Air conditioning system and method

Abstract

To provide an air conditioning system and method for detecting and cleaning dust inside the indoor unit and dust in the indoor space. [Solution] An air conditioning system 10 comprising an indoor unit 20, an outdoor unit 30, and an operating mode control unit 410 that controls at least one operation of the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 30, wherein the indoor unit 20 includes an indoor fan 22 and a dust detection unit 420 that detects the amount of dust, and the operating mode control unit 410 performs an operation to clean the inside of the indoor unit 20 based on the amount of dust detected by the dust detection unit 420 when the indoor fan 22 is stopped, and performs an operation to clean the air in the indoor space based on the amount of dust detected by the dust detection unit 420 when the indoor fan 22 is operating.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a method for detecting dust and performing cleaning.

Background Art

[0002] With the increase in added value of air conditioners such as air conditioners, models equipped with various functions have been developed. For example, an air conditioner equipped with a dust sensor and having a function of cleaning the inside of the indoor unit and the air in the indoor space is sold.

[0003] In this regard, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-2601 (Patent Document 1) discloses a technique for detecting the degree of dirt and performing an air purification operation according to the degree of dirt. According to Patent Document 1, control according to the degree of dirt can be performed, and a comfortable indoor environment can be maintained.

[0004] However, Patent Document 1 detects the degree of dirt in the indoor space and does not assume detecting the degree of dirt inside the indoor unit. Therefore, there has been a demand for a further technique for detecting and cleaning the dirt inside the indoor unit and the dirt in the air in the indoor space.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0008] According to the present invention, an air conditioning system and method can be provided that detects and cleans dust inside the indoor unit and dust in the indoor space. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A diagram illustrating the configuration of the refrigeration cycle in the air conditioning system of this embodiment. [Figure 2] A cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the indoor unit in this embodiment. [Figure 3] A diagram showing the hardware configuration included in the control board of this embodiment. [Figure 4] A software block diagram included in the air conditioning system of this embodiment. [Figure 5] A flowchart illustrating the processes performed by the air conditioning system of this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described later. In the figures referenced below, the same reference numerals will be used for common elements, and their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0011] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the refrigeration cycle in the air conditioning system 10 of this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the refrigeration cycle in the air conditioning system 10 consists of an indoor unit 20 and an outdoor unit 30, which are connected via refrigerant piping 40. The indoor unit 20 is installed in the indoor space where air conditioning is performed, and the outdoor unit 30 is installed outside the said indoor space.

[0012] The indoor unit 20 comprises an indoor heat exchanger 21, an indoor fan 22, a control board 23, a dust sensor 24, and a temperature sensor 25. The outdoor unit 30 comprises a compressor 31, a four-way valve 32, an outdoor heat exchanger 33, an expansion valve 34, and an outdoor fan 35. Here, the arrows in Figure 1 indicate the direction of refrigerant flow during cooling operation, and in the following explanation of the refrigeration cycle, unless otherwise specified, the operation during cooling operation will be used as an example for convenience. Note that during heating operation, the direction of refrigerant flow is reversed from the direction of the arrows in Figure 1.

[0013] The indoor unit 20 uses an indoor fan 22 to exchange heat between the air in the indoor space and the refrigerant flowing through the indoor heat exchanger 21, and then discharges the air back into the room to conditioned the indoor space. During cooling operation, the indoor heat exchanger 21 acts as an evaporator, exchanging heat between the low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant and the air blown in by the indoor fan 22. The indoor unit 20 can lower the temperature of the indoor space by discharging the heat-exchanged air. The refrigerant that flows out of the indoor heat exchanger 21 is a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant and flows to the outdoor unit 30 via the refrigerant piping 40.

[0014] The control board 23 is composed of various electronic components and controls the operation of the air conditioning system 10. For example, based on signals received from an operating device such as a remote control, the control board 23 controls the operation of the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 30 that make up the air conditioning system 10. As a result, the air conditioning system 10 can perform predetermined operating operations such as cooling, dehumidifying, heating, and cleaning. The detailed configuration of the control board 23 will be described later.

