Air conditioning system

Abstract

To provide a technique for providing a thermal environment suitable to the upper half and lower half of the body respectively while giving comfortable whole-body hot / cold feelings.SOLUTION: A control part 272 estimates upper half body-side hot / cold feelings as hot / cold feelings of an object person based upon first thermal environment information, and also estimates whole-body hot / cold feelings based upon the first thermal environment information and second thermal environment information. The control part 272 controls a first air conditioner 200 so that the upper half body-side hot / cold feelings are within a range of -1.5 to -0.5) when the hot / cold feelings are represented in seven stage evaluation scales of -3 (cold), -2 (cool), -1 (a little cool), 0 (neutral), +1 (a little warm), +2 (warm), and +3 (hot), and also controls a second air conditioner 220 so that the whole-body hot / cold feelings are in a range of -0.5 to +0.5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioning system that provides a warm environment. [Background technology]

[0002] Humans have many internal organs in the upper body, which generates more heat per unit area than the lower body. For this reason, it is known that the human body feels comfortable when the head is cool and the feet are warm, meaning that the upper body is relatively cooler than the lower body. Air-conditioning systems designed to create a thermal environment around a person with a cool head and warm feet have been proposed. For example, based on the relationship between the temperature difference between the upper and lower body, which is the head-cool-feet-warmth index, and emotional valence such as comfort, the output of convective cooling in the upper part of a room and radiant heating in the floor is controlled to achieve a head-cool-feet-warmth index that corresponds to a target emotional valence (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-156467 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Even if a target value for the temperature difference between the upper and lower body is specified as in Patent Document 1, the whole-body thermal sensation does not necessarily fall within a comfortable range when the thermal environment is perceived by the whole body. Also, although convection cooling is used to send cool air to the upper body, the cool air reaches the feet, and the thermal environment of the lower body does not necessarily become the intended thermal environment.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a technology that realizes a thermal environment suitable for both the upper and lower body while providing a comfortable thermal sensation throughout the body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, an air conditioning system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first temperature control unit that applies heat to the upper body of a subject, a second temperature control unit that applies heat to the lower body of the subject, a control unit that controls the first temperature control unit and the second temperature control unit, a first information acquisition unit that acquires first thermal environment information of a first space including the upper body of the subject, a second information acquisition unit that acquires second thermal environment information of a second space including the lower body of the subject, and a thermal sensation estimation unit that estimates the thermal sensation of the subject based on the first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information. The thermal sensation estimation unit estimates the thermal sensation of the subject based on the first thermal environment information, and estimates the whole body thermal sensation based on the first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information. The control unit controls the first temperature adjustment unit so that the upper body thermal sensation falls within the range of -1.5 to -0.5, and controls the second temperature adjustment unit so that the whole body thermal sensation falls within the range of -0.5 to +0.5 when the thermal sensation is expressed on a 7-point rating scale consisting of -3 (cold), -2 (cool), -1 (slightly cool), 0 (neutral), +1 (slightly warm), +2 (warm), and +3 (hot).

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure is also an air conditioning system including a first temperature adjustment unit that applies heat to an upper body of a subject, a second temperature adjustment unit that applies heat to a lower body of the subject, a control unit that controls the first and second temperature adjustment units, a first information acquisition unit that acquires first thermal environment information of a first space including the upper body of the subject, a second information acquisition unit that acquires second thermal environment information of a second space including the lower body of the subject, and a thermal sensation estimation unit that estimates a thermal sensation of the subject based on the first and second thermal environment information. The thermal sensation estimation unit estimates the thermal sensation of the subject's upper body based on the first thermal environment information, and estimates the thermal sensation of the lower body based on the second thermal environment information, and the control unit controls the first temperature adjustment unit so that the upper body thermal sensation falls within the range of 0 to +0.5 when the thermal sensation is expressed on a 7-point rating scale consisting of -3 (cold), -2 (cool), -1 (slightly cool), 0 (neutral), +1 (slightly warm), +2 (warm), and +3 (hot), and controls the second temperature adjustment unit so that the lower body thermal sensation falls within the range of +0.5 to +2.0.

[0008] Any combination of the above components, and conversion of the present disclosure into a method, device, system, recording medium, computer program, etc., are also valid aspects of the present disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to realize a thermal environment suitable for both the upper and lower body sides while providing a comfortable thermal sensation to the whole body. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figures 1(a)-(d) show the relationship between whole-body temperature balance and alertness / relaxation state. [Figure 2] 2(a) and 2(b) are perspective views showing the structure of the air conditioning system according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] 3(a) and 3(b) are side and front views showing the structure of the air conditioning system of FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b). [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the air conditioning system of FIGS. 3(a)-(b). [Figure 5] 5(a)-(b) are cross-sectional views showing the air flow in the air conditioning system of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioning system of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the air conditioning system of FIG. [Figure 8] 8(a) and 8(b) are diagrams showing thermal sensations in the air conditioning system of FIG. [Figure 9] 9(a) and 9(b) are diagrams showing target areas stored in the storage unit of FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the data structure of a table stored in the storage unit of FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an outline of the operation in the awakening mode by the control unit of FIG. [Figure 12]FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an outline of the operation in the relaxation mode by the control unit in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Examples of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following examples are examples that embody the present disclosure and do not limit the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, each drawing described in the embodiments is a schematic drawing, and the ratios of the sizes and thicknesses of the components in each drawing do not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratios.

