Control device, air conditioner and control method

Abstract

To provide a control device, an air conditioner and a control method capable of effectively using an electric power storage section.SOLUTION: Provided is a control device for an air conditioner including a compressor, a compressor motor for driving the compressor and an electric power storage section capable of supplying electric power to the compressor motor. The control device includes: a prior charge / discharge plan preparation section for preparing a prior charge / discharge plan that is a control plan of a charge rate of the electric power storage section to be performed before demand response that is a response to request for change in an electric power demand pattern (hereinafter referred to as "DR") is executed; an in-execution charge / discharge plan preparation section for preparing an in-execution charge / discharge plan that is a control plan of the charge / discharge of the electric power storage section during execution of the DR; and a charge / discharge control section that controls the charge rate of the electric power storage section in accordance with the prior charge / discharge plan before execution of the DR and controls charge / discharge of the electric power storage section in accordance with the in-execution charge / discharge plan during execution of the DR.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device, an air conditioner, and a control method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses the following air conditioner. That is, the air conditioner disclosed in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a control means for providing all or part of the power required for air conditioning during periods when daily power consumption fluctuates at peak levels with power from a secondary battery that serves as an auxiliary power source, with the aim of power load leveling (peak cutting), and charging the secondary battery with commercial power during other periods. In the air conditioner disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, when the air conditioner is stopped at night, the auxiliary power source is charged with inexpensive nighttime power supplied from the commercial power system. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3869615 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Demand responses (hereinafter referred to as "DR") aimed at balancing the supply and demand of electricity include downward DR, which reduces the amount of electricity demand as described above, upward DR, which increases the amount of electricity demand, and upward / downward DR, which increases or decreases the amount of electricity demand. In upward DR, the demand for electricity is increased, for example, by operating demand equipment to consume electricity or by charging a storage battery. DR maintains a constant balance between supply and demand for electricity by changing the consumption pattern of the energy demand side (consumer side) in response to the power supply situation. In this disclosure, DR is defined as a response to a request for a change in the power demand pattern.

[0005] However, in the air conditioning device described in Patent Document 1, the secondary battery is charged, for example, using nighttime electricity, so when, for example, an up-DR or up-down-DR is required, the secondary battery or other power storage unit cannot be charged, and there is a problem that the power storage unit may not be used effectively.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a control device, an air conditioner, and a control method that can effectively utilize a power storage unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the control device according to the present disclosure is a control device for an air conditioner including a compressor, a compressor motor that drives the compressor, and a power storage unit that can supply power to the compressor motor, and includes: a pre-charge / discharge plan creating unit that creates a pre-charge / discharge plan that is a control plan for the charge rate of the power storage unit to be performed before implementing DR (Demand Response), which is a response to a request for a change in the power demand pattern; an ongoing charge / discharge plan creating unit that creates an ongoing charge / discharge plan that is a control plan for the charge / discharge of the power storage unit while the DR is being implemented; and a charge / discharge control unit that controls the charge rate of the power storage unit in accordance with the pre-charge / discharge plan before implementing the DR, and controls the charge / discharge of the power storage unit in accordance with the ongoing charge / discharge plan while the DR is being implemented.

[0008] The air conditioner according to the present disclosure is a control device for an air conditioner that includes a compressor, a compressor motor that drives the compressor, and a power storage unit that can supply power to the compressor motor, and includes the control device including: a pre-charge / discharge plan creation unit that creates a pre-charge / discharge plan that is a control plan for the charge rate of the power storage unit to be performed before implementing a demand response (hereinafter referred to as "DR") that is a response to a request for a change in the power demand pattern; an ongoing charge / discharge plan creation unit that creates an ongoing charge / discharge plan that is a control plan for the charge / discharge of the power storage unit while the DR is being implemented; and a charge / discharge control unit that controls the charge rate of the power storage unit in accordance with the pre-charge / discharge plan before implementing the DR, and controls the charge / discharge of the power storage unit in accordance with the ongoing charge / discharge plan while the DR is being implemented.

