Hybrid air conditioning system

The hybrid air conditioning system uses a heat pump chiller and radiant panels with optimized control to address the inefficiencies of existing systems, achieving rapid and energy-efficient temperature adjustments in small spaces.

JP2025147598APending Publication Date: 2025-10-07INTER CENT
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2024047927
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-03-25
Publication Date
2025-10-07

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing air conditioning systems struggle with insufficient heat capacity, energy inefficiency, and difficulty in quickly adjusting temperature, especially in small spaces like conference rooms, due to their reliance on air-cooled heat pumps and convection methods.

Method used

A hybrid air conditioning system that combines a heat pump chiller circulating hot and cold water with radiant panels and indoor air conditioners, using three-way valves and a controller to optimize temperature control based on room sensors, allowing for quick adjustments and energy savings.

Benefits of technology

Enables rapid temperature control and energy-efficient operation by combining convection and radiant heating/cooling, reducing energy consumption and eliminating draft feelings and noise, while allowing easy temperature adjustments.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To provide a hybrid air conditioning system capable of promptly controlling a temperature and easily adjusting an indoor temperature while saving energy.SOLUTION: A hybrid header 14 branches cold / hot water from a heat pump chiller 12 into two reciprocation paths. The cold / hot water is sent to a fan coil unit 16 via branched pipes 38A, 38B to air-condition an indoor space 30, and is sent to a radiant panel 18 via the other pipes 39A, 39B to radiation air-condition the indoor space 30. A first three-way valve 19 can change a flow passage between the hybrid header 14 and the fan coil unit 16, and a second three-way valve 20 can change a flow passage between the hybrid header 14 and the radiant panel 18. A room temperature sensor 32 for detecting an indoor temperature is connected to a control board 24 for adjusting the indoor temperature.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hybrid air conditioning system that combines convection heating and cooling using hot and cold water sent from a heat pump chiller with radiant heating and cooling from the ceiling and floor, and is a heating and cooling system suitable for small spaces such as conference rooms. [Background technology]

[0002] Various methods have been used for air conditioning systems in buildings such as buildings and apartment buildings, including a central system in which cold and hot water prepared by a central heat source such as a large-scale refrigerator, boiler, or hot and cold water generator is distributed throughout the building. Another known system involves distributing relatively small air conditioners in various locations throughout the building and controlling them individually.

[0003] In addition, air-cooled heat pump package air conditioners are also known, and in these air conditioners, a refrigerant is circulated between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit, and cool or warm air is sent from the indoor unit into the room, thereby cooling or heating the room.

[0004] On the other hand, the following Patent Documents 1 to 3 are known as prior art air conditioning systems. The following Patent Document 1 shows an air conditioning system that performs radiant heating and cooling from a metal panel 14 installed on the ceiling by cooling or heating a latent heat storage material 10 arranged in a ceiling-blowout chamber box 8 with cold or warm air generated by a heat pump air conditioner, storing heat, and simultaneously performs convective heating and cooling by blowing the cold or warm air generated by the heat pump air conditioner into the room.

[0005] Furthermore, the following Patent Document 2 shows an air-cooled heat pump type air conditioning system in which a heat exchanger unit 8 installed midway along the refrigerant piping 4 in an air-cooled heat pump package type air conditioner 1 prepares cold water or hot water by heat exchange with the refrigerant, and circulates and supplies the water to a ceiling radiant panel 7 to perform radiant heating and cooling from the ceiling surface.

[0006] Furthermore, in the following Patent Document 3, an indoor air conditioner prepares cold or hot air by circulating a refrigerant between itself and a heat pump outdoor unit, and a refrigerant heat exchanger, which also circulates a refrigerant between itself and the heat pump outdoor unit, prepares cold or hot water by heat exchange with the refrigerant.The hybrid air conditioning system shown has a cold or hot water radiant panel in addition to a refrigerant heat exchanger, where the cold or hot water radiant panel is connected to the refrigerant heat exchanger and performs radiant heating and cooling using cold or hot water supplied through a cold or hot water pipe. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-40951 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-152971 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-49068 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, the air conditioning systems in Patent Documents 1 to 3 mentioned above combine convection air conditioning using an indoor air conditioning unit with radiant air conditioning using a radiant panel, and are systems that improve on convection air conditioning, which has disadvantages such as a feeling of airflow (draft feeling) and noise when blowing air.However, because all of them use air-cooled heat pump type air conditioners, it cannot be said that they can easily obtain sufficient heat capacity while saving energy, and it was difficult to quickly control the temperature even when heating or cooling a small space such as a conference room. Furthermore, there are cases where it is necessary to frequently adjust the temperature even in a small space, but with the air conditioning systems of Patent Documents 1 to 3, it is difficult to easily adjust the temperature.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and aims to provide a hybrid air conditioning system that is capable of quickly adjusting the temperature and can easily adjust the indoor temperature while saving energy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The invention described in claim 1 that solves the above problem comprises a heat pump chiller that heats and cools hot and cold water and circulates the water; A header that branches the hot and cold water from the heat pump chiller into multiple paths; an indoor air conditioner that circulates the cold and hot water from one of the routes branched by the header, adjusts the cold air and hot air, and sends them out into the room; a first three-way valve disposed in a path between the header and the indoor air conditioner and capable of changing the flow path of the hot and cold water; The header branches off the hot and cold water from other routes and circulates it through a radiant panel that heats and cools the room. a second three-way valve disposed in a path between the header and the radiant panel and capable of changing the flow path; a room temperature sensor for detecting a room temperature; a controller that adjusts the indoor temperature by controlling the operation of a first three-way valve and a second three-way valve, each of which can change its flow path, based on the indoor temperature detected by the room temperature sensor; It is a hybrid air conditioning system that includes