[0012] This embodiment relates to an air conditioning system that uses a thermoregulatory function to control the activity level of the sympathetic nervous system, thereby bringing a person's mental and physical state to a state suitable for alertness or relaxation. In order to maintain homeostasis in the human body, the autonomic nervous system autonomously performs various adjustments. Thermoregulation is one of these. The autonomic nervous system is composed of the sympathetic nervous system, which acts as the accelerator, and the parasympathetic nervous system, which acts as the brake. Of these, the activity level of the sympathetic nervous system increases when it actively adjusts. This can be said to be a mechanism that exerts its power to deal with physical and mental stress.

[0013] Therefore, it is known that when the activity level of the sympathetic nervous system in the head is raised to a certain level, the state of thinking becomes clearer and performance improves. At this time, if there are any unpleasant elements, performance will decline, so it is also necessary to avoid unpleasant elements as much as possible. Therefore, a state in which the activity level of the sympathetic nervous system in the head is high to a certain level and there is no unpleasant element is the state that "alert mode" aims to achieve. "Alert mode" is intended to lead a person's mental and physical state to a state suitable for alertness. On the other hand, it is known that if the sympathetic nervous system activity level can be maintained at a low level, a relaxed state will be achieved. Naturally, in order to relax, it is also necessary to avoid unpleasant elements. Therefore, a state in which the activity level of the sympathetic nervous system throughout the body is low and there is no unpleasant element is the state that "relaxation mode" aims to achieve. "Relaxation mode" is intended to lead a person's mental and physical state to a state suitable for relaxation.

[0014] Figures 1(a)-(b) show the relationship between whole-body temperature balance and alertness / relaxation states. In these figures, the horizontal axis indicates the temperature sensation felt by a person, and the vertical axis indicates the sympathetic nervous activity level. The left side of the horizontal axis corresponds to a cold state, and the right side corresponds to a hot state. In addition, the sympathetic nervous activity level that allows high performance is shown as the "high performance zone," and the sympathetic nervous activity level that allows relaxation is shown as the "relaxation zone."

[0015] In FIG. 1(a), the upper body is in the relaxation zone and the lower body is in the high performance zone. In this state, it is difficult to concentrate on work, for example. In this embodiment, in the wakefulness mode, the state shown in FIG. 1(b) is achieved by controlling the level of wakefulness based on the temperature balance of the whole body. As a result, the upper body is in the high performance zone and the lower body is in the relaxation zone, which assists in concentrating on work.

[0016] In Figure 1(c), the upper body is included in the relaxation zone, but the lower body is not. In this state, for example, the feet are cold and it is difficult to relax. In this embodiment, in the relaxation mode, the state shown in Figure 1(d) is achieved by controlling the level of alertness based on the temperature balance of the entire body. As a result, both the upper and lower body are included in the relaxation zone, making it possible to feel warm and relaxed.

[0017] 2(a) and 2(b) are perspective views showing the structure of the air conditioning system 1000. In particular, FIG. 2(a) is a perspective view of the air conditioning system 1000 seen from above, and FIG. 2(b) is a perspective view of the air conditioning system 1000 seen from below. FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are side and front views showing the structure of the air conditioning system 1000. In particular, FIG. 3(a) is a side view of the air conditioning system 1000, and FIG. 3(b) is a front view of the air conditioning system 1000. The air conditioning system 1000 is installed in public places such as offices, universities, and libraries, for example.

[0018] The air-conditioning room 10 has a box-like shape and a door 12 is provided on one side of the room. Opening the door 12 allows access to the interior of the air-conditioning room 10. The other side of the air-conditioning room 10 other than the side on which the door 12 is provided is a wall 14. A plate-shaped dropped ceiling 16 is provided on the upper portion of the wall 14. Hereinafter, the direction in which the dropped ceiling 16 extends from the wall 14 will be referred to as the "front side," and the opposite direction will be referred to as the "rear side." A desk including a desk top 20 is provided on the wall 14 below the dropped ceiling 16. Here, it is assumed that a subject is sitting in a chair (not shown) facing the desk. The first radiation surface / air outlet 100, the air inlet 102, the second radiation surface 104, the first sensor 110, and the second sensor 112 in these figures will be described later.