[0009] The control method according to the present disclosure is a control method for an air conditioner that includes a compressor, a compressor motor that drives the compressor, and a power storage unit that can supply power to the compressor motor, and includes the steps of creating a pre-charge / discharge plan that is a control plan for the charge rate of the power storage unit to be carried out before implementing DR, which is a response to a request for a change in the power demand pattern, creating an ongoing charge / discharge plan that is a control plan for charging and discharging the power storage unit while the DR is being implemented, and controlling the charge rate of the power storage unit in accordance with the pre-charge / discharge plan before implementing the DR, and controlling the charging and discharging of the power storage unit in accordance with the ongoing charge / discharge plan while the DR is being implemented. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the control device, air conditioner, and control method of the present disclosure, it is possible to effectively utilize the power storage unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a configuration example of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a configuration example of an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of a control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of operation of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of a charge / discharge control unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of a charge / discharge control unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of a computer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] A control device, an air conditioner, and a control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 7. Note that the same or corresponding components in each figure are designated by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of an air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of an outdoor unit 3 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner 1 includes an indoor unit 2 and an outdoor unit 3. The indoor unit 2 includes a control device 21. The indoor unit 2 also includes an air filter, a heat exchanger, a room temperature sensor, a fan, a fan motor, etc., which are not shown. The outdoor unit 3 also includes a compressor motor 31, a fan motor 32, and a battery 33. As shown in FIG. 2, the outdoor unit 3 also includes a compressor 34, a propeller fan (hereinafter also referred to as a "fan") 35, an AC / DC (alternating current / direct current) converter 36, an inverter 37, an inverter 38, a heat exchanger 39, and a bidirectional DC / DC converter 40. The outdoor unit 3 also includes an expansion valve, a four-way valve, an outdoor air temperature sensor, a heat exchanger temperature sensor, etc., which are not shown.

[0014] The battery 33 is an example of a configuration of a "power storage unit" according to the present disclosure. The battery 33 may be provided inside the indoor unit 2 or outside the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3. A plurality of batteries 33 may be provided inside the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3. A capacitor may be provided instead of the battery 33 or in parallel with the battery 33. The capacitor is also an example of a configuration of a "power storage unit" according to the present disclosure.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 2, in the outdoor unit 3, the input of the AC / DC converter 36 is connected to an AC power source supplied from a commercial power system or the like via, for example, the indoor unit 2, and the AC / DC converter 36 converts the AC power into DC power and outputs it. The AC / DC converter 36 may rectify the AC power and output it as DC power as is, or may rectify the AC power, further boost it, and then output it as DC power. The DC power output by the AC / DC converter 36 is supplied to the inverter 37, the inverter 38, and the bidirectional DC / DC converter 40. In this embodiment, the voltage of the DC power output by the AC / DC converter 36 or the like is the "DC voltage" according to the present disclosure.

[0016] The bidirectional DC / DC converter 40 controls the charging and discharging (charging and discharging) of the battery 33. The bidirectional DC / DC converter 40 charges the battery 33 by changing the voltage of the DC power output by the AC / DC converter 36 and the like and supplies it to the battery 33, or controls the DC voltage by changing the voltage of the DC power discharged from the battery 33 and supplies the power discharged from the battery 33 to the compressor motor 31 and the fan motor 32. The bidirectional DC / DC converter 40 also charges the battery 33 by using regenerative energy generated by the compressor motor 31, or by using the back electromotive force generated by the fan motor 32.

[0017] The inverter 37 converts the DC power output by the AC / DC converter 36 and / or the bidirectional DC / DC converter 40 into AC power and controls the drive of the compressor motor 31 (e.g., controls the rotation speed). The compressor motor 31 drives the compressor 34. The compressor 34 compresses the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle of the air conditioner 1. In the example shown in FIG. 2 , the inverter 37 includes six IGBTs (insulated gate bipolar transistors) forming a three-phase bridge circuit that supplies three-phase AC power to the compressor motor 31. Freewheel diodes are connected between the collectors and emitters of the IGBTs, and these diodes form a bridge rectifier circuit that converts the regenerative energy of the three-phase AC generated when the compressor motor 31 decelerates into DC and outputs it to the DC side (the AC / DC converter 36 side).

