Air conditioning support duct and air conditioning system

Abstract

To suppress energy consumption that is required for air conditioning of the interior installed with a switchboard.SOLUTION: A duct 20 for supporting air conditioning of the interior installed with a switchboard 10 includes a duct body 21 provided with: an inlet opening 22 for taking an exhaust gas discharged from an exhaust port 11 of the switchboard 10, the inlet opening 22 being larger than the exhaust port 11; an outlet opening 23 for discharging the exhaust gas flowing in from the inlet opening 22 into the interior; and a conduit line 24 for communicating between the inlet opening 22 and the outlet opening 23. The duct body 21 is disposed so that the inlet opening 22 oriented to the exhaust port 11 is separated from and proximate to the exhaust port 11 and the outlet opening 23 is positioned in an upper space of the interior.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The disclosure herein relates to an air conditioning support duct and an air conditioning system. [Background technology]

[0002] In electrical rooms where electrical equipment and devices such as switchboards are installed, cables such as power lines and communication lines are often laid on cable racks that are located higher than the electrical equipment and devices to avoid obstructing traffic within the room. However, cables laid higher than the electrical equipment are susceptible to the effects of high-temperature exhaust from the switchboards.

[0003] Generally, the temperature inside an electrical room is controlled to ensure the normal operation of the electrical equipment and electrical facilities installed in that room, but for the reasons mentioned above, sufficient attention must be paid to the room temperature near the height of the cable rack, in addition to the room temperature in the space below where the electrical equipment and electrical facilities are placed. Prior art related to temperature control inside an electrical room is described in, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-322049 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 62-026106 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Patent Document 1 describes a displacement air conditioning technology in which outside air is cooled by a cooling device and supplied into the room from a height that does not exceed the height of the electrical equipment, while the indoor air is exhausted from an exhaust port located above the electrical equipment. When the technology described in Patent Document 1 is applied to an electrical room equipped with a distribution board, the room temperature is difficult to lower near the height of the cable rack because the exhaust air from the distribution board mixes with the cooled outside air. Therefore, the cooling device is likely to consume excessive energy to lower the room temperature near the height of the cable rack.

[0006] Patent Document 2 describes a technology in which exhaust air from a cubicle is guided and discharged to the outside through an exhaust duct connected to an exhaust port formed in the ceiling of the cubicle. With the technology described in Patent Document 2, the exhaust air from the electrical equipment (cubicle) is not released into the room, so the room temperature near the height of the cable rack can be kept low. However, the duct tends to be long, taking up space in the room, and the fan used to circulate the exhaust air through the long duct consumes a lot of energy.

[0007] In view of the above circumstances, an object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a technique for reducing the amount of energy consumption required for air conditioning in a room in which a switchboard is installed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An air conditioning support duct according to one aspect of the present invention is an air conditioning support duct that supports the air conditioning of a room in which a distribution panel is installed, and includes a duct body having an inlet opening that takes in exhaust air discharged from an exhaust port of the distribution panel and is larger than the exhaust port, an outlet opening that releases the exhaust air that has flowed in from the inlet opening into the room, and a pipe that connects the inlet opening and the outlet opening, and the duct body is arranged so that the inlet opening facing the exhaust port is close to but separated from the exhaust port, and the outlet opening is located in the upper space within the room. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the above aspect, it is possible to provide a technique for reducing the amount of energy consumption required for air conditioning in a room in which a switchboard is installed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an air conditioning system. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between a distribution panel and an air conditioning support duct. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the difference in temperature distribution in the height direction depending on the air conditioning method. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioning support duct. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the relationship between a guide member in an air conditioning support duct and exhaust efficiency. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is another diagram illustrating the relationship between the guide member in the air conditioning support duct and the exhaust efficiency. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the relationship between the length of one side of a vertical duct and exhaust efficiency. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is another diagram illustrating the relationship between the length of one side of the vertical duct and exhaust efficiency. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is yet another diagram illustrating the relationship between the length of one side of the vertical duct and exhaust efficiency. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is yet another diagram illustrating the relationship between the length of one side of the vertical duct and exhaust efficiency. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the relationship between the length of one side of a horizontal duct and exhaust efficiency. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is another diagram illustrating the relationship between the length of one side of the horizontal duct and exhaust efficiency. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is yet another diagram illustrating the relationship between the length of one side of the horizontal duct and exhaust efficiency. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is yet another diagram illustrating the relationship between the length of one side of the horizontal duct and exhaust efficiency. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is yet another diagram illustrating the relationship between the length of one side of the horizontal duct and exhaust efficiency. [Figure 16]FIG. 10 is yet another diagram illustrating the relationship between the length of one side of the horizontal duct and exhaust efficiency. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is yet another diagram illustrating the relationship between the length of one side of the horizontal duct and exhaust efficiency. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the air conditioning support duct. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing yet another example of the configuration of the air conditioning support duct. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an air conditioning system 1. Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between a switchboard 10 and a duct 20, which is an air conditioning support duct. The air conditioning system 1 will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