[0019] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of an air conditioning system 1000. The air conditioning system 1000 includes an air-conditioned room 10, a dropped ceiling 16, a desk top 20, a first radiation surface / air outlet 100, an air inlet 102, a second radiation surface 104, a first sensor 110, a second sensor 112, a first indoor unit air-conditioned room 120, a first outdoor unit air-conditioned room 122, a second indoor unit air-conditioned room 130, a second outdoor unit air-conditioned room 132, a first air conditioner 200 (first temperature adjustment unit), a second air conditioner 220 (second temperature adjustment unit), and a control device 250. The first air conditioner 200 includes a first indoor unit 210, a first outdoor unit 212, and a first refrigerant piping 214, and the second air conditioner 220 includes a second indoor unit 230, a second outdoor unit 232, and a second refrigerant piping 234.

[0020] As described above, a desk top 20 is provided on a wall surface 14 of the air-conditioned room 10. If the space above the desk top 20 is called the first space 50, the space below the desk top 20 is called the second space 52. The first space 50 is a space that includes the upper body of a subject sitting in a chair, and the second space 52 is a space that includes the lower body of a subject sitting in a chair. Therefore, the desk top 20 corresponds to a partition that separates the first space 50 and the second space 52.

[0021] Within the air-conditioned room 10, a first indoor unit air-conditioned room 120 is disposed above and at the front, and a first outdoor unit air-conditioned room 122 is disposed above and at the rear. A slit (not shown) or louver (not shown) that communicates with the outside is provided on the rear surface of the first outdoor unit air-conditioned room 122. A first indoor unit 210 is installed in the first indoor unit air-conditioned room 120, and a first outdoor unit 212 is installed in the first outdoor unit air-conditioned room 122, and the first indoor unit 210 and the first outdoor unit 212 are connected by a first refrigerant piping 214. The lower portion of the first indoor unit 210 communicates with the interior space of the dropped ceiling 16. The lower surface of the dropped ceiling 16 is open, and the opening is closed by a first radiation surface / air outlet 100. The first radiation surface / air outlet 100 is a perforated metal made of a metal such as aluminum. One or more through-holes (not shown) provided in the perforated metal correspond to the air outlets.

[0022] An air inlet 102 is provided on the wall surface 14 below the first radiation surface / air outlet 100 and above the desk top 20. The air inlet 102 is a through-hole that connects the first space 50 with the first indoor unit air-conditioning room 120. A first sensor 110 is provided on the desk top 20, for example, near the air inlet 102. The first sensor 110 acquires thermal environment information of the first space 50 (hereinafter referred to as "first thermal environment information"). The first thermal environment information includes air temperature, humidity, average radiation temperature, and wind speed. These values ​​are averaged over approximately one minute of measurement. The first sensor 110 is also referred to as a first information acquisition unit.

[0023] Within the air-conditioned room 10, a second indoor unit air-conditioned room 130 is disposed below and at the front, and a second outdoor unit air-conditioned room 132 is disposed below and at the rear. A slit (not shown) or louver (not shown) that communicates with the outside is provided on the rear surface of the second outdoor unit air-conditioned room 132. A second indoor unit 230 is installed in the second indoor unit air-conditioned room 130, and a second outdoor unit 232 is installed in the second outdoor unit air-conditioned room 132, and the second indoor unit 230 and the second outdoor unit 232 are connected by a second refrigerant piping 234. The front side of the second indoor unit air-conditioned room 130 is open, and the opening is closed by a second radiation surface 104. The second radiation surface 104 is a plate made of metal such as aluminum.

[0024] A second sensor 112 is provided on a sensor installation stand below the desk top 20. The second sensor 112 acquires thermal environment information (hereinafter referred to as "second thermal environment information") for the second space 52. The second thermal environment information includes air temperature, humidity, average radiation temperature, and wind speed. These values ​​are averaged over approximately one minute of measurement. The second sensor 112 is also called a second information acquisition unit.

[0025] A control device 250 is installed in the first indoor unit air-conditioned room 120. The control device 250 may be installed in a location other than the first indoor unit air-conditioned room 120. The control device 250 is connected to the first sensor 110 and the second sensor 112, and is also connected to the first indoor unit 210 and the second indoor unit 230. The control device 250 receives first thermal environment information from the first sensor 110 and receives second thermal environment information from the second sensor 112. The control device 250 controls the first air conditioner 200 and the second air conditioner 220 based on the first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information.

[0026] 5(a)-(b) are cross-sectional views showing the airflow through the air conditioning system 1000. FIG. 5(a) shows the airflow when only the first air conditioner 200 is operating. The first indoor unit 210 draws air from the first indoor unit air-conditioning room 120 through the upper section and conditions the drawn air. The first indoor unit 210 blows out the conditioned air from the lower section. The air blown out from the first indoor unit 210 travels forward through the interior space of the dropped ceiling 16 and comes into contact with the first radiation surface / air outlet 100. By coming into contact with the first radiation surface / air outlet 100, the air imparts heat to the first radiation surface / air outlet 100. Therefore, the first radiation surface / air outlet 100 sends radiant heat to the first space 50. The air is also blown out toward the first space 50 through the through-holes of the first radiation surface / air outlet 100. That is, the first radiation surface and air outlet 100 blows out air toward the first space 50. In this way, the first air conditioner 200 provides heat to the upper body of the subject. For example, when the first air conditioner 200 performs cooling operation, the first indoor unit 210 cools the first radiation surface and air outlet 100 and blows out the cooled air from the first radiation surface and air outlet 100.