[0011] According to a hybrid air conditioning system such as that of claim 1, as the heat pump chiller circulates chilled and hot water, the header branches this chilled and hot water into multiple paths. The chilled and hot water in one of the paths branched by the header is circulated to the indoor air conditioner, which conditions the chilled or hot air and sends this chilled or hot air into the room for convection cooling and heating. Furthermore, the chilled and hot water in another path branched by the header is circulated to the radiant panel, which provides radiant cooling and heating of the room.

[0012] On the other hand, a first three-way valve capable of changing the flow path of hot and cold water is arranged in the path between the header and the indoor air conditioner, and a second three-way valve is arranged in the path between the header and the radiant panel. Based on the indoor temperature detected by a room temperature sensor that detects the indoor temperature, the controller controls the operation of the first and second three-way valves, which can each change the flow path, to adjust the indoor temperature.

[0013] As described above, the hybrid air conditioning system of this claim differs from air conditioners that use refrigerants to control temperature by not only using a heat pump chiller that circulates hot and cold water with a large heat capacity, but also enabling optimal control, which enables quick temperature control as the heat capacity increases. Furthermore, if you want to change the indoor temperature, the controller will change the flow path of the first three-way valve between the header and the indoor air conditioner and the second three-way valve between the header and the radiant panel based on the indoor temperature detected by the room temperature sensor, making it possible to easily adjust the temperature while saving energy.

[0014] According to a hybrid air conditioning system such as that of the invention of claim 2, the indoor air conditioner is a fan coil unit consisting of a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with hot and cold water and a fan that sends air into the room, and when the indoor temperature reaches a predetermined value, the controller stops or reduces the operation of the fan coil unit.Therefore, convection air conditioning using an indoor air conditioner unit has the advantages of a short air conditioning start-up time and relatively good vertical temperature distribution as warm air reaches the vicinity of the floor, as well as not consuming more energy than necessary and eliminating disadvantages such as a feeling of air current (draft feeling) and noise when blowing air.

[0015] According to a hybrid air conditioning system such as that of the invention of claim 3, the first three-way valve is capable of supplying cold or hot water returning from the fan coil unit to the outlet side to the fan coil unit, and the second three-way valve is capable of supplying cold or hot water returning from the radiant panel to the outlet side to the radiant panel.When a predetermined temperature is reached, these three-way valves change the flow path, making it possible to maintain the indoor temperature while reducing energy consumption.

[0016] According to the hybrid air conditioning system of the invention of claim 4, a mobile terminal is placed in the room, and when a room temperature change command is issued from this mobile terminal, the controller controls the first three-way valve or the second three-way valve to change the flow path, allowing the room temperature to be easily adjusted as the occupant operates the mobile terminal.

[0017] According to a hybrid air conditioning system such as that of the invention of claim 5, the airflow volume of the indoor air conditioner is changed depending on the difference between the indoor temperature and the set room temperature, and when the indoor temperature is lower than the set room temperature, the airflow is stopped and the airflow volume is changed according to the amount of rise in the indoor temperature, thereby realizing rapid heating and cooling or heating and cooling with an optimal airflow volume according to the difference between the indoor temperature and the set room temperature.

[0018] According to a hybrid air conditioning system such as that of the invention of claim 6, if the water temperature in the header is below the room temperature setting during cooling, operation control of the indoor air conditioner and radiant panel is initiated, and if the water temperature is above the room temperature setting during heating, operation control of the indoor air conditioner and radiant panel is initiated, thereby achieving reliable heating and cooling based on the water temperature of the cold and hot water in the header.