[0012] The air conditioning system 1 is an air conditioning (air conditioning) system intended for an electrical room 100 in which a switchboard 10 is placed, and as shown in Fig. 1, is equipped with two ducts 20, an outdoor air-conditioning unit 40, and a ventilation fan 50. A cable rack 30 is provided in the electrical room 100 at a position higher than the switchboard 10. Cables 31 (power cables, communication cables, etc.) extending from electrical equipment (not shown) and the switchboard 10 placed in the electrical room 100 are laid on the cable rack 30 so as not to obstruct passage within the electrical room 100.

[0013] In this specification, an area that is at least higher than the switchboard 10 is defined as the space above the electrical room 100, and an area that is at least lower than the switchboard 10 is defined as the space below the electrical room 100. When a cable rack 30 is installed in an area higher than the switchboard 10 as shown in Fig. 1, the upper and lower spaces may be defined based on the cable rack 30, and an area in the electrical room 100 that is higher than the cable rack 30 may be defined as the space above the electrical room 100, and an area in the electrical room 100 that is lower than the cable rack 30 may be defined as the space below the electrical room 100.

[0014] Each of the two ducts 20 is an air conditioning support duct that supports the air conditioning of the electrical room 100 in which the distribution board 10 is installed, and takes in the high-temperature exhaust air discharged by the exhaust fan 15 from the exhaust port 11 of the distribution board 10, carries it to the space above the electrical room 100 which is higher than the cable rack 30, and then discharges it into the space above the electrical room 100.

[0015] 2, the duct 20 includes a duct body 21 provided with an inlet opening 22, an outlet opening 23, and a duct line 24, and the duct body 21 is arranged so that the inlet opening 22 facing the exhaust port 11 is close to but spaced apart from the exhaust port 11, and the outlet opening 23 is located in the upper space within the electrical chamber 100. The duct body 21 is also configured so that the path of the exhaust air flowing in from the inlet opening is bent in the duct line 24 toward the upper space.

[0016] The inlet opening 22 is an opening that takes in the exhaust air discharged from the exhaust port 11 of the switchboard 10, and is larger than the exhaust port 11 in order to efficiently take in the exhaust air that has been discharged and spread from the exhaust port 11. The outlet opening 23 is an opening that releases the exhaust air that has flowed in from the inlet opening 22 into the electrical room 100. The duct 24 is a duct that connects the inlet opening 22 and the outlet opening 23, and the exhaust air that has flowed in from the inlet opening 22 is guided to the outlet opening 23 through the duct 24.

[0017] In this specification, "the inlet opening 22 is close to but separated from the exhaust port 11" means that the switchboard 10 and the duct 20 are not connected but are not too far apart. For example, this means that there is a gap between the exhaust port 11 and the inlet opening 22 that is at least shorter than the width of the exhaust port 11 (the diameter if the exhaust port 11 is circular, or the diagonal length if the exhaust port 11 is rectangular). Furthermore, "the inlet opening 22 is larger than the exhaust port 11" means that the exhaust port 11 fits within the inlet opening 22.

[0018] The outdoor air-conditioning unit 40 is an outdoor air processing air conditioner that cools the outside air taken in from outside the electrical room 100 and discharges the cooled air into the electrical room 100. The outdoor air-conditioning unit 40 discharges the cooled air into the space below the electrical room 100 in order to cool the distribution board 10 and electrical equipment (not shown) arranged in the electrical room 100.