[0027] The air blown out from the first radiation surface / air outlet 100 passes over the upper body of the subject and is drawn into the air inlet 102. The air drawn in through the air inlet 102 moves through the first indoor unit air-conditioning chamber 120 and is drawn in from the upper part of the first indoor unit 210. By circulating the cooled air within the first space 50 in this way, it is possible to prevent the cooled air from falling into the second space 52. The first outdoor unit 212 also draws in air through slits or louvers in the first outdoor unit air-conditioning chamber 122 and performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air within the first outdoor unit 212. The first outdoor unit 212 then discharges the air through the slits or louvers in the first outdoor unit air-conditioning chamber 122.

[0028] FIG. 5(b) shows the air flow when only the second air conditioner 220 is operating. The second indoor unit 230 draws air from the second indoor unit air-conditioning room 130 through the upper section and conditions it. The second indoor unit 230 blows out the conditioned air from the lower section. The air blown out from the second indoor unit 230 fills the second indoor unit air-conditioning room 130 and comes into contact with the second radiant surface 104. When the air comes into contact with the second radiant surface 104, it imparts heat to the second radiant surface 104. As a result, the second radiant surface 104 sends radiant heat to the second space 52. In this way, the second indoor unit 230 provides heat to the lower half of the subject's body. For example, when the second indoor unit 230 performs heating operation, the second indoor unit 230 heats the second radiant surface 104. Radiant air conditioning prevents warm air from escaping upward into the first space 50. Furthermore, since there is no air current, chilling or low-temperature burns caused by air currents can be prevented.

[0029] The second outdoor unit 232 also draws in air through slits or louvers in the second outdoor unit air-conditioning chamber 132 and performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air within the second outdoor unit 232. The second outdoor unit 232 then discharges the air through the slits or louvers in the second outdoor unit air-conditioning chamber 132. In this way, the thermal environment of the first space 50 and the thermal environment of the second space 52 are separated by the desk top 20 as a boundary, so that the thermal environment on the upper body side is controlled by the first air conditioner 200, and the thermal environment on the lower body side is controlled by the second air conditioner 220.

[0030] 6 shows the configuration of an air conditioning system 1000. The air conditioning system 1000 includes a first sensor 110, a second sensor 112, a first air conditioner 200, a second air conditioner 220, a control device 250, and a switch 260. The control device 250 includes a thermal sensation estimator 270, a controller 272, and a memory 274.

[0031] Switch 260 is an interface that can be operated by users including the subject. Switch 260 receives an instruction to select an operation mode. The operation modes include an alert mode or a relaxed mode. The alert mode is an operation mode for maintaining performance in intellectual tasks, and the relaxed mode is an operation mode for recovering from fatigue. Switch 260 outputs an instruction to select an operation mode to control device 250. The operation mode may be set in advance depending on the location where air conditioning system 1000 is installed. For example, the alert mode is set in a concentration zone, and the relaxed mode is set in a rest zone.

[0032] The thermal sensation estimating unit 270 receives first thermal environment information from the first sensor 110 and second thermal environment information from the second sensor 112. The thermal sensation estimating unit 270 estimates the thermal sensation of the subject based on the first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information. As the thermal sensation of the subject, the thermal sensation estimating unit 270 estimates the thermal sensation of the upper body side (hereinafter referred to as "upper body side thermal sensation") based on the first thermal environment information, estimates the thermal sensation of the lower body side (hereinafter referred to as "lower body side thermal sensation") based on the second thermal environment information, and estimates the thermal sensation of the whole body (hereinafter referred to as "whole body thermal sensation") based on the first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information.

[0033] The control unit 272 controls the first air conditioner 200 and the second air conditioner 220 based on the thermal sensation of the subject received from the thermal sensation estimator 270, in accordance with the instruction to select the operation mode received from the switch 260. Below, the details of the processing by the thermal sensation estimator 270 and the control unit 272 will be explained with reference to Fig. 7 as well.

[0034] 7 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of air conditioning system 1000. The user selects an operation mode by operating switch 260. If the selected operation mode is the awakening mode (Y in step S10), control unit 272 reads out and sets the target area for the awakening mode from memory unit 274 (step S12).

[0035] The target area is determined based on the activity level of the sympathetic nervous system. Figures 8(a)-(b) show the thermal sensation in the air conditioning system 1000. Figure 8(a) shows the relationship between a person's thermal sensation and the activity level of the sympathetic nervous system obtained from the results of an experiment. This is shown in the same way as Figures 1(a)-(d), but the horizontal axis represents thermal sensation and is expressed on a 7-point rating scale. This 7-point rating scale corresponds to the thermal sensation scale used in PMV (Predicted Mean Vote). Figure 8(b) shows the 7-point rating scale. The 7-point rating scale consists of "-3 (cold)", "-2 (cool)", "-1 (slightly cool)", "0 (neutral)", "+1 (slightly warm)", "+2 (warm)", and "+3 (hot)".