[0018] The inverter 38 converts the DC power output by the AC / DC converter 36 and / or the bidirectional DC / DC converter 40 into AC power and controls the drive of the fan motor 32 (e.g., controls the rotation speed). The fan motor 32 drives the fan 35. The fan 35 ventilates the heat exchanger 39 with outside air in the forward direction. In the example shown in FIG. 2 , the inverter 38 includes six MOSFETs (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors) constituting a three-phase bridge circuit that supplies three-phase AC power to the fan motor 32. The body diodes of the MOSFETs form a bridge rectifier circuit that converts the back electromotive force of the three-phase AC generated when the fan motor 32 rotates in reverse due to headwind into DC and outputs the DC power. Note that the inverter 38 may include a freewheel diode, similar to the inverter 37.

[0019] Returning to Fig. 1, the control device 21 can be configured using, for example, a computer. The control device 21 includes functional blocks configured by a combination of hardware such as a computer and peripheral circuits, and software such as a program executed by the computer, such as a pre-charge / discharge plan creation unit 22, an ongoing charge / discharge plan creation unit 23, a charge / discharge control unit 24, and a communication unit 25. The control device 21 controls the units included in the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3, and has a function of, for example, performing temperature control to bring the room temperature closer to a target temperature, but existing technology can be used for this function, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0020] The advance charge / discharge plan creation unit 22 creates an advance charge / discharge plan, which is a control plan for the SOC (State Of Charge; charging rate) of the battery 33 (power storage unit) to be performed before DR is implemented. The SOC is an index that represents the state of charge, with a fully charged state being 100% and a fully discharged state being 0%. In this embodiment, as described above, DR is a response to a request for a change in the power demand pattern, and includes an up-DR, which is a DR when increasing power demand, and a down-DR, which is a DR when decreasing power demand.

[0021] Examples of DR include electricity rate-based DR and incentive-based DR. Electricity rate-based DR encourages consumers to implement DR by setting various electricity rates, such as raising electricity rates during peak hours or lowering electricity rates when renewable energy (renewable energy) output control occurs. Incentive-based DR is a form in which an aggregator or other such entity encourages consumers to implement DR based on a prior contract, in response to a command (hereinafter referred to as a DR command) from a general electricity distribution company, a retail electricity supplier, or the like, and receives an incentive in return. In this embodiment, the DR form is not limited. DR can be defined by, for example, time conditions (start time, end time, implementation date, implementation period, etc.), information indicating whether DR is upward or downward DR, and conditions for the amount of power to be changed (minimum power amount for which a reward is generated, target power amount, etc.). The control device 21 can obtain the DR command by, for example, accessing a specified server or receiving information distributed from the server, for example, a certain time before DR implementation. Furthermore, for example, the user can access and set setting information about electricity charges and the like using an information processing terminal such as a smartphone to the control device 21.

[0022] When performing an upward DR, if the power increased when DR is performed can be consumed entirely by the power charged to the battery 33, then even when DR is performed, it is possible to maintain an operating capacity equivalent to that of normal operation when DR is not performed (there is no need to increase the operating capacity). Also, when performing a downward DR, if the discharged power from the battery 33 can be used to cover all the power from the power grid that is reduced when DR is performed, then it is possible to maintain an operating capacity equivalent to that of normal operation when DR is not performed (there is no need to reduce the operating capacity).

