Air conditioning control device

Abstract

To provide an air conditioning control device capable of accurately predicting a change in temperature of an own room when electric power reduction for reducing electric energy consumption of an air conditioner is performed.SOLUTION: The air conditioning control device controls the operation of an own room air conditioner for adjusting the temperature of the own room. The air conditioning control device predicts a change in the temperature of the own room when power reduction for reducing the amount of power used by the own room air conditioner is performed on the basis of information on an adjacent room adjacent to the own room across a wall, a ceiling or a floor, and controls the operation of the own room air conditioner on the basis of the predicted change. The information on the next room is the temperature of the next room.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioning control device. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known an air conditioning control device that controls the operation of an air conditioner to adjust the temperature in a room, and that is configured to reduce the amount of power used by the air conditioner in response to a request from an electric power company to reduce power use (so-called demand response) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This conventional air conditioning control device is configured to reduce the amount of power used by the air conditioner from a specified time for a specified period of time based on a contract with the electric power company. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6036102 Summary of the Invention

[0004] However, reducing the power consumption of an air conditioner will change the temperature in the room, but it is preferable that this change be within the user's tolerance for the air conditioner. Therefore, if the change caused by reducing the power consumption of the air conditioner exceeds the user's tolerance, it is preferable not to reduce the power consumption of the air conditioner. To achieve this, it is desirable to accurately predict the change in the temperature in the room when the power consumption of the air conditioner is reduced.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioning control device that can accurately predict changes in the temperature in the room when the amount of power used by the air conditioner is reduced.

[0006] The air conditioning control device of the present invention includes a control device that controls the operation of a local room air conditioner to adjust the temperature of the local room. The control device is configured to predict a change in the temperature of the local room when power reduction is performed to reduce the power usage of the local room air conditioner based on information about an adjacent room separated from the local room by a wall, ceiling, or floor, and to control the operation of the local room air conditioner based on the predicted change. In the air conditioning control device of the present invention, the information about the adjacent room is the temperature of the adjacent room.

[0007] In the air conditioning control device according to the present invention, the own room and the adjacent room are, for example, rooms provided in one building.

[0008] In the air conditioning control device according to the present invention, the building is, for example, an apartment building.

[0009] Furthermore, in the air conditioning control device of the present invention, the information on the adjacent room may be the temperature of the adjacent room, a set temperature set as a target value for the temperature of the adjacent room adjusted by an adjacent room air conditioning device for adjusting the temperature of the adjacent room, or the output of the adjacent room air conditioning device.

[0010] Furthermore, in the air conditioning control device of the present invention, when the power reduction for a predetermined period of time is requested, the control device predicts the temperature of the room that will be reached when the power reduction is performed for the predetermined period of time based on the information about the adjacent room, and when the absolute value of the difference between the set temperature set as the target value for the temperature of the room adjusted by the air conditioning device in the room and the predicted temperature of the room is less than a predetermined value, the power reduction is performed for the predetermined period of time, and when the absolute value of the difference is greater than the predetermined value, the power reduction is not performed.

[0011] The air conditioning control device according to the present invention can predict the change in temperature in the room when the power consumption of the room air conditioner is reduced, thereby making it possible to accurately predict the change in temperature in the room when the power consumption of the room air conditioner is reduced.

[0012] The components of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments of the present invention described below with reference to the drawings. Other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will be easily understood from the description of the embodiments of the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an air conditioning control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a routine executed by the air conditioning control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a method for predicting the own room temperature by an air conditioning control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a routine executed by an air conditioning control device according to a modified embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a method for predicting the rate of change of the temperature in the room by an air conditioning control device according to a modified embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] An air conditioning control device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows an air conditioning control device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 1, 100 is a building, 110 is a user's room, 115 is an air conditioner for adjusting the temperature of the user's room 110, 120 is an adjacent room, 125 is an air conditioner for adjusting the temperature of the adjacent room 120, and 200 is a communication network such as the Internet. In the following description, the air conditioner 115 for adjusting the temperature of the user's room 110 will be referred to as the "user's room air conditioner 115," and the air conditioner 125 for adjusting the temperature of the adjacent room 120 will be referred to as the "adjacent room air conditioner 125."