[0036] When the thermal sensation is roughly in the range of "0" to "+0.5," there is little thermoregulation by the sympathetic nervous system, and the level of sympathetic nervous activity is low. An example of a situation where the PMV thermal sensation is "0" is when the air temperature and mean radiant temperature are both "23.5°C," the humidity is "50%, the wind speed is "0.1 m / s," the clo value is "0.7 (similar to short sleeves and long pants)," and the MET value is "1.2 (similar to light work while sitting in a chair)." An example of a situation where the PMV thermal sensation is "+0.5" is when the air temperature and mean radiant temperature are both "25.4°C," the humidity is "50%, the wind speed is 0.1 m / s," the clo value is "0.7 (similar to short sleeves and long pants)," and the MET value is "1.2 (similar to light work while sitting in a chair)."

[0037] When the thermal sensation is generally greater than "+0.5", the sympathetic nervous system promotes sweating, increasing the amount of heat released by the body. The higher the thermal sensation, the greater the amount of sweating, and so the sympathetic nervous system activity level also increases. When the thermal sensation is generally less than "0", the sympathetic nervous system constricts the peripheral blood vessels, attempting to suppress the amount of heat released by the body. At this time, the hands or feet become cold. The lower the thermal sensation, the greater the amount of constriction, and so the sympathetic nervous system activity level also increases. In even colder environments, the sympathetic nervous system promotes heat production through shivering and other methods, further suppressing the amount of heat released by the body.

[0038] The target area is determined based on the relationship between thermal sensation and sympathetic nerve activity level. Figures 9(a) and 9(b) show the target areas stored in the memory unit 274. Figure 9(a) shows the target area for the wakefulness mode. In the wakefulness mode, the target area for the upper body thermal sensation (hereinafter referred to as the "upper body target area 300") is set to be greater than or equal to "-1.5" and less than or equal to "-0.5." This range allows the sympathetic nerve activity level of the upper body, including the head, to be slightly elevated. This leads to a high level of mental arousal and a refreshed state. If the upper body thermal sensation is colder than "-1.5," discomfort due to the cold may occur. It is known that discomfort reduces performance in intellectual tasks. Furthermore, if the upper body thermal sensation is hotter than "-0.5," the sympathetic nerve activity level decreases, which also reduces performance.

[0039] In the wakefulness mode, the target region for the whole-body thermal sensation (hereinafter referred to as the "whole-body target region 302") is set to "-0.5" or more and "+0.5" or less. This range is called the neutral region, and is neither hot nor cold. Therefore, the whole body achieves a comfortable state with a good balance between heat production and heat dissipation. When the upper-body target region 300 and the whole-body target region 302 are set as described above, the lower-body thermal sensation 304 is expected to be in the range of approximately "-0.5" to "+2.5." Because the lower body is more susceptible to cold than the upper body, it is desirable for it to be in a warm state so that cold does not impede performance. A range greater than "+0.5" is the sweating region, but because the lower body is more susceptible to cold than the upper body, sweating is not expected to occur in this region. By setting the upper-body target region 300 and the whole-body target region 302 as described above, it is possible to achieve a state of overall body comfort while maintaining a high level of mental arousal. FIG. 9(b) will be described later, and we will return to FIG.

[0040] If the selected operating mode is not the awakening mode (N in step S10), i.e., if it is the relaxation mode, the control unit 272 reads out and sets the target area for the relaxation mode from the memory unit 274 (step S14). Figure 9(b) shows the target area for the relaxation mode. In the relaxation mode, the target area for the upper body thermal sensation (hereinafter referred to as the "upper body target area 310") is set to be equal to or greater than "0" and equal to or less than "+0.5". By setting it within this range, the activity level of the sympathetic nerves in the upper body can be maintained low, leading to a low level of arousal. In the relaxation mode, the target area for the lower body thermal sensation (hereinafter referred to as the "lower body target area 314") is set to be equal to or greater than "+0.5" and equal to or less than "+2.0". Because the lower body is more susceptible to cold than the upper body, it is known that when the lower body thermal sensation is in the range of hotter than "+0.5", the sympathetic nervous system does not immediately activate and sweating occurs. Experiments have yielded results that suggest that sweating occurs when the lower body thermal sensation is generally hotter than "+2.0". Therefore, within the above range, neither discomfort due to cold nor discomfort due to sweating occurs. Return to Figure 7.

[0041] The thermal sensation estimating unit 270 acquires the first thermal environment information from the first sensor 110 and acquires the second thermal environment information from the second sensor 112 (step S16). The thermal sensation estimating unit 270 has a clock function and a memory function, and records the time when the first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information are acquired.