[0019] According to the hybrid air conditioning system of the invention of claim 7, a condensation sensor for detecting condensation on the surface and a temperature sensor for detecting the surface temperature are installed on the radiant panel, When controlling operation during cooling, the condensation sensor detects condensation on the surface of the radiant panel and can stop or start operation on the radiant panel, while the room temperature sensor detects the room temperature and the temperature sensor detects the surface temperature of the radiant panel, making it possible to easily grasp the room temperature and the temperature of the radiant panel while preventing condensation.As a result, it becomes possible to supply cold or hot water to the radiant panel without condensation on the surface of the radiant panel, enabling rapid heating and cooling while preventing condensation on the surface of the radiant panel. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] As described above, the present invention has the excellent effect of providing a hybrid air conditioning system that is capable of quickly adjusting the temperature and is capable of easily adjusting the indoor temperature while saving energy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a conceptual diagram of a hybrid air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram of a hybrid air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing cooling control as variable airflow control of a fan coil unit in a hybrid air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing heating control, which is variable airflow control of a fan coil unit in a hybrid air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing water supply control to a fan coil unit of a hybrid air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing control of a radiant panel of a hybrid air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A hybrid air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in Figure 1, the hybrid air conditioning system 10 of this embodiment is configured such that a heat pump chiller 12 is placed outside a room 30, such as a conference room, to be air-conditioned. The heat pump chiller 12 produces cold and hot water using a heat pump system and circulates the cold and hot water to cool and heat the room 30.

[0023] The two-way pipes 37A, 37B extending from the heat pump chiller 12 are each connected to a hybrid header 14 that branches the chilled or hot water into multiple two-way paths, and this hybrid header 14 is capable of circulating the chilled or hot water between the heat pump chiller 12 and also branches the chilled or hot water from the heat pump chiller 12 into first path pipes 38A, 38B and second path pipes 39A, 39B. Accordingly, the chilled or hot water that has been circulated once in the pipes 38A, 38B and has had its temperature changed can be circulated again in the pipes 39A, 39B, making it possible to accommodate cases where the individually required temperatures differ.

[0024] A header temperature sensor 34 is also provided in the hybrid header 14, which can detect the temperature of the cold and hot water in the hybrid header 14. In addition, a heat source pump 21 is installed in the piping 37B between the heat pump chiller 12 and the hybrid header 14 that returns to the heat pump chiller 12, to ensure that the cold and hot water is returned to the heat pump chiller 12.

[0025] Although not shown, a fan coil unit 16 is located at the ends of the first path pipes 38A, 38B branched off at the hybrid header 14. The fan coil unit 16 is an indoor air conditioner that is also used as an air conditioner and includes a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with hot and cold water and a fan that conditions and sends out hot and cold air into the room 30. An outlet 16A for hot and cold air F of the fan coil unit 16 is installed in a perimeter zone such as near a window, and exchanges heat with air A taken in from outside and sends it out as hot and cold air F into the room 30. Furthermore, a first three-way valve 19 and an air conditioning pump 22 are installed in this order from upstream to downstream in the outlet pipe 38A between the fan coil unit 16 and the hybrid header 14.

[0026] The first three-way valve 19, which is a solenoid valve, and the air conditioning pump 22 each enable adjustment of the flow rate of chilled or hot water in piping 38A. The first three-way valve 19 is also connected to a branch pipe 38C that branches off from piping 38B that returns chilled or hot water from the fan coil unit 16 to the hybrid header 14, and the flow path of the chilled or hot water can be changed by selecting between piping 38B that returns to the hybrid header 14 and piping 38A that sends chilled or hot water to the fan coil unit 16. Therefore, the first three-way valve 19 can selectively send chilled or hot water to the fan coil unit 16 or the chilled or hot water returning from the fan coil unit 16 when necessary, thereby enabling the circulation of chilled or hot water and the adjustment of its temperature.

[0027] On the other hand, at the ends of the piping 39A, 39B of the second route branched off at the hybrid header 14, an aluminum radiant panel 18 is located on the ceiling of the room 30, through which hot and cold water is circulated to provide radiant heating and cooling to the room 30, and a second three-way valve 20, a panel-system pump 23, and a water supply temperature sensor 31 are installed in this order from upstream to downstream on the delivery side piping 39A between this radiant panel 18 and the hybrid header 14.

