example, when regular inspections are performed once a year, the refrigerant detection sensors 50 that will reach the end of their life within a predetermined period from the regular inspection are selected as the refrigerant detection sensors 50 to be replaced at the same time. This allows refrigerant detection sensors 50 approaching the end of their life to be replaced together during regular inspection, improving work efficiency.

[0054] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, this embodiment includes a plurality of indoor units 5, a plurality of refrigerant detection sensors 50 provided in each of the indoor units 5, a memory unit that stores the accumulated power supply time to the plurality of refrigerant detection sensors 50, a control unit 60, and a terminal device 80, and the control unit 60 periodically calculates the end of life of the plurality of refrigerant detection sensors 50 and notifies the terminal device 80 of information relating to the end of life. This makes it possible to calculate the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 and check the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 on the terminal device 80, thereby improving the efficiency of the replacement work of the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 periodically calculates the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, and if the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 changes by more than a predetermined time during a predetermined period, notifies the user of this. As a result, when the life end of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 has changed, notification of this fact makes it possible to easily grasp the life end of the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 also notifies the terminal device 80 of non-working days for the tenant in the air conditioned space in which the indoor unit 5 is installed. In this way, by notifying the terminal device 80 of the non-working days of the tenant, it is possible to easily grasp the end of the life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 according to the non-working days of the tenant.

[0057] In this embodiment, the control unit 60 also notifies the terminal device 80 of the time for regular inspection of the indoor unit 5. As a result, by notifying the terminal device 80 of the timing for regular inspection of the indoor unit 5, it is possible to easily grasp the end of the life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 according to the timing for regular inspection of the indoor unit 5.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 also notifies the terminal device 80 of the degree of deterioration of each of the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50 or the number of times that erroneous detection has occurred. This makes it possible to easily grasp the end of the life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 depending on the degree of deterioration of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 or the number of erroneous detections.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 calculates an average degree of deterioration of the refrigerant detection sensors 50 for each accumulated power supply time period from the degree of deterioration of each of the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50, compares the degree of deterioration of each of the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50 with the average degree of deterioration, and notifies the terminal device 80 of the comparison result. This makes it possible to determine whether or not to replace the deteriorated refrigerant detection sensor 50 when it is time to replace the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 calculates the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on the specified usage time at which the refrigerant detection sensor 50 will reach its end of life, the usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 up to the present time, and the elapsed time from when the refrigerant detection sensor 50 started operating to the present time. As a result, the lifespan of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 is calculated taking into account the usage conditions of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, so that the accuracy of calculating the lifespan of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 can be improved.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 calculates the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on the specified usage time at which the refrigerant detection sensor 50 will reach its end of life, the usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 up to the present time, and the ratio of the usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 within a specified period of time. As a result, the lifespan of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 is calculated taking into account the usage conditions of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, so that the accuracy of calculating the lifespan of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 can be improved.

[0062] In the present embodiment, the control unit 60 calculates the average usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 up to the present time on a monthly basis, and calculates the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 . As a result, the lifespan of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 is calculated taking into account the usage conditions of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, so that the accuracy of calculating the lifespan of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 can be improved.

[0063] Furthermore, this embodiment is provided with a refrigerant shutoff valve that shuts off the flow of refrigerant in the refrigerant piping, and the control unit 60 stops the flow of electricity to the refrigerant detection sensor 50 while the refrigerant shutoff valve is in a closed operation, and calculates the usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on the closing operation time of the refrigerant shutoff valve. As a result, by calculating the usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on the closing operation time of the refrigerant shutoff valve, there is no need to provide a timer to the refrigerant detection sensor 50 to count the usage time, and the usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 can be calculated inexpensively.