[0015] The dust sensor 24 is a sensor that detects the amount of dust and constitutes the detection means in this embodiment. The dust sensor 24 of this embodiment can detect and output dust such as dust and particulate matter contained in the air. The dust sensor 24 of this embodiment can be, for example, a sensor of the light scattering method. In a housing provided with a heater, an air flow is generated by the Joule heat of the heater, light is irradiated onto the air flow, and the dust contained in the air flow can be detected by receiving the scattered light. Note that the dust sensor 24 of the light scattering method is an example in the embodiment and does not particularly limit the embodiment. Therefore, the dust sensor 24 other than the light scattering method, for example, a sensor of the light transmission method or a sensor of the friction electrostatic method, may be used.

[0016] The temperature sensor 25 is a sensor that measures the temperature of the indoor space and constitutes the measurement means in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the operation of the air conditioner 10 can be controlled based on the room temperature measured by the temperature sensor 25.

[0017] Next, the outdoor unit 30 will be described. The compressor 31 compresses the low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant flowing in from the outdoor unit side by driving the motor and discharges it as a high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant. The gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 31 passes through the four-way valve 32 and flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 33. The outdoor heat exchanger 33 performs heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the inside and the outside air sent in from the outdoor fan 35. The outdoor heat exchanger 33 during the cooling operation operates as a condenser and discharges the refrigerant as a high-temperature liquid by heat exchange. Note that the outdoor heat exchanger 33 operates as an evaporator during the heating operation.

[0018] The refrigerant discharged from the outdoor heat exchanger 33 is expanded in volume by the expansion valve 34 and depressurized, resulting in a decrease in temperature. Then, the refrigerant flows into the indoor unit 20 and performs a cooling operation to lower the temperature of the indoor space as described above.

[0019] The four-way valve 32 is a valve that switches the flow path of the refrigerant according to the operating mode of the air conditioning system 10. That is, during cooling operation, the connection is as shown by the solid line in Figure 1, and during heating operation, the connection is as shown by the dashed line. This allows either the indoor heat exchanger 21 or the outdoor heat exchanger 33 to operate as a condenser and the other as an evaporator, enabling proper air conditioning operation.

[0020] Next, the configuration of the indoor unit 20 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the indoor unit 20 of this embodiment. Note that Figure 2 shows only some of the components included in the indoor unit 20, and other components are omitted from the illustration as appropriate.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, the indoor unit 20 of this embodiment is composed of an indoor heat exchanger 21, an indoor fan 22, and a dust sensor 24 as shown in Figure 1, as well as an upper and lower air deflector 26 and a filter 27.

[0022] The indoor fan 22 rotates while the air conditioning unit 10 is in operation, drawing in indoor air and exchanging heat with the refrigerant flowing through the indoor heat exchanger 21. The heat-exchanged air is discharged into the indoor space, enabling air conditioning. The direction in which the discharged air is directed into the indoor space can be adjusted using the upper and lower air deflectors 26. The opening degree of the upper and lower air deflectors 26 can be adjusted; for example, they may be fully closed when the air conditioning unit 10 is not performing air conditioning operation.

[0023] The air drawn in by the operation of the indoor fan 22 has dust and other particles removed by passing through the filter 27. Therefore, clogging of the fins of the indoor heat exchanger 21 can be prevented, and the efficiency of heat exchange between air and refrigerant can be prevented from decreasing.

[0024] Furthermore, a portion of the airflow generated by the operation of the indoor fan 22 flows into the dust sensor 24. Therefore, while the indoor fan 22 is operating, the dust sensor 24 can detect the amount of dust in the indoor air, that is, the degree of air pollution in the indoor space. In this case, by keeping the upper and lower air deflectors 26 open, the indoor air can be efficiently drawn into the dust sensor 24, allowing for a more accurate detection of the amount of dust in the indoor air.

[0025] Furthermore, when the indoor fan 22 is not operating, the air drawn into the dust sensor 24 is predominantly from the air inside the indoor unit 20. Therefore, while the indoor fan 22 is not operating, the dust sensor 24 can detect the amount of dust inside the indoor unit 20, that is, the degree of dirtiness of the indoor unit 20. In this case, by closing the upper and lower air deflectors 26, the inflow of air from the indoor space can be blocked, allowing for a more accurate detection of the amount of dust inside the indoor unit 20.

[0026] Next, the hardware configuration of the control board 23 will be described. Figure 3 shows the hardware configuration included in the control board 23 of this embodiment. The control board 23 of this embodiment is composed of a CPU 231, a RAM 232, a ROM 233, a sensor I / F 234, and a refrigeration cycle I / F 235, and each piece of hardware is connected via a bus.