[0042] The thermal sensation estimation unit 270 estimates the thermal sensation based on the first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information (step S18). The aforementioned PMV is used to estimate the thermal sensation. Since known techniques can be used to calculate the PMV, a detailed description is omitted here. The PMV calculation requires environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, mean radiant temperature, and wind speed, as well as human factors such as the clo value (amount of clothing worn) and the MET value (a value representing the intensity of physical activity). The first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information are used as environmental factors. Meanwhile, predetermined values ​​are used as human factors. For example, the clo value is set to vary depending on the season: "0.7" in summer, "0.8" in mid-season, and "1.0" in winter. Different clo values ​​may be set for the upper and lower body depending on the actual situation. The MET value is set to "1.2," assuming light work while sitting in a chair.

[0043] Here, PMV is used to predict whole-body thermal sensation, but human thermal sensation is not uniform throughout the body. Because the brain and other organs that generate a large amount of heat are concentrated in the upper body, the upper body tends to feel relatively hot, while the lower body tends to feel relatively cold. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first space 50 and the second space 52 are air-conditioned separately, so it is necessary to estimate the thermal sensation for the upper body and the lower body separately. Therefore, the thermal sensation estimation unit 270 estimates the upper-body thermal sensation by referencing a table stored in the memory unit 274 based on the first thermal environment information. Figure 10 shows the data structure of the table stored in the memory unit 274. As shown, PMV is determined for each combination of air temperature, relative humidity, mean radiant temperature, and wind speed. As mentioned above, predetermined values ​​are used for the clo value and MET value, and therefore are not included in the table. The PMV in this table is calculated using known techniques. Return to Figure 7.

[0044] The thermal sensation estimating unit 270 estimates the lower-body thermal sensation based on the second thermal environment information by referring to a table stored in the storage unit 274. Furthermore, the thermal sensation estimating unit 270 calculates the whole-body thermal sensation by averaging the upper-body thermal sensation and the lower-body thermal sensation. The thermal sensation may be corrected in consideration of the gender, age, body shape, etc. of the subject to improve the accuracy of the thermal sensation. In this case, information such as gender, age, and body shape may be obtained in advance using an application or the like.

[0045] The control unit 272 determines the control contents for each of the first air conditioner 200 and the second air conditioner 220 based on the upper body thermal sensation and lower body thermal sensation estimated by the thermal sensation estimation unit 270 (step S20).

[0046] FIG. 11 shows an overview of the operation in the wake-up mode by the control unit 272. First, the control of the first air conditioner 200 will be described. Because warm air rises due to buoyancy, the head tends to be warmer than the feet in a normal air-conditioned space. Therefore, the control unit 272 causes the first air conditioner 200 to perform cooling operation when the upper body thermal sensation is hotter than the upper body target region 300. In this case, a difference may be made so that the cooling intensity increases the hotter the estimated upper body thermal sensation is than the upper body target region 300. In order to increase the cooling intensity, it is effective to increase the airflow volume in addition to lowering the temperature. However, increasing the airflow velocity can cause dryness problems such as dry eyes, so the airflow volume is set so that the airflow velocity at the person's position is usually 0.2 m / s or less, and even when the airflow velocity increases, it is 0.4 m / s or less.

[0047] On the other hand, the air conditioning system 1000 of this embodiment is assumed to be installed in an air-conditioned room, that is, a space with a thermal environment where the upper body side thermal sensation is generally near neutral. Therefore, the control unit 272 only needs to stop the first air conditioner 200 when the upper body side thermal sensation is not hotter than the upper body side target region 300.

[0048] Next, control of the second air conditioner 220 will be described. For the same reasons as for the first air conditioner 200, the control unit 272 causes the second air conditioner 220 to perform heating operation when the whole body thermal sensation is colder than the whole body target region 302. Because it takes some time for the second radiating surface 104 to warm up, the heating intensity may be increased at the start of operation and then decreased as the whole body approaches the whole body target region 302. The control unit 272 only needs to stop the second air conditioner 220 when the whole body thermal sensation is not colder than the whole body target region 302. However, irregular control is performed only when the upper body side thermal sensation is hotter than the upper body side target region 300 and the whole body thermal sensation is within the whole body target region 302. In this case, it is expected that the whole body thermal sensation will also shift to the colder side by operating the first air conditioner 200 in cooling mode, so the control unit 272 causes the second air conditioner 220 to perform heating operation. In other words, the control unit 272 controls the first air conditioner 200 so that the upper body thermal sensation falls within the range of "-1" to "-0.5", and controls the second air conditioner 220 so that the whole body thermal sensation falls within the range of "-0.5" to "+0.5".

[0049] 12 shows an overview of operation in the relaxation mode by the control unit 272. First, the control of the first air conditioner 200 will be described. As in the wakefulness mode, the control unit 272 causes the first air conditioner 200 to perform cooling operation when the upper body side thermal sensation is hotter than the upper body side target region 310. On the other hand, the control unit 272 only needs to stop the first air conditioner 200 when the upper body side thermal sensation is not hotter than the upper body side target region 310.