[0028] The second three-way valve 20 and panel-system pump 23, also solenoid valves, each adjust the flow rate of the chilled or hot water in the piping 39A. The second three-way valve 20 is also connected to a branch pipe 39C branching off from the piping 39B returning from the radiant panel 18 to the hybrid header 14. The second three-way valve 20 can change the flow path of the chilled or hot water by selecting between the piping 39B returning to the hybrid header 14 and the piping 39A leading to the radiant panel 18. Therefore, the second three-way valve 20 can selectively send chilled or hot water to the radiant panel 18 or the chilled or hot water returning from the radiant panel 18, allowing the chilled or hot water to circulate and adjust its temperature. The radiant panel 18 is also equipped with a condensation sensor 35 for detecting condensation on the surface of the radiant panel 18 and a panel temperature sensor 33 for detecting the surface temperature of the radiant panel 18.

[0029] On the other hand, a room temperature sensor 32 for detecting the room temperature is installed on the wall of the room 30, and this room temperature sensor 32 is connected to a control panel 24, which is a controller for adjusting the room temperature. Although not shown, the control panel 24 contains a CPU, a digital output unit, a temperature input unit, etc.

[0030] As shown in Figure 2, this control panel 24 is connected not only to the temperature sensors 31, 33, 34 and the pumps 21, 22, 23, but also to a condensation sensor 35, heat pump chiller 12, fan coil unit 16, first three-way valve 19, and second three-way valve 20. Based on the indoor temperature detected by room temperature sensor 32 and the temperature of the hot and cold water detected by the temperature sensors 31, 33, 34, this control panel 24 controls the operation of not only the first three-way valve 19 and second three-way valve 20, which can change the flow path of the hot and cold water, but also the operation of the pumps 21, 22, 23, and heat pump chiller 12, thereby adjusting the indoor temperature.

[0031] Furthermore, a wireless LAN 26 connected to the control panel 24 via a LAN cable 26A is installed as an access point in the room 30, and a tablet 28, which is a portable terminal that can be wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN 26, is also installed in the room 30. Accordingly, when a resident or the like in the room 30 operates the tablet 28, an instruction to change the room temperature is issued from the tablet 28, and a signal is transmitted to the control panel 24 via the wireless LAN 26. The control panel 24 controls the operation of the first three-way valve 19 or the second three-way valve 20 to change the flow path, and the operation of the heat pump chiller 12, the fan coil unit 16, the pumps 21, 22, 23, etc., and changes the flow path, flow rate, and temperature of the hot or cold water, making it possible to easily adjust the room temperature.

[0032] However, for example, an operation panel (not shown) connected to the control panel 24 can be installed on the wall of the room 30, and the occupants of the room 30 can operate this operation panel in the same way as the tablet 28 to issue a room temperature change instruction command.

[0033] Next, the operation of the hybrid air conditioning system 10 according to this embodiment will be described. According to hybrid air-conditioning system 10 of this embodiment, as heat pump chiller 12 circulates chilled or hot water, hybrid header 14 branches this chilled or hot water into two paths. The chilled or hot water in pipes 38A, 38B, which form the first path branched by hybrid header 14, is circulated to fan coil unit 16, which is an indoor air conditioner, and conditions the cooled or hot air. Fan coil unit 16 then sends this cooled or hot air into room 30 for convection cooling or heating. Furthermore, the chilled or hot water in pipes 39A, 39B, which form the second path branched by hybrid header 14, is circulated to radiant panel 18, which performs radiant cooling and heating of room 30.

[0034] A condensation sensor 35 that detects condensation on the surface of the radiant panel 18 and a panel temperature sensor 33 that detects the surface temperature of the radiant panel 18 are installed on the radiant panel 18, so that during cooling, the control panel 24 determines that the supply of cold or hot water to the radiant panel 18 can be stopped until the surface of the radiant panel 18 reaches a temperature at which condensation no longer occurs, thereby enabling the necessary heating and cooling while preventing condensation on the surface of the radiant panel 18.

[0035] On the other hand, a first three-way valve 19 capable of changing the flow path of hot and cold water is arranged in the path between the hybrid header 14 and the fan coil unit 16, and similarly a second three-way valve 20 is arranged in the path between the hybrid header 14 and the radiant panel 18. Therefore, based on the indoor temperature detected by a room temperature sensor 32 that detects the indoor temperature, the control panel 24 controls the operation of the first three-way valve 19 and the second three-way valve 20, each of which can change the flow path, in relation to the set temperature, to adjust the indoor temperature.

[0036] As described above, the hybrid air conditioning system 10 of this embodiment differs from air conditioners that use refrigerant to control temperature by not only using the heat pump chiller 12 that circulates hot and cold water with a large heat capacity, but also enabling optimal control using the room temperature sensor 32 and control panel 24, enabling quick temperature control as the heat capacity increases.