[0023] When the DR is an upward DR, the advance charge / discharge plan creation unit 22 creates an advance charge / discharge plan that controls the charging rate so that the battery 33 can charge all of the amount of power that will be changed during DR implementation, or can charge the battery 33 to its maximum capacity. Furthermore, when the DR is a downward DR, the advance charge / discharge plan creation unit 22 creates an advance charge / discharge plan that controls the charging rate so that the battery 33 can discharge all of the amount of power that will be changed during DR implementation, or can discharge the battery 33 to its maximum capacity. Here, the amount of power that is changed may be, for example, an amount of power that has a certain margin relative to the full charge capacity of the battery 33. Furthermore, maximum charging and maximum discharging refer to best-effort charging and discharging. The advance charge / discharge plan may include information that defines, for example, the target SOC value, whether charging or discharging is performed, the start and end times of charging or discharging, the power of charging or discharging, etc. For charging, the advance charge / discharge plan creation unit 22 may prioritize, for example, late-night hours when discounted rates are available, as the charging time, or for discharging, the time before DR implementation when power consumption exceeds discharge power as the discharging time.

[0024] The in-progress charge / discharge plan creation unit 23 creates an in-progress charge / discharge plan, which is a control plan for charging and discharging the battery 33 while DR is being implemented. The in-progress charge / discharge plan may be, for example, information defining whether the DR is charging or discharging, the start and end times of charging or discharging, and the power of charging or discharging. When the DR is a downward DR, the in-progress charge / discharge plan creation unit 23 creates, as the in-progress charge / discharge plan, a discharge plan for the battery 33 during the DR implementation time (e.g., information defining the discharge start time, discharge end time, discharge power, or the amount of discharge power per hour or for the entire time). Alternatively, when the DR is an upward DR, the in-progress charge / discharge plan creation unit 23 creates, as the in-progress charge / discharge plan, a charge plan for the battery 33 during the DR implementation time (e.g., information defining the charge start time, charge end time, charge power, or the amount of charge power per hour or for the entire time).

[0025] The charge / discharge control unit 24 controls the bidirectional DC / DC converter 40 to control the SOC of the battery 33 in accordance with the advance charge / discharge plan before DR is implemented, and also controls the charge / discharge of the battery 33 in accordance with the ongoing charge / discharge plan during DR implementation. The charge / discharge control unit 24 also controls the bidirectional DC / DC converter 40 to charge the battery 33 using regenerative energy generated by the compressor motor 31. The charge / discharge control unit 24 also controls the bidirectional DC / DC converter 40 to charge the battery 33 with the counter electromotive force generated by the fan motor 32.

[0026] The communication unit 25 transmits and receives predetermined information via a predetermined communication line to and from a server (not shown), an information processing terminal used by a user, and the like.

[0027] Next, an example of operation of the control device 21 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the control device 21 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of operation of the air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 4, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the demand amount (power consumption of the air conditioner 1) (kW), the SOC (%) of the battery 33, and the charge / discharge power (kW) of the battery 33. Regarding the demand amount, the solid line represents the demand amount under normal conditions (baseline), the dashed-dotted line represents the demand amount during a lowering DR, and the dashed line represents the demand amount during an increasing DR. Regarding the SOC, the dashed-dotted line represents the SOC during a lowering DR, and the dashed line represents the SOC during an increasing DR. Regarding the charge / discharge power, the dashed-dotted line represents the charge / discharge power during a lowering DR, and the dashed line represents the charge / discharge power during an increasing DR. However, the values ​​on the vertical axis are appropriately emphasized for ease of understanding.

[0028] In the example shown in Figure 4, a DR command specifying the DR execution time from time t2 to time t3 is issued at time t1, and the time from time t1 to time t2 is set as the pre-charge / discharge time according to the pre-charge / discharge plan. During the up-DR, the battery 33 is discharged at a constant discharge power so that the SOC reaches a second predetermined value from time t1 to time t2, and is charged at a constant charge power from time t2 to time t3, resulting in an increase in the SOC. During the down-DR, the battery 33 is charged at a constant charge power so that the SOC reaches a first predetermined value from time t1 to time t2, and is discharged at a constant discharge power from time t2 to time t3, resulting in a decrease in the SOC.

