Design support system and design support program

Abstract

To provide a design support system and a design support program to simplify facility design for an air conditioning system.SOLUTION: A design support system for supporting design of an air conditioning system includes: an operation device used for inputting a condition regarding a building and a room in which the air conditioning system is installed; a control device for selecting a plurality of devices constituting the air conditioning system in accordance with the condition input through the operation device, and generating symbols indicating the selected plurality of devices and ducts connecting the plurality of devices; and a display device for displaying a layout image with the symbols placed on a floor plan of the building.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a design support system and a design support program that support the facility design of an air conditioning system. [Background technology]

[0002] A design support device has been proposed that allows even a person without specialized knowledge or experience to easily create a duct system diagram by setting air conditioning equipment, duct branching patterns, etc., and automatically calculate the air volume and pressure loss at the air outlet and air inlet (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-187785 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the design support device described in Patent Document 1 requires manual input of the duct type, number of branches, etc., and there is room for improvement in terms of simplifying facility design.

[0005] The present disclosure is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a design support system and a design support program that can simplify the equipment design of an air conditioning system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The design support system according to the present disclosure is a design support system that supports the design of an air conditioning system, and includes an operation device used to input conditions related to the building and rooms in which the air conditioning system will be installed, a control device that selects multiple devices that make up the air conditioning system based on the conditions input via the operation device and generates symbols representing the selected multiple devices and the ducts that connect the multiple devices, and a display device that displays a layout screen on which the symbols are arranged within a floor plan of the building.

[0007] The design support program according to the present disclosure is a design support program that supports the design of an air conditioning system, and causes a computer to execute the following steps: accepting input of conditions related to the building and rooms in which the air conditioning system will be installed; selecting multiple devices that will constitute the air conditioning system based on the input conditions; generating symbols representing the selected multiple devices and the ducts that connect the multiple devices; and displaying on a display device a layout screen in which the symbols are arranged within a floor plan of the building. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the design support system of the present disclosure, symbols including multiple selected devices and ducts connecting the multiple devices can be generated and placed within a floor plan, thereby reducing the effort required for duct piping and simplifying facility design. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a design support system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of operations of the design support system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 10 is an example of a property information input screen displayed on the display device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 10 is an example of a room condition setting screen displayed on the display device 3 according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of a model selection process in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 4 is an example of a floor plan setting screen displayed on the display device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of placement processing in the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 4 is an example of a symbol generated by an arrangement setting unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] 4 is an example of an arrangement screen displayed on the display device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the arrangement of each device in the arrangement process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating adjustment of ducts in the placement processing according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of the arrangement of devices in the arrangement process of the first embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of arrangement of devices in the arrangement process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 14] 4 is an example of a warning message displayed on the display device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 15] 4 is an example of an output image screen displayed on the display device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 16] 10 is an example of an output content confirmation screen displayed on the display device according to the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. In each drawing, the relative dimensional relationship or shape of each component may differ from the actual one.

[0011] Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a design support system 100 according to a first embodiment. The design support system 100 of this embodiment supports the equipment design of an air conditioning system that provides air conditioning and ventilation for a building such as a house. The air conditioning system is a system that uses a blower fan to blow air from a first space in a building in which an air conditioner is installed to a second space different from the first space. The main devices that make up the air conditioning system are an air inlet installed in the first space in which the air conditioner is installed, an air outlet installed in the second space, a blower fan that transports air from the first space to the second space, and a duct that connects the air inlet, the blower fan, and the air outlet. The design support system 100 selects the number and model of each device, arranges each device, installs ducts, calculates pressure loss, and so on, depending on the conditions of the building in which the air conditioning system is installed.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the design support system 100 includes a control device 1, a storage device 2, a display device 3, and an operation device 4. The control device 1, the storage device 2, the display device 3, and the operation device 4 may each be housed in a separate housing, or at least one of them may be housed in the same housing. For example, the design support system 100 includes a computer equipped with the control device 1 and the storage device 2, the display device 3 consisting of an LCD display, and the operation device 4 consisting of a keyboard and a mouse. Alternatively, the design support system 100 may be a smartphone or tablet terminal in which the control device 1, the storage device 2, the display device 3, and the operation device 4 are housed in the same housing.