[0027] The CPU 231 is a device that executes a program to control the operation of the air conditioning system 10 and performs predetermined processing. The RAM 232 is a volatile memory device that provides the execution space for the program executed by the CPU 231 and is used for storing and retrieving programs and data. The ROM 233 is a non-volatile memory device that stores programs and firmware executed by the CPU 231.

[0028] The sensor I / F234 is an interface for connecting to sensors that detect various information related to the operation of the air conditioning system 10. In addition to the dust sensor 24 and temperature sensor 25 shown in Figure 1, the sensor I / F234 may also include, for example, a refrigerant temperature sensor, a refrigerant pressure sensor, a humidity sensor, a human presence sensor, and sensors that detect the fan speed and the operating frequency of the compressor 31, but the embodiment is not particularly limited.

[0029] The refrigeration cycle interface 235 is an interface for controlling the operation of various components that make up the refrigeration cycle shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 1, the refrigeration cycle interface 235 of this embodiment can be connected to, for example, an indoor fan 22, a compressor 31, a four-way valve 32, an expansion valve 34, an outdoor fan 35, and so on.

[0030] The hardware configuration included in the air conditioning system 10 of this embodiment has been described above. Next, the functional means executed by each piece of hardware in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a software block diagram included in the air conditioning system 10 of this embodiment.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4, the air conditioning system 10 of this embodiment is configured to include the following functional means: an operating mode control unit 410, a dust detection unit 420, a temperature measurement unit 430, a dust amount determination unit 440, and a display unit 450. The details of each functional means are described below.

[0032] The operation mode control unit 410 is a means for controlling the operation mode of the air conditioning system 10. The operation mode control unit 410 constitutes the control means in this embodiment. The operation mode control unit 410 in this embodiment can perform various operations such as heating, cooling, dehumidifying, and cleaning operations. Here, cleaning operations in this embodiment include, for example, operations to purify the air in the indoor space, operations to clean the inside of the indoor unit 20, operations to react ions generated by the ion generator with the air, operations to disinfect various parts, operations to remove mold and dust, operations to clean the filter 27, and operations to wash the indoor heat exchanger 21 with condensed water. However, the embodiment is not particularly limited, and any operation can be performed to maintain a clean environment by any method. The operation mode control unit 410 can control the operation of the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 30 in order to execute various operation modes.

[0033] The dust detection unit 420 controls the operation of the dust sensor 24 and is a means for detecting dust. Together with the dust sensor 24, the dust detection unit 420 constitutes the detection means in this embodiment. The dust detection unit 420 in this embodiment can detect dust inside the indoor unit 20 and dust in the air of the indoor space.

[0034] The temperature measuring unit 430 is a means for measuring various temperatures by controlling the operation of the temperature sensor 25. Together with the temperature sensor 25, the temperature measuring unit 430 constitutes the measuring means in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the temperature measuring unit 430 can measure, for example, the temperature (room temperature) of the indoor space in which the indoor unit 20 is installed.

[0035] The dust amount determination unit 440 is a means for determining the amount of dust detected by the dust detection unit 420. The dust amount determination unit 440 constitutes the determination means in this embodiment. The dust amount determination unit 440 in this embodiment can, for example, compare the detected amount of dust with a predetermined threshold, and determine the degree of air pollution in the indoor unit 20 and the indoor space. Furthermore, the dust amount determination unit 440 in this embodiment can calculate the amount of dust as a statistical value such as an average value or a total value over a predetermined time and make a determination.

[0036] The display unit 450 is a means for displaying information related to the air conditioning system 10. The display unit 450 constitutes the display means in this embodiment. The display unit 450 in this embodiment can be a liquid crystal screen, an LED lamp, etc., provided in the air conditioning system 10, but the embodiment is not particularly limited. The display unit 450 can display, for example, the operating status of the air conditioning system 10 or the amount of dust detected. Note that the display unit 450 does not necessarily have to be provided in the air conditioning system 10. Therefore, for example, a remote control for operating the air conditioning system 10 may be configured to include the display unit 450, or a terminal (smartphone terminal, tablet terminal, mobile phone terminal, etc.) connected to the air conditioning system 10 via a network may be configured to include the display unit 450.