[0015] The building 100 may be any building that has multiple rooms, and may be an apartment building or other collective housing, or a detached house. The building 100 shown in FIG. 1 also has two adjacent rooms 120. Each of these adjacent rooms 120 is adjacent to the home room 110, separated by a wall 130. The adjacent room 120 shown in FIG. 1 is a room on the same floor as the home room 110, but it may also be a room on an upper floor than the home room 110 (i.e., a room adjacent to the home room 110, separated by a ceiling), or a room on a lower floor than the home room 110 (i.e., a room adjacent to the home room 110, separated by a floor).

[0016] The air conditioning control device 10 is applied to a room air conditioner 115. The air conditioning control device 10 can adjust the room temperature To by controlling the operation of the room air conditioner 115. The room temperature To is the temperature of the room 110. The air conditioning control device 10 is able to acquire the room temperature To using a temperature sensor (not shown). The air conditioning control device 10 is also able to acquire the outside air temperature Ta using an outside air temperature sensor (not shown). The outside air temperature Ta is the temperature of the air outside the room 110.

[0017] Although not shown, each adjacent room air conditioner 125 is equipped with an air conditioning control device. In the following description, the air conditioning control device of the adjacent room air conditioner 125 will be referred to as the "adjacent room air conditioning control device."

[0018] The air conditioning control device 10 is equipped with an electronic control unit (ECU) 90. The ECU 90 is connected to a communication network 200. The ECU of the adjacent room air conditioning control device is also connected to the communication network 200. The adjacent room air conditioning control devices each provide adjacent room information In to the air conditioning control device 10 via the communication network 200. Therefore, the air conditioning control device 10 can acquire the adjacent room information In via the communication network 200. In this example, the adjacent room information In is information on the adjacent room temperature Tn, the adjacent room set temperature Tn_set, and the output of the adjacent room air conditioner 125. The adjacent room temperature Tn is the temperature of the adjacent room 120. The adjacent room set temperature Tn_set is a temperature set by the user of the adjacent room air conditioner 125, and is the target value for the temperature of the adjacent room 120 adjusted by the adjacent room air conditioner 125.

[0019] Next, the operation of the air conditioning control device 10 will be described. The air conditioning control device 10 executes the routine shown in Figure 2 at predetermined time intervals while the local room air conditioner 115 is operating, and performs power reduction when predetermined conditions are met. Here, power reduction means reducing the amount of power used by the local room air conditioner 115 by a predetermined amount ΔPreq. Note that power reduction also includes stopping the operation of the local room air conditioner 115.

[0020] At a predetermined timing, the air conditioning control device 10 starts processing from step S200 of the routine shown in Figure 2, and proceeds to step S205 to acquire the local room set temperature To_set. The local room set temperature To_set is a temperature set by the user of the local room air conditioner 115, and is the target value for the temperature of the local room 110 adjusted by the local room air conditioner 115.

[0021] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 proceeds to step S210 and determines whether or not the reduction condition C1 is met. The reduction condition C1 is a condition that the time to perform power reduction based on the contract with the power company has arrived.

[0022] If the air conditioning control device 10 determines "Yes" in step S210, the process proceeds to step S215 and calculates the permissible temperature Tp. The permissible temperature Tp is the temperature of the host room 110 that the user of the host room air conditioner 115 can tolerate. The permissible temperature Tp is calculated based on the host room set temperature To_set. For example, when the host room set temperature To_set is equal to or lower than the outside air temperature Ta, the permissible temperature Tp is a temperature higher than the host room set temperature To_set by a predetermined temperature ΔTp, and when the host room set temperature To_set is higher than the outside air temperature Ta, the permissible temperature Tp is a temperature lower than the host room set temperature To_set by the predetermined temperature ΔTp. Generally, the host room set temperature To_set is set to a temperature lower than the outside air temperature Ta in relatively hot seasons such as summer, and is set to a temperature higher than the outside air temperature Ta in relatively cold seasons such as winter.