[0037] Furthermore, the first three-way valve 19 allows the chilled or hot water returning from the fan coil unit 16 to be sent to the chilled or hot water on the delivery side to the fan coil unit 16, and the second three-way valve 20 allows the chilled or hot water returning from the radiant panel 18 to be sent to the chilled or hot water on the delivery side to the radiant panel 18. As a result, when a predetermined indoor temperature is reached, these three-way valves 19 and 20 change the flow path, making it possible to maintain the indoor temperature while reducing energy consumption. Even if it is desired to change the indoor temperature, the first three-way valve 19 and the second three-way valve 20 change the flow path based on the indoor temperature detected by the room temperature sensor 32, making it possible to easily adjust the indoor temperature while saving energy.

[0038] On the other hand, although the air conditioning indoor unit is a fan coil unit 16 consisting of a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with hot and cold water and a fan that sends air into the room 30, when the indoor temperature reaches a specified value, the control panel 24 stops or reduces the operation of the fan coil unit 16, which consumes a relatively large amount of energy. Accordingly, convection air conditioning using an air conditioning indoor unit has the advantage of a short start-up time and relatively good vertical temperature distribution because warm air reaches the floor area, but by stopping or reducing operation as described above, not only does it not consume more energy than necessary, but it also eliminates disadvantages such as a feeling of air current (draft feeling) and noise when blowing air.

[0039] Next, actual control in the hybrid air conditioning system 10 according to this embodiment will be described. The operation of the fan coil unit 16 and the radiation panel 18 is normally controlled simultaneously, but for convenience, the operation of the variable airflow control of the fan coil unit 16, which is an air conditioner, will first be described with reference to FIG. Operation of the system begins with "START" at the start of control, followed by "OPERATION" in step S11. At this time, the heat pump chiller 12 operates, and the air conditioning pump 22 operates to start supplying hot and cold water to the fan coil unit 16. The control panel 24 then determines whether operation has started, and if operation has not started, the process returns to "START." If it is determined that operation has started, the control panel 24 determines whether "cooling" has been selected in step S12. If it is determined that "cooling" is selected, the process proceeds to step S13 in the cooling control flow. However, if it is not determined that "cooling" is selected, the process proceeds to step S23 in the heating control flow shown in FIG. 4.

[0040] In step S13, the water temperature PV4 of the hot or cold water in the hybrid header 14 detected by the header temperature sensor 34 is compared with a preset room temperature set temperature SP, for example 26°C, and if the control panel 24 determines that the water temperature PV4 is equal to or lower than the room temperature set temperature SP, the process proceeds to step S14. In step S14, the room temperature PV2 detected by the room temperature sensor 32 is compared with a temperature obtained by adding 2°C (H) to the room temperature set temperature SP, for example 28°C, and if the control panel 24 determines that the room temperature PV2 exceeds this temperature, the control panel 24 issues an instruction to the fan coil unit 16, which is the air conditioner, to operate at high airflow, for "H operation."

[0041] If the control panel 24 determines in step S14 that the temperature is below the room temperature set temperature SP plus 2°C, the process proceeds to step S15, where the room temperature PV2 is compared with the room temperature set temperature SP plus 1°C, which is M, for example, 27°C. If it is determined that the room temperature PV2 exceeds this temperature, the control panel 24 issues an instruction to the fan coil unit 16 to operate at M while the airflow volume is being changed.

[0042] Furthermore, if the control panel 24 determines in step S15 that the temperature is below the room temperature set temperature SP plus 1°C, the process proceeds to step S16, where the room temperature PV2 is compared with a temperature, for example 25.5°C, which is the room temperature set temperature SP minus L, 0.5°C, and if it is determined that the room temperature PV2 exceeds this temperature, the control panel 24 issues an instruction to the fan coil unit 16 to operate at low airflow, i.e., "L operation."

[0043] If it is determined in step S16 that the temperature is below the above temperature, or if the control panel 24 determines in the above-mentioned step S13 that the water temperature PV4 is above the room temperature set temperature SP, the process proceeds to step S17, where the control panel 24 determines whether condensation has occurred based on a signal from the condensation sensor 35, and if condensation has not occurred, the control panel 24 switches to "Stop," which stops operation and stops blowing air, and if condensation has occurred, the control panel 24 switches to "L Operation." After the fan coil units 16 represented by "FCn" have been switched to "H Operation," "M Operation," "L Operation," or "Stop," the process returns to "Start," and the above control is repeated.

[0044] If the room temperature PV2 subsequently rises and reaches 26.5°C, "L operation" with weak airflow will resume. If the room temperature PV2 continues to rise, when it reaches 27.5°C it will switch to "M operation" with medium airflow, and when it reaches 28.5°C it will switch to "H operation" with strong airflow. On the other hand, if a room temperature change instruction is issued from tablet 28 and the room temperature set temperature SP is changed from 26°C to 25°C or 27°C, the same control as above will be repeated.