[0064] In addition, in this embodiment, a human presence sensor detects the presence of a person in the room, and the control unit 60 stops powering the refrigerant detection sensor 50 or powers it intermittently while the human presence sensor determines that no one is present, and calculates the usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50. In this way, the time during which a person is present can be calculated as the usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 by the human presence sensor.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 calculates the degree of deterioration of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, and calculates the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on the degree of deterioration of the refrigerant detection sensor 50. Since the degree of deterioration of each refrigerant detection sensor 50 differs, the degree of deterioration of each refrigerant detection sensor 50 is taken into consideration in calculating the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, thereby improving safety.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 corrects the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on past usage information of the air conditioning apparatus 1. As a result, by correcting the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on past usage information of the air conditioning apparatus 1, it is possible to obtain an accurate end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 corrects the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on information relating to the planned future use of the air conditioning apparatus 1. As a result, by correcting the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on information relating to the planned future use of the air conditioning apparatus 1, it is possible to obtain an accurate end of life date of the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 calculates the recommended replacement timing for the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, and notifies the terminal device 80 of this. In this way, by notifying the terminal device 80 of the recommended replacement time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50, the efficiency of the replacement work of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 can be improved.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 calculates the recommended replacement time for the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on the end of its life and the non-operating days of the tenants in the air-conditioned space of the indoor unit 5, and notifies the terminal device 80 of the calculated recommended replacement time. As a result, by notifying the terminal device 80 of the recommended replacement time for the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on the end of its life and the tenant's operating days, the accurate recommended replacement time for the refrigerant detection sensor 50 can be obtained, thereby improving the efficiency of the replacement work for the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0070] In this embodiment, when the recommended replacement time falls within a predetermined period and the calculation result of the end of life has changed by a predetermined time from the recommended replacement time, the control unit 60 notifies the terminal device 80 to that effect. This makes it possible to recognize a change in the recommended replacement time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 due to a change in the life expectancy from the recommended replacement time.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the end of life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 comes earlier than the previously calculated recommended replacement time, the control unit 60 notifies the terminal device 80 to that effect. In this way, by issuing a notification when the end of the life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 becomes earlier than the previously calculated recommended replacement time, it is possible to recognize a change in the recommended replacement time of the refrigerant detection sensor 50.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 calculates the recommended replacement time for the refrigerant detection sensor 50 based on the end of its life and the timing of regular inspection of the indoor unit 5, and notifies the terminal device 80 of the calculated recommended replacement time. As a result, the recommended replacement timing for the refrigerant detection sensor 50 is calculated based on the end of the service life of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 and the timing of regular inspection, so that the refrigerant detection sensor 50 that should be replaced at the time of regular inspection can be identified, and replacement work of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 can be carried out efficiently.

[0073] In addition, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 calculates the end of life of the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50, selects the refrigerant detection sensor 50 with the earliest end of life from among the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50, selects the refrigerant detection sensor 50 to be replaced at the same time as the refrigerant detection sensor 50 with the earliest end of life from among the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50, and notifies the terminal device 80 of information regarding the refrigerant detection sensor 50 to be replaced at the same time as the refrigerant detection sensor 50 with the earliest end of life as the refrigerant detection sensor that should be replaced. As a result, when there are multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50, it is possible to identify the refrigerant detection sensor 50 that should be replaced at the same time as the refrigerant detection sensor 50 that is closest to the end of its life, thereby enabling efficient replacement work of the refrigerant detection sensors 50.

[0074] In addition, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 is configured to simultaneously replace, among the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50, the refrigerant detection sensors 50 whose lifespan will end within a predetermined period from the end of the lifespan of the refrigerant detection sensor 50 whose lifespan will end shortest. As a result, when there are multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50, it is possible to identify the refrigerant detection sensor 50 that should be replaced at the same time as the refrigerant detection sensor 50 that is closest to the end of its life, thereby enabling efficient replacement work of the refrigerant detection sensors 50.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50 are provided in the indoor unit 5, and the refrigerant detection sensor 50 with the earliest end of its life is due to be replaced when the other refrigerant detection sensors 50 have not yet reached the end of their life, the control unit 60 will not select the refrigerant detection sensor 50 as the sensor to be replaced simultaneously, even if the other refrigerant detection sensors 50 reach the end of their life within a predetermined period of time from the end of the life of the refrigerant detection sensor with the earliest end of its life. As a result, when there are multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50 in the indoor unit 5, by replacing only the refrigerant detection sensor 50 that is nearing the end of its life, the other refrigerant detection sensors 50 can continue to be used.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 selects a combination of refrigerant detection sensors 50 to be replaced simultaneously from among the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50 based on multiple criteria, and notifies the terminal device 80 of information regarding the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50 to be replaced simultaneously. This allows a combination of refrigerant detection sensors 50 to be replaced simultaneously from multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50 to be selected based on multiple criteria, thereby making it possible to efficiently replace the refrigerant detection sensors 50 in accordance with criteria such as the installation location of the air conditioning device 1, for example.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 calculates the end of life of the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50, selects from the multiple refrigerant detection sensors 50 those to be replaced in conjunction with the regular inspection of the air conditioning device 1, and notifies the terminal device 80 of information regarding the refrigerant detection sensors 50 to be replaced at the same time as the refrigerant detection sensors 50 that should be replaced during the regular inspection. This allows the refrigerant detection sensor 50 to be replaced at the same time as the regular inspection, thereby enabling the refrigerant detection sensor 50 to be replaced efficiently.