[0023] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 proceeds to step S220 and acquires the own room information Io, outside information Ie, and neighboring room information In. The own room information Io is information on the own room temperature To, the own room set temperature To_set, and the output of the own room air conditioner 115 during power reduction. The outside information Ie is information on the outside temperature Ta and the date and time DT. As described above, the outside temperature Ta is the temperature of the air outside the own room 110. The date and time DT is the date of that day and the time at that point in time. Also, as described above, the neighboring room information In is information on the neighboring room temperature Tn, the neighboring room set temperature Tn_set, and the output of the neighboring room air conditioner 125.

[0024] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 proceeds to step S225 and acquires the predicted value of the own room temperature To as the predicted own room temperature Te. The predicted own room temperature Te is the temperature that the own room 110 is predicted to reach when a predetermined time Treq has elapsed since the start of power reduction if power reduction were to be started at the current time.

[0025] 3, the air conditioning control device 10 stores a learning model 300 that takes as input values ​​local room information Io (local room temperature To, local room set temperature To_set, and output of the local room air conditioner 115 during power reduction), outside world information Ie (outside air temperature Ta and date and time DT), and neighboring room information In (neighboring room temperature Tn, neighboring room set temperature Tn_set, and output of the neighboring room air conditioner 125) and outputs a predicted local room temperature Te. In step S225, the air conditioning control device 10 inputs the local room information Io, outside world information Ie, and neighboring room information In into the learning model 300 to obtain the predicted local room temperature Te.

[0026] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 proceeds to step S230 and determines whether permission condition C2 is met. Permission condition C2 is a condition that the predicted own room temperature Te is equal to or lower than the permissible temperature Tp when the permissible temperature Tp is higher than the own room set temperature To_set, or that the predicted own room temperature Te is equal to or higher than the permissible temperature Tp when the permissible temperature Tp is lower than the own room set temperature To_set. That is, permission condition C2 is a condition that the absolute value of the difference between the own room set temperature To_set and the predicted own room temperature Te is equal to or lower than a predetermined value. Therefore, permission condition C2 is met when, as a result of power reduction, the temperature in the own room 110 is within the user's tolerance range after the predetermined time Treq has elapsed.

[0027] For example, if power reduction is performed while the home room air conditioner 115 is cooling the home room 110 in a relatively hot period such as summer, the home room temperature To will rise above the home room set temperature To_set. Therefore, in this case, the predicted home room temperature Te will be higher than the home room set temperature To_set. On the other hand, if power reduction is performed while the home room air conditioner 115 is heating the home room 110 in a relatively cold period such as winter, the home room temperature To will fall below the home room set temperature To_set. Therefore, in this case, the predicted home room temperature Te will be lower than the home room set temperature To_set. However, as in this example, by setting permission condition C2 to the condition that the absolute value of the difference between the room set temperature To_set and the predicted room temperature Te is equal to or less than a predetermined value, it is possible to accurately determine whether the temperature in the room 110 when power reduction is performed is within the user's acceptable range, both in situations where the predicted room temperature Te is higher than the room set temperature To_set and in situations where the predicted room temperature Te is lower than the room set temperature To_set.

[0028] If the air conditioning control device 10 determines "Yes" in step S230, it proceeds to step S235 and calculates the target output value Ptgt. The calculated target output value Ptgt is the target value for the output of the local room air conditioner 115, and is the output value of the local room air conditioner 115 that can reduce the amount of power used by the local room air conditioner 115 by a predetermined amount ΔPreq.

[0029] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 proceeds to step S240 and controls the operation of the own room air conditioner 115 in accordance with the target output value Ptgt calculated in step S235. That is, the air conditioning control device 10 controls the operation of the own room air conditioner 115 so that the output of the own room air conditioner 115 becomes the target output value Ptgt. Therefore, when the absolute value of the difference between the own room set temperature To_set and the predicted own room temperature Te is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the air conditioning control device 10 performs power reduction for a predetermined time Treq. That is, the air conditioning control device 10 predicts the change in temperature in the own room 110 when power reduction is performed based on the neighboring room information In, and controls the operation of the own room air conditioner 115 based on the predicted change.