[0045] Next, a case where "cooling" is not determined in step S12 will be described with reference to Figure 4. In this case, the process proceeds to step S23 of the heating control flow, where the water temperature PV4 of the hot and cold water in the hybrid header 14 detected by the header temperature sensor 34 is compared with a preset room temperature set temperature SP, which may be 22°C, for example. If it is determined that the water temperature PV4 is equal to or higher than the room temperature set temperature SP, the process proceeds to step S24.

[0046] In step S24, the indoor temperature PV2 detected by the room temperature sensor 32 is compared with a temperature that is 2°C lower than the room temperature set temperature SP (H), for example, 20°C, and if it is determined that the indoor temperature PV2 is lower than this temperature, the control panel 24 issues an instruction to the fan coil unit 16 to perform "H operation" with a strong airflow.

[0047] If the control panel 24 determines in step S24 that the indoor temperature PV2 is at least 2°C lower than the room temperature set temperature SP, the process proceeds to step S25, where the indoor temperature PV2 is compared with a temperature M, which is 1°C lower than the room temperature set temperature SP, for example 21°C, and if it is determined that the indoor temperature PV2 is lower than this temperature, the control panel 24 issues an instruction to the fan coil unit 16 to operate at M with the airflow volume at medium.

[0048] Furthermore, if the control panel 24 determines in step S25 that the indoor temperature PV2 is equal to or greater than 1°C less than the room temperature set temperature SP, the process proceeds to step S26, where the indoor temperature PV2 is compared with the room temperature set temperature SP plus L, which is 0.5°C, for example, 22.5°C, and if it is determined that the indoor temperature PV2 is less than this temperature, the control panel 24 issues an instruction to the fan coil unit 16 to operate at low airflow, i.e., "L operation."

[0049] If it is determined in step S26 that the temperature is equal to or higher than the above temperature, or if the control panel 24 determines in step S23 that the water temperature PV4 is lower than the room temperature set temperature SP, the operation is stopped and the air flow is stopped, which is "Stopped." After the fan coil units 16 represented by "FCn" have been set to "H Operation," "M Operation," "L Operation," or "Stopped," the operation returns to "Start" and the above control is repeated.

[0050] If the room temperature PV2 subsequently drops and reaches 21.5°C, "L operation" with weak airflow will resume. If the room temperature PV2 continues to rise, when it reaches 20.5°C it will switch to "M operation" with medium airflow, and when it reaches 19.5°C it will switch to "H operation" with strong airflow. On the other hand, if a room temperature change instruction is issued from tablet 28 and the room temperature set temperature SP is changed from 22°C to 20°C or 23°C, the same control as above will be repeated.

[0051] Next, the operation of controlling water supply to the fan coil unit 16 will be described with reference to FIG. From "START" which starts control, the control panel 24 determines whether operation of the system has started in "OPERATION" of step S31, and if operation has not started, the process returns to "START". If it is determined that operation has started, the control panel 24 determines whether "COOLING" has been selected in step S32, and if it determines that "COOLING" is selected, the process proceeds to step S33 of the cooling control flow. However, if it does not determine that "COOLING" is selected, the process proceeds to step S43 of the heating control flow.

[0052] In step S33, the water temperature PV4 of the hot and cold water in the hybrid header 14 detected by the header temperature sensor 34 is compared with a preset room temperature set temperature SP, for example 26°C, and if the control panel 24 determines that the water temperature PV4 is below the room temperature set temperature SP, the process proceeds to step S34.

[0053] In step S34, the air conditioning pump 22 is operated, and the process proceeds to step S35. In step S35, it is determined whether the air conditioning pump 22 is operating, and if it is operating, the process proceeds to step S36, where PID time proportional control is performed based on the temperature detected by the room temperature sensor 32, and the process proceeds to step S37, where the first three-way valve 19 is appropriately switched over to the other flow path.

[0054] Here, we will explain what happens if "cooling" is not determined in step S32. In this case, the process proceeds to step S43 in the heating control flow, where the water temperature PV4 of the hot or cold water in the hybrid header 14 detected by the header temperature sensor 34 is compared with a preset room temperature set temperature SP, which may be 22°C, for example. If the control panel 24 determines that the water temperature PV4 is equal to or higher than the room temperature set temperature SP, the process proceeds to step S44.

[0055] Then, in steps S44 to S47, basically the same controls and operations are carried out as in steps S34 to S37. If the determination in each determination step is negative (NO), the process returns to "START" and the above control is repeated.