[0019] The ventilation fan 50 is a fan that exhausts the air inside the electrical chamber 100 to the outside of the electrical chamber 100. The ventilation fan 50 is provided in the space above the electrical chamber 100 to exhaust the air that has been heated and rises inside the electrical chamber 100 to the outside of the electrical chamber 100.

[0020] Various electrical devices and electrical equipment (hereinafter collectively referred to as electrical devices, etc.) are arranged in the electrical room 100 where the air conditioning system 1 operates. These electrical devices are usually arranged in the lower space, and the air heated by the electrical devices, etc. is cooled by the cold air discharged from the outdoor air-conditioning unit 40, thereby maintaining at least the temperature of the lower space within a predetermined range in which the electrical devices, etc. can operate normally.

[0021] The above-described air conditioning system 1 reduces the amount of heat emitted into the lower space, thereby reducing the amount of energy consumed by the air conditioning system 1 required to maintain the temperature of the lower space within a predetermined range, compared to a comparative example that does not have an air conditioning support duct. Specifically, the air conditioning system 1 uses an air conditioning support duct (duct 20) to isolate the exhaust air from the switchboard 10, which is particularly prone to high temperatures, from the lower space of the electrical room 100, thereby reducing the amount of heat emitted into the lower space and improving the air conditioning efficiency of the electrical room 100. This point will be explained in more detail below.

[0022] Air drawn into the switchboard 10 through the opening 12 is heated by heat generated within the switchboard 10. The heated air within the switchboard 10 is forcibly exhausted from the exhaust port 11 provided on the side of the switchboard 10 toward the duct 20 by the exhaust fan 15 provided in the switchboard 10. Because the inlet opening 22 of the duct 20 is located close to the exhaust port 11, most of the exhaust air discharged from the exhaust port 11 flows into the duct body 21 from the inlet opening 22. The exhaust air is then guided through the duct 24 to the outlet opening 23 located in the space above the electrical room 100 and released into the upper space. The air in the upper space, heated by the diffusion of the exhaust heat, is forcibly exhausted outside the electrical room 100 by the ventilation fan 50 provided in the upper space. Therefore, the flow of heat from the upper space to the lower space is limited.

[0023] In this way, in the air conditioning system 1, the exhaust air from the distribution board 10 is guided to the upper space while being isolated from the lower space by the duct 20, and is forcibly discharged outside the electrical room 100 by the ventilation fan 50 installed in the upper space. In other words, by using the duct 20, it is possible to suppress the amount of heat discharged into the lower space, which causes a rise in temperature in the lower space. Therefore, the air conditioning system 1 can improve the air conditioning efficiency of the electrical room 100, and the duct 20 can help improve the air conditioning efficiency of the electrical room 100.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the difference in temperature distribution in the vertical direction of the electrical room 100 depending on the air conditioning method, and shows the results of air conditioning the electrical room 100 using several different air conditioning methods. Line L shown in FIG. 3 indicates a height of approximately 3 m, which corresponds to the height of the cable rack 30. The several air conditioning methods shown in FIG. 3 are broadly classified into general air conditioning and displacement air conditioning. Here, general air conditioning refers to an air conditioning method in which air taken in from inside the electrical room 100 is cooled and discharged into the electrical room 100, and displacement air conditioning refers to an air conditioning method in which air taken in from outside the electrical room 100 is cooled and discharged into the electrical room 100, and air inside the electrical room 100 is also discharged outside the electrical room 100. Therefore, the air conditioning method of the above-mentioned air conditioning system 1 is displacement air conditioning. Furthermore, the results of general air conditioning are subdivided into the results of top exhaust when the exhaust port 11 of the distribution board 10 is formed on the top surface (combination of dashed line and triangular plot), and the results of side exhaust when the exhaust port 11 of the distribution board 10 is on the side (combination of dotted line and triangular plot). On the other hand, the results of displacement air conditioning are subdivided into the results of top exhaust (combination of dashed line and circle plot) and the results of side exhaust, and the results of side exhaust are further subdivided into without an air conditioning support duct (combination of dotted line and circle plot) and with an air conditioning support duct (combination of solid line and circle plot). The results of air conditioning performed by the above-mentioned air conditioning system 1 correspond to "displacement air conditioning with side exhaust and air conditioning support duct" (combination of solid line and circle plot).