[0013] The control device 1 is configured with a processor such as a CPU that executes a design support program stored in the storage device 2, a dedicated processing circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA, or both. As shown in FIG. 1 , the control device 1 has a display control unit 11, a model selection unit 12, a layout setting unit 13, a pressure loss calculation unit 14, and an output unit 15. The display control unit 11, the model selection unit 12, the layout setting unit 13, the pressure loss calculation unit 14, and the output unit 15 are functional units that are realized by the processor constituting the control device 1 executing the design support program. Alternatively, at least one of the display control unit 11, the model selection unit 12, the layout setting unit 13, the pressure loss calculation unit 14, and the output unit 15 may be realized by a processing circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA.

[0014] The display control unit 11 causes the display device 3 to display various screens associated with the execution of the design support program. The model selection unit 12 calculates the target air volume for the air conditioning system based on the building conditions, and selects the number and model of equipment that meets the target air volume. The placement setting unit 13 places the selected equipment in the building and installs ducts. The pressure loss calculation unit 14 calculates the pressure loss in each path of the air conditioning system. The output unit 15 generates and outputs output content including the model selection, equipment placement, and pressure loss calculation results. Details of the functions of each functional unit will be explained later along with the operation flow of the design support system 100.

[0015] The storage device 2 is, for example, a non-volatile semiconductor memory such as a ROM or flash memory, a volatile semiconductor memory such as a RAM, an HDD, or an SSD. The storage device 2 stores a master file 21. The master file 21 includes specification information for multiple models of each device that makes up the air conditioning system, as well as building information related to the performance of the building and rooms. The storage device 2 also stores in advance various data such as a design support program executed by the control device 1, data such as calculation formulas and thresholds used in executing the design support program, and screen data to be displayed on the display device 3. The storage device 2 also stores various data that is input or set during execution of the design support program.

[0016] The display device 3 is a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, etc., and displays a screen for inputting the conditions of the building in which the air conditioning system will be installed, as well as a screen including the selected model of air conditioning system, equipment layout, output content, etc. The operation device 4 is, for example, a keyboard, mouse, or touch panel, etc., and is operated by the designer when inputting the conditions and layout of the building in which the air conditioning system will be installed.

[0017] Next, the operation of the design support system 100 of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation of the design support system 100 according to the first embodiment. The operation of the design support system 100 shown in Fig. 2 is started by the control device 1 executing a design support program stored in the storage device 2. As shown in Fig. 2, first, property information of the building in which the air conditioning system will be installed is input (S1). Here, a property information input screen 31 for inputting the property information is displayed on the display device 3, and the designer operates the operation device 4 to input the property information.

[0018] 3 is an example of a property information input screen 31 displayed on the display device 3 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the property information input includes a management number, a residence name, and the performance and specifications of the home. The performance and specifications of the home include regional information indicating the prefecture and city / town / village where the home will be constructed, the total floor area of ​​the home, and whether or not the home meets ministerial ordinance quasi-fire resistance specifications. The property information input via the property information input screen 31 is stored in the storage device 2.

[0019] Next, the room conditions of the building in which the air conditioning system is to be installed are set (S2). Here, a room condition setting screen 32 for setting the room conditions is displayed on the display device 3, and the designer operates the operation device 4 to set the room conditions. Fig. 4 is an example of the room condition setting screen 32 displayed on the display device 3 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the room conditions include the name and number of tatami mats of the room from which the air is blown, and the name and number of tatami mats of the room to which the air is blown. The air blow source is a first space in which an air conditioner and an air intake in the air conditioning system are installed, and the air blow destination is a second space in which an air outlet in the air conditioning system is installed. The number of tatami mats of each room is calculated based on the area (m 2 4, the living room is set as the air source, and the dressing room and the hallway are set as the air destinations.