[0029] The process shown in Fig. 3 is repeatedly executed at a fixed cycle. When the process shown in Fig. 3 is started, for example, the advance charge / discharge plan creating unit 22 determines whether or not DR is scheduled (step S101). If DR is not scheduled (step S101: NO), the advance charge / discharge plan creating unit 22 ends the process shown in Fig. 3. If DR is scheduled (step S101: YES (after time t1 in the example of Fig. 4)), the advance charge / discharge plan creating unit 22 determines whether the next DR is a downward DR or an upward DR (step S102).

[0030] In the case of a downward DR (step S102: downward DR), the advance charge / discharge plan creation unit 22 creates an advance charge / discharge plan for setting the SOC of the battery 33 to a first predetermined value in preparation for the downward DR (step S103). In the example shown in Fig. 4, the advance charge / discharge plan is a plan to charge with a constant charging power so that the SOC will reach the first predetermined value (for example, about 90%) by time t2.

[0031] Next, the ongoing charge / discharge plan creation unit 23 creates a discharge plan for the battery 33 during the DR implementation time as an ongoing charge / discharge plan (step S104). In the example shown in Fig. 4, the ongoing charge / discharge plan is a plan to discharge at a constant discharge current from time t2 to time t3.

[0032] On the other hand, in the case of an upward DR (step S102: upward DR), the advance charge / discharge plan creating unit 22 creates an advance charge / discharge plan for setting the SOC of the battery 33 to a second predetermined value in preparation for the upward DR (step S105). In the example shown in Fig. 4, the advance charge / discharge plan is a plan to discharge at a constant discharge power so that the SOC reaches the second predetermined value (for example, about 10%) by time t2.

[0033] Next, the ongoing charge / discharge plan creation unit 23 creates a charging plan for the battery 33 during the DR implementation time as an ongoing charge / discharge plan (step S106). In the example shown in Fig. 4, the ongoing charge / discharge plan is a plan to charge with a constant charging current from time t2 to time t3.

[0034] After step S104 or step S106, the charge / discharge control unit 24 controls the SOC of the battery 33 in accordance with the advance charge / discharge plan by the DR start time (step S107). In the example shown in Fig. 4, the SOC changes to the first predetermined value or the second predetermined value from time t1 to time t2 in accordance with the advance charge / discharge plan.

[0035] Next, the charge / discharge control unit 24 waits until the DR start time is reached (step S108: NO is repeated). When the DR start time is reached (step S108: YES (after time t2 in the example of FIG. 4)), the charge / discharge control unit 24 controls the charge / discharge of the battery 33 in accordance with the ongoing charge / discharge plan (step S109) until the DR end time is reached (step S110: YES (after time t3 in the example of FIG. 4)). In the example shown in FIG. 4, the battery 33 is discharged or charged with a constant discharge power or charge power from time t2 to time t3 in accordance with the ongoing charge / discharge plan, and the SOC decreases or increases. When the DR end time is reached (step S110: YES (after time t3 in the example of FIG. 4)), the charge / discharge control unit 24 ends the process shown in FIG. 3.

[0036] Next, with reference to FIG. 5, an example of operation of the charge / discharge control unit 24 when charging the battery 33 using regenerative energy generated by the compressor motor 31 will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the charge / discharge control unit 24 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The process shown in FIG. 5 is repeatedly executed at a constant cycle. When the process shown in FIG. 5 starts, the charge / discharge control unit 24 determines whether the DC voltage shown in FIG. 2 is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage (step S201). If the DC voltage is equal to or higher than the predetermined voltage (step S201: YES), the charge / discharge control unit 24 determines whether the compressor motor 31 is decelerating (step S202). If the compressor motor 31 is decelerating (step S202: YES), the charge / discharge control unit 24 controls the bidirectional DC / DC converter 40 to charge the battery 33 until the next process execution cycle (step S203), and ends the process shown in FIG. 5. In the process shown in FIG. 5, if the DC voltage rises to or higher than the predetermined voltage and the compressor motor 31 is decelerating, it is determined that regenerative energy has been generated, and the battery 33 is charged.