[0025] Below, with reference to Figure 3, we will look at three of these five results for displacement air conditioning to confirm the effectiveness of the duct 20. The three results for displacement air conditioning are for when the output of the outdoor air-conditioning unit 40 is adjusted so that the temperature near the height of the cable rack 30 is approximately 40°C, as shown in area A. Note that 40°C is below the heat resistance temperature of the cables 31 laid on the cable rack 30, and is an example of a temperature within the temperature range at which the above-mentioned electrical equipment and the like can operate normally.

[0026] When the three types of replacement air conditioning are performed under the above conditions, there is no significant difference in the temperature near the floor of the electrical room 100 between these types of replacement air conditioning, as shown in area B. In other words, by maintaining the temperature near the cable rack 30 at 40°C, which is below the heat-resistant temperature, electrical equipment and the like can operate normally with any of the three types of replacement air conditioning.

[0027] On the other hand, there is a large difference in the temperature of the space above the electrical room 100 among the three displacement air conditioning methods, as shown in area C. Specifically, when the air conditioning support duct (duct 20) is used, the temperature in the upper space is significantly higher than in the other two cases. In other words, by using the air conditioning support duct, the temperature in the lower space and near the height of the cable rack 30 is kept sufficiently low while the amount of energy consumed to cool the electrical room 100 is reduced compared to the other two displacement air conditioning methods. This result confirms that the temperature in the area below the cable rack 30 can be maintained within a specified range while reducing the amount of energy consumed to cool the electrical room 100 compared to the other two displacement air conditioning methods.

[0028] Furthermore, it should be noted that the effect of improving heat exhaust efficiency while suppressing energy consumption is greatly contributed to by arranging duct 20, which has an inlet opening 22 larger than exhaust port 11 facing exhaust port 11, close to but separated from distribution board 10. This is because exhaust port 11 and inlet opening 22, which is larger than exhaust port 11, are separated by an appropriate distance, so that the exhaust gas discharged from exhaust port 11 can be guided into duct 20 without leaking, maintaining its momentum, without causing significant resistance to the flow.

[0029] The effects obtained by the duct 20 and the air conditioning system 1 are not limited to improving heat exhaust efficiency while reducing energy consumption. Because the duct 20 is located away from the switchboard 10, construction is easy and construction costs can be reduced. Furthermore, the length of the duct can be significantly shortened compared to when the duct is formed from the switchboard 10 to the outside of the electrical room 100. Furthermore, the capacity of the ventilation fan 50 can also be reduced. This allows the costs of the duct and the ventilation fan to be reduced.

[0030] A desirable configuration of the air conditioning support duct will be considered below. The configuration described below is an example of the configuration of the air conditioning support duct, and the configuration of the air conditioning support duct is not limited to this example configuration.

[0031] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a duct 20, which is an air-conditioning support duct. As shown in Fig. 4, the duct body 21 of the duct 20 preferably includes a horizontal duct 211 provided with an inlet opening 22, a vertical duct 212 connected to the horizontal duct 211, and a guide member 29 disposed at a bent portion of the pipe line 24 of the duct body 21.

[0032] The horizontal duct 211 is a first duct that extends approximately horizontally with the inlet opening 22 facing the exhaust port 11. The horizontal duct 211 is a rectangular duct, and an outlet opening 25 is formed on the upper surface that connects to the vertical duct 212. As described above, the inlet opening 22 provided in the horizontal duct 211 is larger than the exhaust port 11. If the exhaust port 11 is a square with a side length D0, the cross section of the inlet opening 22 and the horizontal duct 211 is a square with a side length D1 (>D0). Furthermore, the horizontal duct 211 has a depth D2 (>D0) that is longer than the side length D0 of the exhaust port 11. Note that the side length D0 of the exhaust port 11 is an example of the width of the exhaust port 11.