[0056] Next, the control operation of the radiant panel 18 will be described with reference to FIG. The operation of the system starts with "START" at the start of control and then "OPERATION" in step S51, but at this time, the heat pump chiller 12 is assumed to be running in advance. The control panel 24 then determines whether operation has started, and if operation has not started, the process returns to "START." If it is determined that operation has started, the control panel 24 determines whether "cooling" has been selected in step S52, and if it determines that "cooling" is selected, the process proceeds to step S53 in the cooling control flow. However, if it does not determine that "cooling" is selected, the process proceeds to step S63 in the heating control flow.

[0057] In step S53, the water temperature PV4 of the hot or cold water in the hybrid header 14 detected by the header temperature sensor 34 is compared with a preset room temperature set temperature SP, which may be 26°C, for example, and if the control panel 24 determines that the water temperature PV4 is equal to or lower than the room temperature set temperature SP, the process proceeds to step S54. In step S54, the control panel 24 determines whether condensation has occurred using the condensation sensor 35, and if condensation has not occurred, the process proceeds to step S55.

[0058] In step S55, the surface temperature PV3 of the radiant panel 18 detected by the panel temperature sensor 33 is compared with the room temperature set temperature SP, and if the control panel 24 determines that the temperature is equal to or higher than the room temperature set temperature SP, the process proceeds to step S56. In step S56, the room temperature PV2 is compared with the room temperature set temperature SP minus L, 0.5°C, for example, 25.5°C, and if the control panel 24 determines that the room temperature PV2 is equal to or higher than this temperature, the panel system pump 23 starts operating in step S57, and the process proceeds to step S58.

[0059] In step S58, the control panel 24 determines whether the panel-system pump 23 is operating. If it is determined that the panel-system pump 23 is operating, the process proceeds to step S59, where the control panel 24 performs PID time proportional control based on the temperature detected by the water supply temperature sensor 31. In step S60, the second three-way valve 20 appropriately changes the flow path while the panel-system pump 23 is operating, and the process returns to "START".

[0060] If the other determination steps return NO, the process returns to "START" and the above control is repeated. However, when performing cooling operation, after the indoor temperature PV2 reaches the room temperature set temperature SP, the operation of the fan coil unit 16 can be stopped or reduced, and air conditioning operation can be continued mainly by the radiant panel 18.

[0061] Next, we will explain what happens if it is determined in step S52 that the mode is not "cooling." In this case, the process proceeds to step S63 in the heating control flow, where the water temperature PV4 of the hot or cold water in the hybrid header 14, detected by the header temperature sensor 34, is compared with a preset room temperature set temperature SP, which may be 22°C, for example. If the control panel 24 determines that the water temperature PV4 is equal to or higher than the room temperature set temperature SP, the process proceeds to step S65. In step S65, the surface temperature PV3 of the radiant panel 18, detected by the panel temperature sensor 33, is compared with the room temperature set temperature SP. If the surface temperature PV3 is determined to be equal to or lower than the room temperature set temperature SP, the process proceeds to step S66.

[0062] In step S66, the indoor temperature PV2 is compared with the room temperature setting temperature SP plus L, 0.5°C, for example, 22.5°C. If it is determined that the indoor temperature PV2 is equal to or lower than this temperature, operation of the panel system pump 23 is started in step S67. In steps S67 to S70, the control and operation are basically the same as in steps S57 to S60.

[0063] If the determination at each step is negative (NO), the process returns to "START" and the above control is repeated. However, even in the case of heating operation, once the indoor temperature PV2 reaches the room temperature set temperature SP, the operation of the fan coil unit 16 can be stopped or reduced, and air conditioning operation can continue mainly using the radiant panel 18.

[0064] Furthermore, if the room temperature PV2 detected by the room temperature sensor 32 drops below 0.5°C below the set value of 26°C during cooling, or if it rises above 0.5°C above the set value of 22°C during heating, the panel pump 23 can be stopped. On the other hand, if a room temperature change instruction is issued from the tablet 28, and the room temperature set temperature SP is changed from 22°C to 21°C or 23°C during cooling, for example, the same control as above is repeated.

[0065] As described above, with the hybrid air conditioning system 10 using the control method of this embodiment, the surface temperature of the radiant panel 18 is lowered when cooling is started and raised when heating is started, making it easier to feel the radiation immediately after start-up, while at the same time allowing the fan coil unit 16 to quickly bring the indoor temperature PV2 to the set temperature. Then, after the indoor temperature PV2 has stabilized, operation is dominated by radiant air conditioning using the radiant panel 18, and the convection-type fan coil unit 16 can be operated at the minimum required output. This makes it possible to achieve an optimal air conditioning method that combines the benefits of radiant air conditioning and convection air conditioning.