[0078] In the present embodiment, the control unit 60 selects, as the refrigerant detection sensors 50 to be replaced simultaneously, the refrigerant detection sensors 50 that will reach the end of their life between the earliest regular inspection time and the next regular inspection time. This makes it possible to select the refrigerant detection sensor 50 that should be replaced in accordance with the periodic inspection timing, and allows the refrigerant sensor to be replaced efficiently.

[0079] (Other embodiments) As described above, the first embodiment has been described as an example of the technology disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. In addition, it is also possible to combine the components described in the first embodiment to create new embodiments. Therefore, other embodiments will be exemplified below.

[0080] The indoor unit 5 of the air conditioning apparatus 1 in embodiment 1 is exemplified as a so-called two-way ceiling cassette type indoor unit 5, but is not limited to this and may be a four-way ceiling cassette type indoor unit 5, and the present disclosure may be applied to a refrigerant detection sensor 50 provided in a four-way ceiling cassette type indoor unit 5.

[0081] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology of the present disclosure, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, and the like can be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents. [Industrial Applicability]

[0082] The present disclosure is suitably applicable to air conditioners that use refrigerant detection sensors. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1. Air conditioning equipment 5 Indoor unit 20 Indoor heat exchanger 30 Sirocco fan 40 Outdoor unit 41 Compressor 42 Four-way valve 43 Outdoor heat exchanger 44 Outdoor fan 49 Refrigerant shutoff valve 50 Refrigerant detection sensor 55 Indoor unit 60 Control section 70 Servers 71 Server control unit 72 Server memory section 73 Server Communication Department 80 Terminal Equipment 100 Air Conditioning System GN Global Network

Claims

1. An air conditioning system including a plurality of indoor units, a plurality of refrigerant detection sensors provided in each of the plurality of indoor units, a storage unit that stores an integrated current supply time to the plurality of refrigerant detection sensors, a control unit, and a terminal device, The control unit notifies a user when an integrated current-carrying time of the refrigerant sensor approaches a predetermined time, and when notifying the user, selects the refrigerant detection sensor to be replaced at the same time and notifies the user of the refrigerant detection sensor as a refrigerant detection sensor that should be replaced. Air conditioning system.

2. The control unit calculates an average deterioration degree of the refrigerant detection sensor for each integrated current application time period from the deterioration degrees of the plurality of refrigerant detection sensors, comparing the deterioration degrees of the plurality of refrigerant detection sensors with the average deterioration degree, and notifying the terminal device of the result of the comparison; 2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 .

3. A refrigerant shutoff valve is provided to shut off the flow of refrigerant in the refrigerant piping. The control unit stops energization of the refrigerant detection sensor while the refrigerant shutoff valve is in a closed operation, and calculates a usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor based on a closing operation time of the refrigerant shutoff valve. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Equipped with a human presence sensor that detects the presence of people in the room, The control unit stops energizing the refrigerant detection sensor or energizes the refrigerant detection sensor intermittently while the human presence sensor determines that no person is present, and calculates a usage time of the refrigerant detection sensor. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The control unit selects a combination of the refrigerant detection sensors to be replaced simultaneously from among the plurality of refrigerant detection sensors based on a plurality of criteria, and notifies the terminal device of information regarding the plurality of refrigerant detection sensors to be replaced simultaneously.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 .

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