[0030] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 advances the process to step S295 and temporarily ends the process of this routine.

[0031] On the other hand, if the air conditioning control device 10 determines "No" in step S210 or step S230, the process proceeds to step S245, where it calculates the target output value Ptgt. The calculated target output value Ptgt is the target value for the output of the local room air conditioner 115, and is the output value of the local room air conditioner 115 that can maintain the local room temperature To at the local room set temperature To_set.

[0032] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 proceeds to step S250 and controls the operation of the own room air conditioner 115 in accordance with the target output value Ptgt calculated in step S245. That is, the air conditioning control device 10 controls the operation of the own room air conditioner 115 so that the output of the own room air conditioner 115 becomes the target output value Ptgt. Therefore, the air conditioning control device 10 does not perform power reduction when the absolute value of the difference between the own room set temperature To_set and the predicted own room temperature Te is greater than a predetermined value. That is, the air conditioning control device 10 predicts the change in temperature in the own room 110 when power reduction is performed based on the neighboring room information In, and controls the operation of the own room air conditioner 115 based on the predicted change.

[0033] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 advances the process to step S295 and temporarily ends the process of this routine.

[0034] The above is the operation of the air conditioning control device 10. According to this, not only the own room temperature To and the outside air temperature Ta, but also the adjacent room information In is taken into consideration when obtaining the predicted own room temperature Te. In other words, the thermal storage of the building 100's building frame (heat accumulated in the structure of the building 100) is taken into consideration when obtaining the predicted own room temperature Te. Therefore, when power reduction is performed over a predetermined time Treq, it is possible to accurately predict the own room temperature To after the predetermined time Treq. In other words, it is possible to accurately predict the change in the own room temperature To when power reduction is performed.

[0035] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention.

[0036] For example, the air conditioning control device 10 may be configured to execute the routine shown in Fig. 4 at predetermined time intervals. In this case, at a predetermined timing, the air conditioning control device 10 starts processing from step S400 of the routine shown in Fig. 4, proceeds to step S405, and acquires the room temperature setting To_set.

[0037] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 proceeds to step S410 and determines whether or not the reduction condition C1 is met. The reduction condition C1 here is a condition that the user of the local room air conditioner 115 has selected the power saving mode. The power saving mode is a mode in which the local room air conditioner 115 is operated so that the amount of power used by the local room air conditioner 115 is reduced as much as possible.

[0038] If the air conditioning control device 10 determines "Yes" in step S410, the process proceeds to step S415, where it calculates the permissible temperature Tp. Next, the air conditioning control device 10 proceeds to step S420, where it acquires the own room information Io, the outside world information Ie, and the adjacent room information In.

[0039] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 proceeds to step S425 and acquires a predicted value of the rate of change of the own room temperature To as a predicted own room temperature change rate Re. The predicted own room temperature change rate Re is a predicted value of the amount of change (absolute value) per unit time of the own room temperature To when power reduction is started at the current time.

[0040] 5, the air conditioning control device 10 stores a learning model 305 that uses as input values ​​local room information Io (local room temperature To, local room set temperature To_set, and output of the local room air conditioner 115 during power reduction), outside world information Ie (outside air temperature Ta and date and time DT), and neighboring room information In (neighboring room temperature Tn, neighboring room set temperature Tn_set, and output of the neighboring room air conditioner 125) and outputs a predicted local room temperature change rate Re. In step S425, the air conditioning control device 10 inputs the local room information Io, outside world information Ie, and neighboring room information In into the learning model 305 to obtain the predicted local room temperature change rate Re.

[0041] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 proceeds to step S430 and determines whether permission condition C2 is met. In this case, permission condition C2 is a condition that when the permissible temperature Tp is a temperature equal to or higher than the room set temperature To_set, the room temperature To is equal to or lower than the permissible temperature Tp and the predicted room temperature change rate Re is equal to or lower than the permissible change rate Rp, or when the permissible temperature Tp is a temperature lower than the room set temperature To_set, the room temperature To is equal to or higher than the permissible temperature Tp and the predicted room temperature change rate Re is equal to or lower than the permissible change rate Rp.