[0050] Next, the control of the second air conditioner 220 will be described. The control unit 272 causes the second air conditioner 220 to perform heating operation when the lower body side thermal sensation is colder than the lower body side target region 314. On the other hand, the control unit 272 only needs to stop the second air conditioner 220 when the lower body side thermal sensation is not colder than the lower body side target region 314. In other words, the control unit 272 controls the first air conditioner 200 so that the upper body side thermal sensation falls within the range of "0" to "+0.5", and controls the second air conditioner 220 so that the lower body side thermal sensation falls within the range of "+0.5" to "+2.0". However, since the lower body side target area 314 in the relaxation mode is somewhat wide, ranging from "+0.5" to "+2.0", the lower body side target area 314 may be set to a range narrower than "+0.5" to "+2.0", for example, a range of about "+1.0" to "+1.5". Return to FIG.

[0051] The control unit 272 operates the first air conditioner 200 and the second air conditioner 220 in accordance with the determined control content (step S22). The control unit 272 measures the time that has passed since the time that at least one of the first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information was acquired. If several minutes (e.g., 10 minutes) have not passed (N in step S24), the control unit 272 continues the processing up to that point. If several minutes (e.g., 10 minutes) have passed (Y in step S24), the process returns to step S16.

[0052] The subject of the device, system, or method of the present disclosure includes a computer. The computer executes a program to realize the functions of the subject of the device, system, or method of the present disclosure. The computer includes, as its main hardware component, a processor that operates according to the program. The processor may be of any type, as long as it can realize the functions by executing the program. The processor may be composed of one or more electronic circuits, including a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) or a large-scale integration (LSI). The electronic circuits may be integrated into a single chip or may be provided on multiple chips. The multiple chips may be integrated into a single device or may be provided on multiple devices. The program is recorded on a non-transitory recording medium, such as a computer-readable ROM, optical disk, or hard disk drive. The program may be pre-stored on the recording medium or may be supplied to the recording medium via a wide-area communication network, including the Internet.

[0053] According to this embodiment, the upper body thermal sensation is controlled to fall within the range of -1.5 to -0.5, thereby increasing the activity level of the sympathetic nerves in the upper body of the subject, and inducing a state of high arousal. Furthermore, the upper body thermal sensation is controlled to fall within the range of -1.5 to -0.5, and the whole body thermal sensation is controlled to fall within the range of -0.5 to +0.5, thereby realizing a thermal environment suited to both the upper and lower body while maintaining a comfortable whole body thermal sensation.

[0054] Furthermore, by controlling the upper body thermal sensation to fall within the range of 0 to +0.5 and the lower body thermal sensation to fall within the range of +0.5 to +2.0, the sympathetic nerve activity level of both the upper and lower body of the subject can be lowered, leading to a low level of arousal.Furthermore, by controlling the upper body thermal sensation to fall within the range of 0 to +0.5 and the lower body thermal sensation to fall within the range of +0.5 to +2.0, it is possible to realize a thermal environment that is suitable for both the upper and lower body while maintaining a comfortable whole-body thermal sensation.

[0055] In addition, the radiant heat given to the first space 50 and the second space 52 is separated using the desk top 20 as a boundary, and the cool air blown into the first space 50 is collected within the first space 50, so the thermal environments of the first space 50 and the second space 52 can be controlled separately.

[0056] An outline of one aspect of the present disclosure is as follows. (Item 1) a first temperature control unit (200) that applies heat to the upper body of the subject; a second temperature control unit (220) that applies heat to the lower body of the subject; a control unit (272) that controls the first temperature adjustment unit (200) and the second temperature adjustment unit (220); a first information acquisition unit (110) that acquires first thermal environment information of a first space (50) including the upper body of the subject; a second information acquisition unit (112) that acquires second thermal environment information of a second space (52) including the lower body of the subject; a thermal sensation estimation unit (270) that estimates a thermal sensation of the subject based on the first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information, the thermal sensation estimating unit (270) estimates an upper body thermal sensation as the thermal sensation of the subject based on the first thermal environment information, and estimates a whole body thermal sensation based on the first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information; The control unit (272) When thermal sensation is expressed on a 7-point rating scale consisting of -3 (cold), -2 (cool), -1 (slightly cool), 0 (neutral), +1 (slightly warm), +2 (warm), and +3 (hot), The first temperature adjustment unit (200) is controlled so that the upper body side thermal sensation falls within a range of −1.5 to −0.5, and controls the second temperature adjustment part (220) so that the whole-body thermal sensation falls within a range of -0.5 to +0.5.