[0037] Next, with reference to FIG. 6, an example of operation of the charge / discharge control unit 24 when charging the battery 33 with the back electromotive force generated by the fan motor 32 will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the charge / discharge control unit 24 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The process shown in FIG. 6 is repeatedly executed at a fixed cycle. When the process shown in FIG. 6 starts, the charge / discharge control unit 24 determines whether the DC voltage shown in FIG. 2 is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage (step S301). If the DC voltage is equal to or higher than the predetermined voltage (step S301: YES), the charge / discharge control unit 24 determines whether the air conditioner 1 is stopped (step S302). If the air conditioner 1 is stopped (step S302: YES), the charge / discharge control unit 24 controls the bidirectional DC / DC converter 40 to charge the battery 33 until the next process execution cycle (step S303), and ends the process shown in FIG. 6. In the process shown in FIG. 6, if the DC voltage rises to or higher than the predetermined voltage and the air conditioner 1 is stopped, it is determined that back electromotive force has been generated, and the battery 33 is charged.

[0038] (Action and effect) In this embodiment, the control device 21 is a control device for the air conditioner 1 that includes a compressor 34, a compressor motor 31 that drives the compressor 34, and a battery 33 that can supply power to the compressor motor 31. The control device 21 includes a preliminary charge / discharge plan creation unit 22, an ongoing charge / discharge plan creation unit 23, and a charge / discharge control unit 24. The preliminary charge / discharge plan creation unit 22 creates a preliminary charge / discharge plan that is a control plan for the SOC (state of charge) of the battery 33 to be performed before DR is performed. The ongoing charge / discharge plan creation unit 23 creates an ongoing charge / discharge plan that is a control plan for charging and discharging the battery 33 during DR. The charge / discharge control unit 24 controls the SOC of the battery 33 in accordance with the preliminary charge / discharge plan before DR is performed, and controls the charging and discharging of the battery 33 in accordance with the ongoing charge / discharge plan during DR. This configuration enables effective use of the battery 33.

[0039] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the DR includes an upward DR, which is a DR when increasing demand for power, and a downward DR, which is a DR when decreasing demand. When the DR is an upward DR, the advance charge / discharge plan creation unit 22 creates an advance charge / discharge plan that controls the SOC so that the amount of power that is changed during the implementation of the DR is charged or charged to the maximum. When the DR is a downward DR, the advance charge / discharge plan creation unit 22 creates an advance charge / discharge plan that controls the SOC so that the amount of power that is changed during the implementation of the DR is discharged or discharged to the maximum. With this configuration, the battery 33 can be effectively used with both the upward DR and the downward DR.

[0040] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the charge / discharge control unit 24 charges the battery 33 using regenerative energy generated by the compressor motor 31. With this configuration, the regenerative energy can be charged to the battery 33, thereby improving energy conservation.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the air conditioner 1 is equipped with an outdoor unit 3 having a heat exchanger 39, a fan 35 that ventilates the heat exchanger 39 with outside air, and a fan motor 32 that drives the fan 35. The charge / discharge control unit 24 charges the battery 33 with the back electromotive force generated by the fan motor 32. When a strong wind blows in the outdoor unit 3, the fan 35 rotates in reverse, generating back electromotive force from the fan motor 32. If the induced voltage at this time becomes large, it can cause damage to the circuit board. In contrast, with this configuration, the back electromotive force can be charged into the battery 33 to protect the circuit board. Furthermore, the recovered power can be used for operation.

[0042] In this embodiment, the battery 33 is provided, for example, in the outdoor unit 3. This configuration makes it possible to easily shorten the wiring between the battery 33 and the compressor motor 31 and the fan motor 32. In this embodiment, the battery 33 is provided, for example, in the indoor unit 2. This configuration makes it possible to use the battery 33 in an indoor environment.