[0033] The vertical duct 212 is a second duct that extends in a substantially vertical direction from the outlet opening 25 of the horizontal duct 211 toward the upper space. The vertical duct 212 is a rectangular duct, and is connected to the horizontal duct 211 with the inlet opening 26 connected to the horizontal duct 211 facing vertically downward. In addition, an outlet opening 23 that is a square with a side length D3 (>D0) is provided at the end of the vertical duct 212 opposite to the inlet opening 26. The vertical duct 212 has a cross section that is the same size as the outlet opening 23 except for the vicinity of the inlet opening 26. In other words, the cross section of the vertical duct 212 is larger than that of the exhaust port 11.

[0034] The inlet opening 26 is formed larger than the outlet opening 23. Specifically, in the vertical duct 212, as shown in region R1 in Fig. 4, the inlet opening 26 side has a larger diameter inward in the bending direction of the duct main body 21 than the outlet opening 23 side. That is, the horizontal duct 211 and the vertical duct 212 are connected such that the inlet opening 26 side of the vertical duct 212 has a larger diameter inward in the bending direction of the duct main body 21. Note that the term "larger diameter" here means that the cross-sectional area is increased to an extent.

[0035] The guide member 29, disposed at the bent portion of the duct passage 24 of the duct main body 21, is a member that guides the exhaust gas toward the upper space and plays a role in suppressing local resistance in the duct main body 21. The guide member 29 has, for example, a triangular prism shape with the bottom surface of the right-angled isosceles triangular prism facing in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper, and is fixed to the horizontal duct 211 with a total of four faces, namely, two side faces perpendicular to the bottom and top surface of the right-angled isosceles triangular prism, in contact with the inner surface of the horizontal duct 211. The guide member 29 has widths W in both the horizontal direction parallel to the plane of the paper and the vertical direction, and also has a width D1 in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper.

[0036] Furthermore, the duct 20 is positioned close to and spaced apart from the exhaust outlet 11 with the inlet opening 22 facing the exhaust outlet 11 so that the distance DS between the exhaust outlet 11 and the inlet opening 22 is shorter than the length D0 of one side of the exhaust outlet 11.

[0037] According to the duct 20, by connecting the horizontal duct 211 (first duct) and the vertical duct 212 (second duct) at approximately a right angle, it is possible to make the bent section more compact than when a single duct is bent, and as a result, the entire duct 20 can also be made compact.

[0038] On the other hand, if the horizontal duct 211 and the vertical duct 212 are connected at approximately a right angle, vortices are likely to occur at the bend, resulting in increased local resistance. Duct 20 has been designed with this in mind by incorporating two features. The first feature is a guide member 29 placed at the bend. The guide member 29 guides the exhaust air flowing in from the inlet opening 22 to the vertical duct 212 using a slope, thereby suppressing the generation of vortices and the generation of a flow returning to the inlet opening 22. The second feature is the connection between the horizontal duct 211 and the vertical duct 212. By connecting the connection with a diameter that expands inward in the bending direction, the generation of vortices at the connection can be suppressed, just like the guide member 29. These features enable duct 20 to efficiently guide the exhaust air to the upper space while suppressing local resistance.

[0039] 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating the relationship between the guide member 29 in the duct 20, which is an air conditioning support duct, and the exhaust efficiency. The heat amount ratio, which is the vertical axis of the graphs shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, shows the results of measuring the ratio of the amount of heat discharged from the outlet opening 23 to the amount of heat discharged from the exhaust port 11 (i.e., exhaust efficiency) under the following conditions: The horizontal axis of the graphs shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is the width W of the guide member 29. However, the result for the horizontal axis of 350 mm shows the result when the slope of the guide member 29 is configured as a curved surface in plan view and the bottom shape of the guide member 29 is deformed into a sector shape.