[0020] When room conditions are input on the room condition setting screen 32 and the designer presses the automatic selection button 320, the model selection unit 12 of the control device 1 performs a model selection process (S3). Here, the number and model of devices for each room, which is the source and destination of airflow, are selected based on the property information and room conditions input as building conditions.

[0021] The model selection process by the model selection unit 12 will be described. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the model selection process in the first embodiment. In this process, the model selection unit 12 selects the number of grills at the air source and each room at the air destination, and the model, using the area information input as property information, the total floor area of ​​the building, and the area of ​​each room at the air destination. The number of grills at the air source is the number of intake ports in the first space, and the number of grills at the air destination is the number of outlet ports in the second space. In the following, as an explanatory example, assume that the area classification based on the area information is 4, the UA value is 0.6, and the total floor area is 100m 2 The area of ​​the changing room to which the air is blown is 3.41m 2 , the corridor area is 6.62m 2 The following description will be given taking the case where:

[0022] First, the model selection unit 12 calculates the heat load for each winter and summer based on the floor area of ​​each room to which air is blown (S31). Based on the UA value, the model selection unit 12 calculates the heat load for each room in winter and summer according to the floor area from a preset standard heat load assuming that the temperature of the room to which air is blown is a temperature that will not cause heat shock in winter and a temperature that will not cause heat stroke in summer.

[0023] Next, the model selection unit 12 calculates the estimated air volume for each room to which air is to be sent based on the thermal load of each room (S32). Here, the model selection unit 12 calculates the required air volume Qw ​​in winter and the required air volume Qs in summer for each room from the thermal load of each room, and determines the estimated air volume for each room from the required air volume Qw ​​in winter and the required air volume Qs in summer for each room.

[0024] Next, the model selection unit 12 selects a suitable model based on the total value of the target airflow rates for the destination rooms (S33). The devices for which models are selected are the blower fan, the intake grille that constitutes the intake port, the outlet grille that constitutes the outlet port, and the duct branching member in the air conditioning system. Here, based on the specification information for multiple models of each device contained in the master file 21 stored in the storage device 2, a model is selected that can ensure more than the total value of the target airflow rates for each destination room and can achieve a combination of airflow rates for each room.

[0025] Then, the model selection unit 12 determines the number of grills for each room from the compatible models (S34). For example, if the blower fan has three branched outlets and the air volume of each outlet is 60 m 3 In the case of / h, the number of grills in the changing room is 1 (60m 3 / h), the number of grills in the corridor is 2 (120m 3 / h). The number of grills in the living room, which is the source of airflow, is set according to the number of intake ports of the selected model.

[0026] The model and number of grills selected by the model selection unit 12 are stored in the storage device 2 and are displayed on the room condition setting screen 32 shown in FIG. 4 (S35). The display contents and setting contents of the room condition setting screen 32 are not limited to the example of FIG. 4. For example, the room condition setting screen 32 may be provided with a Selected Equipment List button and a Delete Selected Equipment button. When the designer presses the Selected Equipment List button, the display control unit 11 displays a list of the currently selected equipment names, model numbers, and quantities on a sub-screen. The model may also be changed on this sub-screen. When the designer presses the Delete Selected Equipment button, the display control unit 11 displays a list of the equipment names and check boxes of the equipment that are candidates for deletion on the sub-screen. The model selection unit 12 may then delete the equipment whose check box is checked from the selected models.

[0027] Furthermore, the room condition setting screen 32 may be provided with an input unit for manually selecting the model and number of grills. In this case, the model selection unit 12 displays the manually input model and number of grills as the selected model and number of grills on the display device 3 and stores them in the storage device 2. Also, as an initial setting, a model that should be given particular priority among the models to be selected may be set as an initial value in advance, and the initial setting may be displayed on the display device 3 before the model selection process or when a manual selection is input. In this case, for example, a model with a high noise reduction effect may be set as the initial setting in advance.