[0043] (Other embodiments) Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design modifications and the like are also included within the scope of the present disclosure. The examples of creating the pre-charge / discharge plan and the ongoing charge / discharge plan described above are merely examples and may be modified. For example, the pre-charge / discharge plan may limit the power used to charge the battery 33 to natural energy, or may prioritize the use of natural energy. Furthermore, in the pre-charge / discharge plan and the ongoing charge / discharge plan, the charge / discharge current is not limited to a constant value and may be variable.

[0044] <Computer Configuration> FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a computer according to this embodiment. The computer 90 includes a processor 91 , a main memory 92 , a storage 93 , and an interface 94 . The above-described control device 21 is implemented in a computer 90. The operations of the above-described processing units are stored in the form of a program in a storage 93. The processor 91 reads the program from the storage 93, loads it into a main memory 92, and executes the above-described processing in accordance with the program. The processor 91 also allocates storage areas in the main memory 92 corresponding to the above-described storage units in accordance with the program.

[0045] The program may be for realizing some of the functions to be performed by the computer 90. For example, the program may be combined with other programs already stored in storage or other programs implemented in other devices to perform the functions. In other embodiments, the computer may include a custom LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit) such as a PLD (Programmable Logic Device) in addition to or instead of the above configuration. Examples of PLDs include PAL (Programmable Array Logic), GAL (Generic Array Logic), CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device), and FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). In this case, some or all of the functions realized by the processor may be realized by the integrated circuit.

[0046] Examples of storage 93 include a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disc read-only memory (DVD-ROM), and a semiconductor memory. Storage 93 may be an internal medium directly connected to the bus of computer 90, or an external medium connected to computer 90 via interface 94 or a communication line. Furthermore, when this program is distributed to computer 90 via a communication line, computer 90 that receives the program may load the program into main memory 92 and execute the above-described processing. In at least one embodiment, storage 93 is a non-transitory tangible storage medium.

[0047] <Additional Notes> The control device 21 and the air conditioner 1 described in this embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0048] (1) A control device according to a first aspect is a control device for an air conditioner including a compressor, a compressor motor that drives the compressor, and a power storage unit that can supply power to the compressor motor, and includes: a pre-charge / discharge plan creating unit that creates a pre-charge / discharge plan that is a plan for controlling the charge rate of the power storage unit to be performed before implementing DR, which is a response to a request for a change in a power demand pattern; an ongoing charge / discharge plan creating unit that creates an ongoing charge / discharge plan that is a plan for controlling the charge / discharge of the power storage unit while the DR is being implemented; and a charge / discharge control unit that controls the charge rate of the power storage unit in accordance with the pre-charge / discharge plan before implementing the DR, and controls the charge / discharge of the power storage unit in accordance with the ongoing charge / discharge plan while the DR is being implemented. According to this aspect and each of the following aspects, the power storage unit can be used effectively.

[0049] (2) A control device of a second aspect is the control device of (1), wherein the DR includes an upward DR, which is a DR when increasing demand for electricity, and a downward DR, which is a DR when decreasing demand for electricity, and the advance charge / discharge plan creation unit creates the advance charge / discharge plan to control the charging rate so that the amount of electricity to be changed during implementation of the DR can be charged or maximally charged when the DR is the upward DR, and creates the advance charge / discharge plan to control the charging rate so that the amount of electricity to be changed during implementation of the DR can be discharged or maximally discharged when the DR is the downward DR.

[0050] (3) A third aspect of the control device is a control device of (1) or (2), wherein the air conditioner includes an outdoor unit having a heat exchanger, a fan for ventilating outside air through the heat exchanger, and a fan motor for driving the fan, and the charge / discharge control unit charges the storage unit with the back electromotive force generated by the fan motor.

[0051] (4) A fourth aspect of the control device is the control device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the charge / discharge control unit charges the power storage unit by utilizing regenerative energy generated by the compressor motor.