[0040] 5 and 6 were conducted under the following experimental conditions, which were the same except for the length D3: The airflow rate of the exhaust fan 15 was 1000 cubic meters per hour in both cases. D0=250mm, D1=350mm, D2=400mm, DS=200mm D3 = 300 mm (in the case of Figure 5), D3 = 350 mm (in the case of Figure 6)

[0041] 5 and 6, the following can be confirmed. By providing a guide member 29 of an appropriate size, higher efficiency can be achieved than when the guide member 29 is not provided (when the horizontal axis is 0 mm). More specifically, the highest efficiency is achieved when the width W of the guide member 29 is approximately half the length D3 of one side of the vertical duct. Furthermore, although there are some exceptions, efficiency can basically be improved by expanding the diameters of the horizontal duct 211 and the vertical duct 212 when connecting them. These results confirm that by devising the shape of the bent portion of the duct 20, local resistance can be reduced and the exhaust air can be efficiently guided to the upper space.

[0042] 7 to 10 are diagrams illustrating the relationship between the length D3 of one side of the vertical duct 212 and exhaust efficiency. The vertical axes of the graphs shown in Figs. 7 to 10 represent the results of measuring the ratio of the amount of heat discharged from the outlet opening 23 to the amount of heat discharged from the exhaust port 11 under the following conditions. The horizontal axes of the graphs shown in Figs. 7 to 10 represent the depth D2 of the horizontal duct 211. Plots of different shapes shown in the legend represent the length D3 of one side of the vertical duct 212.

[0043] 7 to 10 are the same except for the length D1 of one side of the horizontal duct 211. The airflow rate of the exhaust fan 15 is 1000 cubic meters per hour in both cases. D0=250mm, DS=200mm D1 = 350 mm (in the case of Figure 7), D1 = 400 mm (in the case of Figure 8), D1 = 450 mm (in the case of Figure 9), D1 = 500 mm (in the case of Figure 10)

[0044] 7 to 10, the following can be confirmed. Increasing the length D3 of one side of the vertical duct 212, that is, thickening the vertical duct 212, can improve the high heat exhaust efficiency. In particular, the length D3 of one side of the vertical duct 212 is preferably 1.4 times or more (350 mm or more) the length D0 of one side of the exhaust port 11, regardless of the depth D2 of the horizontal duct 211, and the longer the length D3, the more the heat exhaust efficiency improves. However, since the improvement rate of efficiency when the length D3 is extended is small when it is 1.4 times or more the length D0, in order to configure the duct 20 compactly, the length D3 of one side of the vertical duct 212 is preferably about 1.4 times the length D0 of one side of the exhaust port 11.

[0045] Furthermore, the depth D2 of the horizontal duct 211 has a minor effect on the heat exhaust efficiency compared to the side length D3 of the vertical duct 212. However, in order to connect the vertical duct 212 to the upper surface of the horizontal duct 211 as shown in FIG. 4, the depth D2 of the horizontal duct 211 needs to be equal to or greater than the side length D3 of the vertical duct 212. Furthermore, when the depth D2 of the horizontal duct 211 is slightly longer than the side length D3 of the vertical duct 212 (approximately 50 mm in this example), the heat exhaust efficiency tends to be highest. Therefore, it is desirable that the depth D2 of the horizontal duct 211 is longer than the side length D3 of the vertical duct 212, and that the duct 20 as a whole have an L-shape. Specifically, for example, it is desirable that the depth D2 of the horizontal duct 211 is longer than the side length D3 of the vertical duct 212 by approximately 50 mm.

[0046] 11 to 17 are diagrams illustrating the relationship between the length D1 of one side of the horizontal duct 211 and the exhaust efficiency. The vertical axis of the graphs shown in Figs. 11 to 17 shows the results of measuring the ratio of the amount of heat discharged from the outlet opening 23 to the amount of heat discharged from the exhaust port 11 under the following conditions. The horizontal axis of the graphs shown in Figs. 11 to 17 is the depth D2 of the horizontal duct 211. Plots of different shapes shown in the legend indicate the length D1 of one side of the horizontal duct 211.