[0057] (Item 2) a first temperature control unit (200) that applies heat to the upper body of the subject; a second temperature control unit (220) that applies heat to the lower body of the subject; a control unit (272) that controls the first temperature adjustment unit (200) and the second temperature adjustment unit (220); a first information acquisition unit (110) that acquires first thermal environment information of a first space (50) including the upper body of the subject; a second information acquisition unit (112) that acquires second thermal environment information of a second space (52) including the lower body of the subject; a thermal sensation estimation unit (270) that estimates a thermal sensation of the subject based on the first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information, the thermal sensation estimating unit (270) estimates an upper body side thermal sensation based on the first thermal environment information and a lower body side thermal sensation based on the second thermal environment information as the thermal sensation of the subject; The control unit (272) When thermal sensation is expressed on a 7-point rating scale consisting of -3 (cold), -2 (cool), -1 (slightly cool), 0 (neutral), +1 (slightly warm), +2 (warm), and +3 (hot), The first temperature adjustment unit (200) is controlled so that the upper body side thermal sensation falls within a range of 0 to +0.5, The air conditioning system (1000) controls the second temperature adjustment part (220) so that the lower body thermal sensation falls within a range of +0.5 to +2.0.

[0058] (Item 3) a partition plate (20) separating the first space (50) and the second space (52); a first radiation surface (100) that transmits radiant heat to the first space (50); an air outlet (100) for blowing air toward the first space (50); an intake port (102) located below the air outlet (100) and above the partition plate (20); a second radiation surface (104) that sends radiant heat toward the second space (52), The first temperature adjustment unit (200) cools the first radiation surface (100), and cools the air drawn in through the air inlet (102) and blows it out through the air outlet (100); The second temperature adjustment unit (220) heats the second radiation surface (104). Item 1 or 2. An air conditioning system (1000) according to item 1 or 2.

[0059] The present disclosure has been described above based on examples. These examples are merely illustrative, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible in the combination of each component or each treatment process, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 10 air conditioning room, 12 door, 14 wall, 16 dropped ceiling, 20 desk top, 50 first space, 52 second space, 100 first radiation surface and outlet, 102 intake port, 104 second radiation surface, 110 first sensor, 112 second sensor, 120 first indoor unit air conditioning room, 122 first outdoor unit air conditioning room, 130 second indoor unit air conditioning room, 132 second outdoor unit air conditioning room, 200 first air conditioner, 210 first indoor unit, 212 first outdoor unit, 214 first refrigerant piping, 220 second air conditioner, 230 second indoor unit, 232 second outdoor unit, 234 second refrigerant piping, 250 control device, 260 switch, 270 Thermal sensation estimation unit, 272 control unit, 274 memory unit, 1000 air conditioning system.

Claims

1. a first temperature control unit that applies heat to the upper body of the subject; A second temperature control unit that applies heat to the lower body of the subject; a control unit that controls the first temperature adjustment unit and the second temperature adjustment unit; a first information acquisition unit that acquires first thermal environment information of a first space including an upper body of the subject; a second information acquisition unit that acquires second thermal environment information of a second space including the lower body of the subject; a thermal sensation estimating unit that estimates a thermal sensation of the subject based on the first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information, the thermal sensation estimating unit estimates an upper body thermal sensation as the thermal sensation of the subject based on the first thermal environment information, and estimates a whole body thermal sensation based on the first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information; The control unit When thermal sensation is expressed on a seven-point rating scale consisting of -3 (cold), -2 (cool), -1 (slightly cool), 0 (neutral), +1 (slightly warm), +2 (warm), and +3 (hot), controlling the first temperature adjustment unit so that the upper body side thermal sensation falls within a range of −1.5 to −0.5; and controls the second temperature adjustment unit so that the whole-body thermal sensation falls within a range of −0.5 to +0.

5.

2. a first temperature control unit that applies heat to the upper body of the subject; A second temperature control unit that applies heat to the lower body of the subject; a control unit that controls the first temperature adjustment unit and the second temperature adjustment unit; a first information acquisition unit that acquires first thermal environment information of a first space including an upper body of the subject; a second information acquisition unit that acquires second thermal environment information of a second space including the lower body of the subject; a thermal sensation estimating unit that estimates a thermal sensation of the subject based on the first thermal environment information and the second thermal environment information, the thermal sensation estimating unit estimates an upper body side thermal sensation based on the first thermal environment information, and estimates a lower body side thermal sensation based on the second thermal environment information, as the thermal sensation of the subject; The control unit When thermal sensation is expressed on a seven-point rating scale consisting of -3 (cold), -2 (cool), -1 (slightly cool), 0 (neutral), +1 (slightly warm), +2 (warm), and +3 (hot), controlling the first temperature adjustment unit so that the upper body side thermal sensation falls within a range of 0 to +0.5; and controls the second temperature adjustment unit so that the lower body side thermal sensation falls within a range of +0.5 to +2.

0.

3. a partition plate separating the first space and the second space; a first radiation surface that transmits radiant heat to the first space; an air outlet that blows air toward the first space; an intake port located below the air outlet and above the partition plate; a second radiation surface that sends radiant heat toward the second space, the first temperature adjustment unit cools the first radiation surface, and cools the air drawn in through the air inlet and blows the cooled air out through the air outlet; the second temperature adjustment unit heats the second radiation surface; 3. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2.

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