[0042] If the air conditioning control device 10 determines "Yes" in step S430, it proceeds to step S435 and calculates the target output value Ptgt. The calculated target output value Ptgt is the target value for the output of the local room air conditioner 115, and is the output value of the local room air conditioner 115 that can reduce the amount of power used by the local room air conditioner 115 by a predetermined amount ΔPreq.

[0043] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 proceeds to step S440 and controls the operation of the local room air conditioner 115 in accordance with the target output value Ptgt calculated in step S435. That is, the air conditioning control device 10 controls the operation of the local room air conditioner 115 so that the output of the local room air conditioner 115 becomes the target output value Ptgt. Therefore, the air conditioning control device 10 predicts the change in temperature in the local room 110 when power reduction is performed based on the neighboring room information In, and controls the operation of the local room air conditioner 115 based on the predicted change.

[0044] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 advances the process to step S495 and temporarily ends the process of this routine.

[0045] On the other hand, if the air conditioning control device 10 determines "No" in step S410 or step S430, the process proceeds to step S445, where it calculates the target output value Ptgt. The calculated target output value Ptgt is the target value for the output of the local room air conditioner 115, and is the output value of the local room air conditioner 115 that can maintain the local room temperature To at the local room set temperature To_set.

[0046] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 proceeds to step S450 and controls the operation of the local room air conditioner 115 in accordance with the target output value Ptgt calculated in step S445. That is, the air conditioning control device 10 controls the operation of the local room air conditioner 115 so that the output of the local room air conditioner 115 becomes the target output value Ptgt. Therefore, the air conditioning control device 10 predicts the change in temperature in the local room 110 when power reduction is performed based on the neighboring room information In, and controls the operation of the local room air conditioner 115 based on the predicted change.

[0047] Next, the air conditioning control device 10 advances the process to step S495 and temporarily ends the process of this routine.

[0048] According to this, not only the own room temperature To and the outside air temperature Ta but also the neighboring room information In are taken into consideration when obtaining the predicted own room temperature change rate Re. In other words, the thermal storage of the building 100's building frame (heat accumulated in the structure of the building 100) is taken into consideration when obtaining the predicted own room temperature change rate Re. This makes it possible to accurately predict the rate of change of the own room temperature To when power reduction is performed. In other words, it is possible to accurately predict the change in the own room temperature To when power reduction is performed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 10...Air conditioning control device, 90...ECU, 100...Building, 110...Own room, 115...Own room air conditioning device, 120...Adjacent room, 125...Adjacent room air conditioning device, 200...Communication network, 300...Learning model, 305...Learning model

Claims

1. An air conditioning control device having a control device that controls the operation of a room air conditioner to adjust the temperature of the room, The control device predicting a change in temperature in the room when power reduction is performed to reduce the amount of power used by the air conditioning unit in the room based on information about a neighboring room adjacent to the room and separated by a wall, ceiling, or floor; controlling the operation of the room air conditioner based on the predicted change; It is structured as follows: The information about the adjacent room is the temperature of the adjacent room. Air conditioning control device.

2. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1, The own room and the adjacent room are rooms provided in one building. Air conditioning control device.

3. The air conditioning control device according to claim 2, The building is an apartment building. Air conditioning control device.

4. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1, The information about the adjacent room is the temperature of the adjacent room, a set temperature set as a target value for the temperature of the adjacent room adjusted by an adjacent room air conditioner for adjusting the temperature of the adjacent room, or an output of the adjacent room air conditioner. Air conditioning control device.

5. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1, The control device When the power reduction for a predetermined time period is requested, a temperature of the own room that will be reached when the power reduction is performed for the predetermined time period is predicted based on the information of the adjacent room; When an absolute value of a difference between a set temperature set as a target value of the temperature of the room adjusted by the air conditioning device of the room and the predicted temperature of the room is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the power reduction is performed for the predetermined time; When the absolute value of the difference is greater than the predetermined value, the power reduction is not performed. It is configured as follows: Air conditioning control device.

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