[0047] 11 to 17 are the same except for the length D3 of one side of the vertical duct 212. The airflow rate of the exhaust fan 15 is 1000 cubic meters per hour in both cases. D0=250mm, DS=200mm D3 = 200mm (in the case of Figure 11), D3 = 250mm (in the case of Figure 12), D3 = 300mm (in the case of Figure 13), D3 = 350mm (in the case of Figure 14), D3 = 400mm (in the case of Figure 15), D3 = 450mm (in the case of Figure 16), D3 = 500mm (in the case of Figure 17)

[0048] 11 to 17, the following can be seen. To efficiently take in the exhaust air discharged from the exhaust port 11, it is desirable that the length D1 of one side of the horizontal duct 211 be somewhat longer than the length D0 of one side of the exhaust port 11, but longer is not necessarily better. It can be seen that if the length D1 of one side of the horizontal duct 211 is made too long, the heat exhaust efficiency tends to decrease. This is presumably because the horizontal duct 211 becomes too wide, making it more likely for the exhaust air to backflow. Specifically, if the length D1 is made longer than the length D3 of one side of the vertical duct 212, the exhaust efficiency tends to decrease. Therefore, it is desirable that the length D1 of one side of the horizontal duct 211 be approximately the same as the length D3 of one side of the vertical duct 212. As described above, in order to configure the duct 20 compactly and with good exhaust efficiency, it is desirable that the length D3 of one side of the vertical duct 212 be approximately 1.4 times the length D0 of one side of the exhaust port 11, and therefore it is also desirable that the length D1 of one side of the horizontal duct 211 be approximately 1.4 times the length D0 of one side of the exhaust port 11.

[0049] From the above results, it is desirable that the lengths D1 and D3 of the duct 20 are each approximately 1.4 times the length D0 of one side of the exhaust port 11, and it is desirable that the depth D2 of the duct 20 be slightly longer (for example, approximately 50 mm) than the lengths D1 and D3 of the duct 20.

[0050] The above-described embodiments are illustrative examples provided to facilitate understanding of the invention. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and should be understood to encompass various modifications and alternative forms of the above-described embodiments. For example, it will be understood that the above-described embodiments can be embodied by modifying the components without departing from the spirit of the invention. It will also be understood that various embodiments can be implemented by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in the above-described embodiments. Furthermore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various embodiments can be implemented by deleting some components from all of the components shown in the embodiments, or by adding some components to the components shown in the embodiments.

[0051] In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the air conditioning system 1 is equipped with an outdoor air conditioning unit 40, which is an air conditioning device that cools the outside air taken in from outside and discharges the cold air into the electrical room 100, but the air conditioning system 1 may also be equipped with an air conditioning device that cools the air taken in from inside the electrical room 100 and discharges the cold air into the electrical room 100.

[0052] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been shown in which the duct 20, which is an air-conditioning support duct, is configured by connecting the vertical duct 212 to the upper surface of the horizontal duct 211. However, the duct 20 may also be configured by connecting the horizontal duct 211 to the side surface of the vertical duct 212. In this case, the guide member 29 disposed at the bending portion of the duct 20 may be disposed inside the vertical duct 212, and the horizontal duct 211 and the vertical duct 212 may be connected with the outlet opening 25 side having a larger diameter inward in the bending direction of the duct main body 21 than the inlet opening 22 side. That is, the horizontal duct 211 and the vertical duct 212 may be connected with at least one of the outlet opening 25 side of the horizontal duct 211 and the inlet opening 26 side of the vertical duct 212 having a larger diameter inward in the bending direction of the duct main body 21.

[0053] In the above-described embodiment, the cross-sectional shapes of the horizontal duct 211 and the vertical duct 212 are both rectangular, but these cross-sectional shapes are not limited to rectangular and may be circular. In this case, the lengths D1 and D3 in the above-described specification may be read as diameters. Furthermore, these cross-sectional shapes are not limited to rectangular and may be elliptical or other shapes.

[0054] In the above-described embodiment, the duct 20 in which the horizontal duct 211 and the vertical duct 212 are directly connected has been exemplified, but the duct 20 may have an elbow between the horizontal duct 211 and the vertical duct 212, and the horizontal duct 211 and the vertical duct 212 may be connected via the elbow. Moreover, the duct 20 may be formed from a bendable flexible duct instead of being formed by connecting a plurality of ducts.