[0066] Accordingly, in the hybrid air conditioning system 10 according to this embodiment, the radiant panel 18 that provides radiant heating and cooling makes it possible to achieve energy savings by relaxing the room temperature setting. For example, the cooling setting temperature can be set from the usual 26°C to 27°C, and the room temperature setting during heating can be set from the usual 22°C to 20°C.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the radiant panel is installed on the ceiling surface of the room, but the radiant panel may be installed on the floor surface, or may be installed on both surfaces. Furthermore, although the radiant panel is made of aluminum, it may be a radiant panel made of other metal materials. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example of heating and cooling one room has been described, but it is also possible to heat and cool an entire building, and by providing multiple first paths and multiple second paths, it is also possible to individually heat and cool multiple rooms.

[0068] On the other hand, the temperature of the hot and cold water delivered by the heat pump chiller 12 may be, for example, about 15 to 18°C ​​during cooling and about 28 to 30°C during heating. In the above embodiment, the mobile terminal is a tablet, but a mobile phone such as a smartphone may also be used. Furthermore, instead of using wireless LAN, a control panel may be placed on the wall of the room so that instructions to change the temperature can be directly sent to the control panel. This embodiment is applicable not only to conference rooms, but also to any space where people live or work.

[0069] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible based on the spirit of the present invention, and these are not excluded from the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0070] The hybrid air conditioning system of the present invention combines convection heating and cooling using hot and cold water sent from a heat pump chiller with radiant heating and cooling from the ceiling and floor.It is a heating and cooling system that is suitable for small spaces such as conference rooms, but can also be applied to any space where people live or work, such as hotel rooms, private rooms in hospitals, stores, and living rooms. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 10 Hybrid air conditioning system 12 Heat pump chiller (chiller) 14 Hybrid Header (Header) 16 Fan coil unit (indoor air conditioner) 18 Radiant Panel 19 First three-way valve 20 Second three-way valve 24 Control panel (controller) 28 Tablets (Mobile Devices) 30 indoors 31 Water supply temperature sensor 32 Room temperature sensor 33 Panel temperature sensor 34 Header Temperature Sensor 35 Dew sensor

Claims

1. a heat pump chiller that heats and cools hot and cold water and circulates it; A header that branches the hot and cold water from the heat pump chiller into multiple paths; an indoor air conditioner that circulates the cold and hot water from one of the routes branched by the header, adjusts the cold air and hot air, and sends them out into the room; a first three-way valve disposed in a path between the header and the indoor air conditioner and capable of changing the flow path of the hot and cold water; The header branches off the hot and cold water from other routes and circulates it through a radiant panel that heats and cools the room. a second three-way valve disposed in a path between the header and the radiant panel and capable of changing the flow path; a room temperature sensor for detecting a room temperature; a controller that adjusts the indoor temperature by controlling the operation of the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve, each of which can change its flow path, based on the indoor temperature detected by the room temperature sensor; Hybrid air conditioning system including.

2. The indoor air conditioner is a fan coil unit consisting of a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with hot and cold water and a fan that sends air into the room, 2. The hybrid air conditioning system of claim 1, wherein the controller stops or reduces the operation of the fan coil unit when the indoor temperature reaches a predetermined value.

3. the first three-way valve allows the cold and hot water returning from the fan coil unit to be sent to the delivery side to the fan coil unit; 3. The hybrid air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein the second three-way valve is capable of supplying the cold and hot water returning from the radiant panel to the outlet side of the radiant panel.

4. 2. The hybrid air conditioning system of claim 1, wherein a mobile terminal is placed in the room, and when a room temperature change command is issued from the mobile terminal, the controller controls the first three-way valve or the second three-way valve to change the flow path.

5. The hybrid air conditioning system of claim 1, wherein the airflow rate of the indoor air conditioner is changed depending on the difference between the indoor temperature and the room temperature setting, and the airflow rate is stopped when the indoor temperature is lower than the room temperature setting, and the airflow rate is changed in accordance with the amount of rise in the indoor temperature.

6. A hybrid air conditioning system as described in claim 1, wherein if the water temperature in the header is below the room temperature set temperature during cooling, operation control of the indoor air conditioner and radiant panel is initiated, and if the water temperature is above the room temperature set temperature during heating, operation control of the indoor air conditioner and radiant panel is initiated.

7. A condensation sensor that detects condensation on the surface and a temperature sensor that detects the surface temperature are installed on the radiant panel. A hybrid air conditioning system as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, when controlling operation during cooling, a condensation sensor detects condensation on the surface of the radiant panel and can stop or start operation of the radiant panel, while a room temperature sensor detects the indoor temperature and a temperature sensor detects the surface temperature of the radiant panel.

Citation Information

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