[0052] (5) A fifth aspect of the control device is the control device according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the power storage unit is provided in an indoor unit or an outdoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0053] (6) An air conditioner according to a sixth aspect includes the control device according to any one of (1) to (5). [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1...Air conditioner 2…Indoor unit 3…Outdoor unit 21...Control device 22...Pre-charge / Discharge Planning Department 23...Current Charging and Discharging Planning Department 24...Charge / discharge control unit 31...Compressor motor 32...Fan motor 33...Battery 34...Compressor 35...Fan 39...Heat exchanger 40...Bidirectional DC / DC converter

Claims

1. A control device for an air conditioner including a compressor, a compressor motor that drives the compressor, and a power storage unit that can supply power to the compressor motor, a pre-charge / discharge plan creating unit that creates a pre-charge / discharge plan that is a control plan for the charge rate of the power storage unit to be executed before a demand response (hereinafter referred to as "DR") is executed, which is a response to a request for a change in a power demand pattern; an ongoing charge / discharge plan creating unit that creates an ongoing charge / discharge plan that is a control plan for charging / discharging the power storage unit during the dynamic regeneration; a charge / discharge control unit that controls a charging rate of the power storage unit in accordance with the advance charge / discharge plan before the dynamic regeneration is performed, and controls charging / discharging of the power storage unit in accordance with the ongoing charge / discharge plan during the dynamic regeneration; A control device comprising:

2. The DR includes an increasing DR, which is a DR when increasing the demand for electricity, and a decreasing DR, which is a DR when decreasing the demand, The advance charge / discharge plan creation unit creates the advance charge / discharge plan to control the charging rate so that an amount of power to be changed during execution of the DR can be charged or maximally charged when the DR is the increasing DR, and creates the advance charge / discharge plan to control the charging rate so that an amount of power to be changed during execution of the DR can be discharged or maximally discharged when the DR is the decreasing DR. The control device according to claim 1 .

3. The air conditioner includes an outdoor unit having a heat exchanger, a fan that ventilates outside air through the heat exchanger, and a fan motor that drives the fan; The charge / discharge control unit charges the power storage unit with the counter electromotive force generated by the fan motor. The control device according to claim 2 .

4. The charge / discharge control unit charges the power storage unit by using regenerative energy generated by the compressor motor. The control device according to claim 3 .

5. The power storage unit is provided in an indoor unit or an outdoor unit of the air conditioner. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A control device for an air conditioner including a compressor, a compressor motor that drives the compressor, and a power storage unit that can supply power to the compressor motor, a pre-charge / discharge plan creating unit that creates a pre-charge / discharge plan that is a control plan for the charge rate of the power storage unit to be executed before a demand response (hereinafter referred to as "DR") is executed, which is a response to a request for a change in a power demand pattern; an ongoing charge / discharge plan creating unit that creates an ongoing charge / discharge plan that is a control plan for charging / discharging the power storage unit during the dynamic regeneration; a charge / discharge control unit that controls a charging rate of the power storage unit in accordance with the advance charge / discharge plan before the dynamic regeneration is performed, and controls charging / discharging of the power storage unit in accordance with the ongoing charge / discharge plan during the dynamic regeneration; A control device comprising: Air conditioning unit provided.

7. A control method for an air conditioner including a compressor, a compressor motor that drives the compressor, and a power storage unit that can supply power to the compressor motor, creating a pre-charge / discharge plan that is a control plan for the charge rate of the power storage unit to be executed before a demand response (hereinafter referred to as "DR") is executed, which is a response to a request for a change in a power demand pattern; creating an ongoing charge / discharge plan that is a control plan for charging / discharging the power storage unit during the dynamic regeneration; controlling a charge rate of the power storage unit according to the advance charge / discharge plan before execution of the dynamic range control (DR) and controlling charge / discharge of the power storage unit according to the ongoing charge / discharge plan during execution of the dynamic range control (DR); A control method comprising:

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