[0028] Returning to FIG. 2, next, the floor plan of the building is input (S4). Here, an input method selection screen is displayed on the display device 3, and the designer inputs the drawing file name, so that image data of the floor plan can be read from the storage device 2 or an external device, or the floor plan can be captured by displaying it on the display device 3 and taking a screenshot. Alternatively, a scanner can be connected to the control device 1, and the floor plan read by the scanner can be captured.

[0029] The input floor plan is displayed on the display device 3. FIG. 6 is an example of a floor plan setting screen 33 displayed on the display device 3 according to the first embodiment. The input floor plan 330 undergoes scale setting and the like by the display control unit 11, and is stored in the storage device 2. More specifically, with the floor plan 330 displayed on the display device 3 as shown in FIG. 6, the range of the floor plan 330 is specified using the operation device 4, and the actual vertical and horizontal dimensions of the specified range are input on a sub-screen, so that the actual dimensions are fitted to the floor plan 330. Also, as shown in FIG. 6, grid lines serving as the basis for the actual dimensions are displayed vertically and horizontally in a checkerboard pattern at predetermined intervals, and the spacing between the grid lines is adjusted. The floor plan 330 is then reduced or enlarged in accordance with the spacing adjustment, thereby adjusting it to fit the actual vertical and horizontal dimensions.

[0030] When editing of the floor plan 330 is completed, a process of arranging devices on the floor plan 330 is performed (S5). FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of the arrangement process in the first embodiment. The arrangement process in FIG. 7 is performed by the arrangement setting unit 13 and the pressure loss calculation unit 14 of the control device 1. As shown in FIG. 7, the arrangement setting unit 13 first generates symbols for the devices that constitute the air conditioning system (S51). FIG. 8 is an example of a symbol 130 generated by the arrangement setting unit 13 according to the first embodiment. The symbol 130 is formed by combining symbols representing the air inlets 131, the air outlets 132, the branching members 133, the blower fans 134, and the ducts 135 that constitute the air conditioning system. The arrangement setting unit 13 acquires information regarding the number of air inlets 131 and air outlets 132 and the shape of the branching members 133 according to the number of grilles and the model selected by the model selection unit 12. Then, from among a plurality of duct piping patterns pre-stored in the storage device 2, a duct piping pattern that matches the acquired information is selected, and an intake port 131, an outlet port 132, a branching member 133, and a blower fan 134 are automatically connected by a duct 135 to generate a symbol 130.

[0031] Next, the display control unit 11 displays the arrangement screen 34 on the display device 3 (S52). Fig. 9 is an example of the arrangement screen 34 displayed on the display device 3 according to embodiment 1. As shown in Fig. 9, the arrangement screen 34 has an arrangement display unit 341 including the input floor plan 330 and the symbols 130 generated by the arrangement setting unit 13, an installation information display unit 342 indicating the room in which the equipment is installed, an equipment information display unit 343 displaying information about the selected equipment, and an arrangement display editing unit 344 editing the display of the arrangement display unit 341.

[0032] In the layout display section 341, when the layout screen 34 is initially displayed, the symbol 130 is displayed outside the floor plan 330. The installation information display section 342 displays how many of which model of equipment will be installed in which room, based on the model and number of grills selected by the model selection section 12. When the equipment of symbol 130 is selected by the designer, the equipment information display section 343 displays information about the selected equipment. The layout display editing section 344 includes editing buttons for enlarging or reducing the display, rotating, etc., a button for instructing to display ducts as curves, a button for instructing to display duct lengths, a button for instructing to display pressure losses, a button for instructing to delete piping, and a button for instructing automatic piping.