[0055] In the above-described embodiment, the duct 20 in which the horizontal duct 211 and the vertical duct 212 are directly connected is illustrated. However, when exhaust air is exhausted from the exhaust fan 15 at a wide angle, a duct 20a shown in FIG. 18 may be provided instead of the duct 20 consisting of the horizontal duct 211 and the vertical duct 212. The duct 20a differs from the duct 20 in that a guide 213 having an inlet opening 22 larger than the opening of the horizontal duct 211 is attached to the tip of the horizontal duct 211. The guide 213 has a tapered shape on the inlet opening 22 side. This allows the exhaust air exhausted at a wide angle to be efficiently taken into the duct 20a without making the entire horizontal duct 211 excessively wide. Note that with this configuration, the opening of the horizontal duct 211 does not necessarily need to be larger than the exhaust port 11.

[0056] While Fig. 18 shows an example in which guide 213 is attached to the tip of horizontal duct 211, duct 20b may be used, which is composed of vertical duct 212 and horizontal duct 214 having a tapered shape at least on the tip side, as shown in Fig. 19. In this case, as with duct 20a, exhaust air discharged at a wide angle can be efficiently taken into duct 20a without making horizontal duct 211 as a whole excessively thick.

[0057] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the electrical room 100 is provided with a cable rack 30, but the above-described air conditioning system can reduce the amount of energy consumed for air conditioning in the room regardless of whether or not the cable rack 30 is provided. By using a duct, it is possible to avoid exhausting heat to the lower space that requires cooling, and to avoid the energy loss that occurs when cooling the exhaust air discharged into the lower space. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1: air conditioning system, 10: distribution board, 11: exhaust port, 15: exhaust fan, 20, 20a, 20b: duct, 21: duct body, 22, 26: inlet opening, 23, 25: outlet opening, 24: pipe, 29: guide member, 30: cable rack, 31: cable, 40: outdoor air conditioning unit, 50: ventilation fan, 100: electrical room, 211, 214: horizontal duct, 212: vertical duct, 213: guide

Claims

1. An air conditioning support duct that supports air conditioning in a room in which a distribution panel is installed, a duct body provided with an inlet opening that takes in exhaust gas discharged from an exhaust port of the switchboard and is larger than the exhaust port, an outlet opening that releases the exhaust gas that has flowed in from the inlet opening into the room, and a pipe line that connects the inlet opening and the outlet opening, The duct body is arranged such that the inlet opening facing the exhaust port is close to and spaced apart from the exhaust port, and the outlet opening is located in an upper space inside the room. An air conditioning support duct characterized by:

2. The air conditioning support duct according to claim 1, The exhaust port is provided on a side surface of the switchboard, The duct body bends the path of the exhaust gas that has flowed in from the inlet opening toward the upper space within the duct. An air conditioning support duct characterized by:

3. The air conditioning support duct according to claim 2, The duct body includes: a first duct provided with the inlet opening; a second duct connected to the first duct and extending toward the upper space; a guide member disposed at the bent portion of the pipe and guiding the exhaust gas toward the upper space; An air conditioning support duct characterized by:

4. The air conditioning support duct according to claim 2, The duct body includes: a first duct provided with the inlet opening; a second duct connected to the first duct and extending toward the upper space, The first duct and the second duct are connected by expanding the diameter of at least one of the outlet opening side of the first duct and the inlet opening side of the second duct inward in the bending direction of the duct body. An air conditioning support duct characterized by:

5. The air conditioning support duct according to claim 2, The duct body includes: a first duct provided with the inlet opening; a second duct connected to the first duct and extending toward the upper space, The depth of the first duct is greater than the width of the exhaust port, The cross section of the second duct is larger than the cross section of the exhaust port. An air conditioning support duct characterized by:

6. The air conditioning support duct according to any one of claims 1 to 5; an air conditioner that cools air taken in from inside or outside the room and discharges the cooled air into the room; An air conditioning system characterized by:

7. The air conditioning support duct according to any one of claims 1 to 5; an air conditioner that cools the outside air taken in from outside the room and discharges the cooled air into the room; a ventilation fan provided in the upper space of the room and configured to exhaust air from the room to the outside. An air conditioning system characterized by:

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