[0033] Next, the designer operates the operation device 4 to place and adjust the symbol 130 on the floor plan 330 (S53). For example, if the operation device 4 is a mouse, the symbol 130 can be moved by dragging it and releasing it at a desired position. Similarly, the designer operates the operation device 4 to place each piece of equipment included in the symbol 130 in each room.

[0034] 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the placement of each device in the placement process of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, when a designer selects (e.g., clicks) any of the devices included in the symbols 130, a selection screen 345 is displayed for selecting a room in which to install the selected device. The designer selects a room in which to install the device on the selection screen 345 and presses OK, whereby the symbol representing the selected device moves to the selected room. Alternatively, if the operation device 4 is a mouse, the designer can move any of the devices included in the symbols 130 by dragging it and releasing it at the desired position.

[0035] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating duct adjustment in the placement process of the first embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 11(a), when an air inlet is moved to the living room, the placement setting unit 13 changes the duct piping (i.e., the length and bends of the duct) connecting the air inlet and the blower fan. Furthermore, when the designer performs an operation such as right-clicking, an edit menu 346 for editing the duct bends is displayed as shown in FIG. 11(b). The designer can add or delete a duct bend by selecting "add or delete duct bend" in the edit menu 346 and then selecting the duct portion to which the bend is to be added or deleted. Then, as shown in FIG. 11(c), the user further adjusts the position of the air inlet and the length of the duct. The duct piping may also be automatically adjusted so that the duct avoids the positions of the building's pillars or beams. By allowing the layout of the equipment and the length and bends of the ducts to be arbitrarily adjusted in this way, an optimal duct piping diagram can be easily created.

[0036] 12 is a diagram illustrating another example of the placement of devices in the placement processing of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 12, when the "Remove Pipe" button is pressed in the placement display editing unit 344 of the placement screen 34, the placement setting unit 13 deletes the duct piping of the symbol 130. In this case, all duct piping of the symbol 130 may be deleted, or an arbitrary range of the symbol 130 may be selected by the designer and the duct piping within the selected range may be deleted. The designer can move the device from which the duct piping has been deleted by selecting an installation room from the selection screen 345 as shown in FIG. 10, or by dragging the device and releasing it at the desired position.

[0037] After each device has been placed, when the "Automatic Plumbing" button is pressed in the placement display editing unit 344, the placement setting unit 13 will lay ducts between each device. In this case, ducts may be laid between all devices, or an arbitrary range including multiple devices may be selected by the designer, and ducts may be laid within the selected range. The placement is then determined by adjusting the ducts as shown in FIG. 11.

[0038] 12, new equipment may be added or existing equipment may be changed while a piping release command has been issued. For example, there may be a desire to add a branch to a patterned standard system or to change the material of some of the piping to a sound-absorbing material. In this case, the layout setting unit 13 generates a symbol for the equipment that has been instructed to be added or changed and displays it on the layout display unit 341. After that, when an automatic piping command is issued after the placement of each equipment, the layout setting unit 13 generates a symbol 130 showing the ducted equipment including the equipment that has been instructed to be added or changed. This allows for more efficient duct piping work than manual installation when equipment needs to be changed.

[0039] Fig. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the placement of each device in the placement processing of the first embodiment. In the example of Fig. 13, the air inlet is placed in the living room, and the air outlets are placed in the dressing room and the hallway, respectively. As such, in this embodiment, the placement setting unit 13 generates in advance a symbol 130 showing the duct piping of each device of the air conditioning system, and the designer only needs to move the symbol 130 and adjust the length and bends of the duct. This eliminates the need for the designer to manually input the type of duct, the number of branches, etc., thereby reducing the amount of work required for design.

[0040] Next, it is determined whether the arrangement is complete (S54). Here, it is determined that the arrangement is complete when the "Next" button displayed on the arrangement screen 34 is pressed. If the arrangement is not complete (S54: NO), the process returns to step S53 and the subsequent processes are repeated. If the arrangement is complete (S54: YES), the pressure loss calculation unit 14 calculates the pressure loss in the completed arrangement (S55). The pressure loss calculation unit 14 calculates the pressure loss based on the diameters, lengths, friction coefficients, and local pressure loss coefficients of the air inlets, air outlets, branching members, and ducts in the completed arrangement using a known pressure loss calculation method used in sick house countermeasures. Then, it is determined whether the calculated pressure loss is equal to or less than a threshold value (S56). The threshold value is set based on, for example, a target air volume.

[0041] If the pressure loss is not equal to or less than the threshold value (S56: NO), the display control unit 11 displays a warning 347 on the layout screen 34 to notify the user that the pressure loss exceeds the threshold value (S57). FIG. 14 shows an example of the warning 347 displayed on the display device 3 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 14, the warning message displays a message informing the user that a duct has a pressure loss exceeding the rated value and that the duct needs to be changed. The layout setting unit 13 also changes the symbol 130 displayed on the layout display unit 341. Specifically, the layout setting unit 13 changes the color of the duct with the largest pressure loss among the paths in the air conditioning system, or causes it to blink. This allows the designer to intuitively understand which path's duct length or bend needs to be changed. Thereafter, the process returns to step S53, and the device layout and duct adjustment are performed.

[0042] If the pressure loss is equal to or less than the threshold (S56: YES), the placement process is terminated, the contents of the placement display unit 341 are stored in the storage device 2, and the process proceeds to step S6 in FIG. 2. When a button for displaying pressure loss is pressed in the placement display editing unit 344, the pressure loss calculation unit 14 also calculates the pressure loss in the device placement and duct piping at the time the button was pressed and displays it on the placement screen 34. The display control unit 11 may also display a warning message other than the pressure loss warning message 347 on the placement screen 34. For example, a warning message regarding device placement may be displayed as a sub-screen, such as, "Placing a grille in a location that creates a traffic flow can cause a sense of airflow. Is there a problem with the placement?" or "If the intake port is located too close to a ventilation fan or an air intake port, the blower's effectiveness may not be fully realized. Is there a problem with the placement?" This can prevent careless mistakes in device placement.

[0043] In step S6 of Fig. 2, the output unit 15 of the control device 1 generates an output image of the air conditioning system (S6). First, the display control unit 11 displays an output image screen 35 on the display device 3. Fig. 15 is an example of the output image screen 35 displayed on the display device 3 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 15, the output image screen 35 includes an output image 351 including a floor plan 330, symbols 130 arranged on the floor plan, and device information 350, and an output image editing unit 352 that edits the output image 351.

[0044] The device information 350 includes specification information such as the product name, model number, and photograph of each device that constitutes the air conditioning system whose placement has been determined. The output image editing unit 352 is operated to edit the contents of the output image 351. In the example of FIG. 15 , the output image editing unit 352 includes radio buttons for selecting the display orientation of the device information 350 in the output image 351, a button for selecting whether to display or hide the device information 350, a check box for selecting a display option for the device information 350, an input section for inputting the size of the output image, and a radio button for selecting the font size of the text. The output image editing unit 352 also includes buttons for setting the display color, font, etc. of the output image 351, adding suggested comments, and adding photographs. The output unit 15 edits the output image 351 in accordance with the input to the output image editing unit 352, stores it in the storage device 2, and displays it on the display device 3.

[0045] Next, the output contents are confirmed (S7). Here, the display control unit 11 displays an output contents confirmation screen 36 on the display device 3. FIG. 16 is an example of the output contents confirmation screen 36 displayed on the display device 3 according to the first embodiment. The design support system 100 according to this embodiment outputs, as output contents, an equipment specification and proposal for the client, a pressure loss calculation sheet for construction, and a duct quantity display. The equipment specification is a document including specification information such as the product name, model number, quantity, and price of the air conditioning system equipment selected by the model selection unit 12. The proposal is a document including an output image 351 generated by the output unit 15. The pressure loss calculation sheet is a document including the pressure loss of the air conditioning system calculated by the pressure loss calculation unit 14. The duct quantity display is a document including the product name, model number, outer diameter, and quantity (m) of the ducts in the layout set by the layout setting unit 13.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 16, the output content confirmation screen 36 includes each output content, check boxes for selecting each output content, a content confirmation button for confirming each output content, and an output button for instructing output. When the content confirmation button is pressed by the designer, a sub-screen including each output content is displayed. Then, when the output button is pressed with the output content selected, the selected output content is output (S8). The output unit 15 outputs the materials instructed to be output as, for example, Microsoft (registered trademark) Excel (registered trademark) data, and stores it in the storage device 2. Alternatively, the output unit 15 may transmit the data of the output materials to an external device.

[0047] As described above, the design support system 100 of this embodiment automatically creates a symbol 130 representing the ductwork between devices by inputting building conditions such as installation area information, total floor area, and number of rooms, and displays it on the display device 3. This reduces the amount of work required by designers to perform ductwork and simplifies the equipment design of air conditioning systems. As a result, the time required for designers to submit a proposal to a customer can be shortened. Furthermore, design errors can be prevented by displaying a warning message if pressure loss exceeds the rated value during design or if important construction precautions are required.

[0048] The above is a description of the embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the present disclosure includes all possible combinations of the configurations shown in the following embodiments. For example, the devices constituting the air conditioning system are not limited to the examples of the above embodiments and may include devices such as air conditioners, switches, sensors, air supply devices, and exhaust devices. In this case, the model selection unit 12 selects appropriate devices based on the input property information and room conditions, and the placement setting unit 13 generates symbols for these devices, displays them on the placement display unit 341, and places them on the floor plan 330.

[0049] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the pressure loss calculation unit 14 calculates the pressure loss after the placement is completed, and changes the display of the symbol 130 if the pressure loss exceeds a threshold value. However, the pressure loss may be calculated before the placement is completed. For example, each time a device included in the symbol 130 is placed in a room and a duct is adjusted (adjusted for duct length and bends), the pressure loss calculation unit 14 may calculate the pressure loss, and if the threshold value is exceeded, the color of the path requiring the change of the symbol 130 may be changed or flashed. This allows the designer to check whether there is a problem with pressure loss while placing the device and adjusting the duct.

[0050] Furthermore, although the above embodiment has been described with reference to an example in which an air conditioning system is installed in a new building, it is also possible to use the contents of an output image of an air conditioning system created in the past to design the layout of new equipment and duct piping, etc. Furthermore, the method of calculating the heat load, required air volume, target air volume, and pressure loss of the air conditioning system in each room to which air is sent in the above embodiment is merely an example, and these may also be calculated using various other known methods.

[0051] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices.

[0052] (Appendix 1) A design support system for supporting the design of an air conditioning system, an operating device used to input conditions related to the building and room in which the air conditioning system is installed; a control device that selects a plurality of devices that constitute the air conditioning system based on the conditions input via the operation device, and generates symbols that represent the selected plurality of devices and ducts that connect the plurality of devices; a display device that displays a layout screen in which the symbols are arranged within a floor plan of the building. (Appendix 2) The control device Calculating the heat load of the room based on the floor area of ​​the room; calculating a target air volume for the room based on the heat load of the room; A design support system according to appendix 1, which selects the model and number of the equipment based on the target air volume. (Appendix 3) The design support system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device selects a piping pattern that is suitable for the equipment from a plurality of duct piping patterns stored in advance based on specification information of the selected equipment, and generates the symbol. (Appendix 4) 4. The design support system according to any one of appendices 1 to 3, wherein the position of the device included in the symbol on the layout screen can be moved by the operation device. (Appendix 5) The design support system described in Appendix 4, wherein the control device changes the length and the bends of the duct in the symbol in response to a change in the position of the equipment by the operating device or the addition or deletion of a bend in the duct. (Appendix 6) The control device calculating a pressure loss of the air conditioning system based on the arrangement of the symbols on the arrangement screen; 6. The design support system according to any one of appendices 1 to 5, wherein, when the pressure loss is greater than a preset threshold, the display of the path with the greatest pressure loss in the symbol is changed. (Appendix 7) The design support system according to claim 6, wherein the display device displays a warning regarding the pressure loss or the installation of the equipment on the layout screen. (Appendix 8) The control device When a piping release instruction is given via the operation device, the duct is deleted from the symbol; 8. The design support system according to any one of appendices 1 to 7, wherein the duct is added to the symbol when automatic piping is instructed via the operation device. (Appendix 9) The design support system according to claim 8, wherein the control device generates the symbol including the added or changed equipment when an instruction to add new equipment or change the equipment is given after the instruction to remove the piping and when an instruction to perform automatic piping is given. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1 control device, 2 storage device, 3 display device, 4 operation device, 11 display control unit, 12 model selection unit, 13 placement setting unit, 14 pressure loss calculation unit, 15 output unit, 21 master file, 31 property information input screen, 32 room condition setting screen, 33 floor plan setting screen, 34 placement screen, 35 output image screen, 36 output content confirmation screen, 100 design support system, 130 symbol, 131 intake port, 132 outlet, 133 branching member, 134 blower fan, 135 duct, 320 automatic selection button, 330 floor plan, 341 placement display unit, 342 installation information display unit, 343 equipment information display unit, 344 placement display editing unit, 345 selection screen, 346 editing menu, 347 warning display, 350 equipment information, 351 output image, 352 Output image editing department.

Claims

1. A design support system for supporting the design of an air conditioning system, an operating device used to input conditions related to the building and room in which the air conditioning system is installed; a control device that selects a plurality of devices that constitute the air conditioning system based on the conditions input via the operation device, and generates symbols that represent the selected plurality of devices and ducts that connect the plurality of devices; a display device that displays a layout screen in which the symbols are arranged within a floor plan of the building.

2. The control device Calculating the heat load of the room based on the floor area of ​​the room; calculating a target air volume for the room based on the heat load of the room; 2. The design support system according to claim 1, wherein the model and number of the equipment are selected based on the target air volume.

3. 3. The design support system according to claim 1, wherein the control device selects a piping pattern that is suitable for the equipment from a plurality of pre-stored piping patterns of the ducts based on specification information of the selected equipment, and generates the symbol.

4. 3. The design support system according to claim 1, wherein the position of the device included in the symbol on the layout screen is movable by the operation device.

5. The design support system according to claim 4 , wherein the control device changes the length and the bend of the duct in the symbol in response to a change in the position of the equipment by the operating device or the addition or deletion of a bend in the duct.

6. The control device calculating a pressure loss of the air conditioning system based on the arrangement of the symbols on the arrangement screen; 3. The design support system according to claim 1, wherein when the pressure loss is greater than a preset threshold, the display of the path with the greatest pressure loss in the symbol is changed.

7. The design support system according to claim 6 , wherein the display device displays a warning about the pressure loss or the installation of the equipment on the layout screen.

8. The control device When a piping release instruction is given via the operation device, the duct is deleted from the symbol; 3. The design support system according to claim 1, wherein when an automatic piping instruction is given via the operation device, the duct is added to the symbol.

9. The design support system according to claim 8, wherein when an instruction to add new equipment or change the equipment is given after the instruction to release the piping and when the automatic piping is given, the control device generates the symbol including the added or changed equipment.

10. A design support program for supporting the design of an air conditioning system, receiving input of conditions related to the building and room in which the air conditioning system is to be installed; a step of selecting a plurality of devices that constitute the air conditioning system based on the input conditions, and generating symbols that represent the selected plurality of devices and ducts that connect the plurality of devices; and displaying on a display device an arrangement screen in which the symbols are arranged within a floor plan of the building.

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