[0037] The software blocks described above correspond to functional means realized by the CPU 231 executing the program of this embodiment, thereby enabling each piece of hardware to function. Furthermore, the functional means shown in each embodiment may be entirely implemented in software, or some or all of them may be implemented as hardware providing equivalent functionality.

[0038] Next, the processes performed by each of the functional means described above will be explained with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the processes performed by the air conditioning system 10 of this embodiment. The air conditioning system 10 of this embodiment starts processing from step S1000.

[0039] In step S1001, the dust detection unit 420 detects dust. In the following step S1002, the process is branched depending on whether the indoor fan 22 was operating during the dust detection in step S1001. By branching the process depending on whether the indoor fan 22 was operating, as in step S1002, it is possible to distinguish whether the dust detected in step S1001 is contained in the air in the indoor space or is inside the indoor unit 20, and appropriate cleaning operation can be performed.

[0040] Furthermore, the distinction of detected dust is not limited to being based on the operation of the indoor fan 22, but may also be based on, for example, the open / closed state of the upper and lower air deflectors 26, or on both the operation of the indoor fan 22 and the open / closed state of the upper and lower air deflectors 26. That is, if dust is detected when the upper and lower air deflectors 26 are closed, it can be determined that dust has been detected inside the indoor unit 20, and if dust is detected when the upper and lower air deflectors 26 are open, it can be determined that dust has been detected in the air of the indoor space.

[0041] In the branching step S1002, if the indoor fan 22 was operating (YES), that is, if dust was detected in the indoor air, the process proceeds to step S1003. If the indoor fan 22 was operating in step S1002, the display unit 450 may display the amount of dust in the indoor air. In step S1003, the dust amount determination unit 440 determines whether the detected amount of dust is equal to or greater than a first threshold, and branches the process according to the determination result. Here, the first threshold can be, for example, the amount of dust that requires the indoor air to be cleaned. If the amount of dust is not equal to or greater than the first threshold (NO), the process proceeds to step S1007 and ends. In other embodiments, the process may not end in step S1007, but may return to step S1001 and repeat the processes described above. If the amount of dust is equal to or greater than the first threshold (YES), the process proceeds to step S1004.

[0042] In step S1004, the operation mode control unit 410 performs an air cleaning operation of the indoor space. This air cleaning operation may be performed, for example, by operating the indoor fan 22 without heat exchange with the refrigerant. This allows the air in the indoor space to pass through the filter 27 and be discharged back into the indoor space, thereby purifying the air. Alternatively, the air may be purified by reacting ions released from the ion generator with the inhaled air in the indoor space. The process then proceeds to step S1007, ending the process. In other embodiments, the process may not end in step S1007, but may return to step S1001 and repeat the processes described above.

[0043] On the other hand, if the indoor fan 22 was not operating (stopped) at the branch in step S1002, that is, if dust was detected inside the indoor unit 20, the process proceeds to step S1005. If the indoor fan 22 was not operating in step S1002, the display unit 450 may display the amount of dust inside the indoor unit 20. In step S1005, the dust amount determination unit 440 determines whether the detected amount of dust is equal to or greater than a second threshold, and branches the process according to the determination result. Here, the second threshold can be, for example, the amount of dust that necessitates cleaning the inside of the indoor unit 20. If the amount of dust is not equal to or greater than the second threshold (NO), the process proceeds to step S1007 and ends. In other embodiments, the process may not end at step S1007, but return to step S1001 and repeat each of the processes described above. If the amount of dust is equal to or greater than the second threshold (YES), the process proceeds to step S1006.

[0044] In step S1006, the operation mode control unit 410 performs a cleaning operation inside the indoor unit 20. This cleaning operation may be performed, for example, by operating an ion generator and reacting it with the air inside the indoor unit 20. Alternatively, the operation may include cleaning the filter 27 or cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 21 by freezing and then thawing it. After that, the process proceeds to step S1007 and ends. In other embodiments, the process may not end in step S1007, but may return to step S1001 and repeat the processes described above.

[0045] By performing the process shown in Figure 5, the air conditioner 10 of this embodiment can detect dust and perform clean operation. In particular, according to the configuration of the embodiment described, even with only one dust sensor 24, the air conditioner 10 can distinguish and detect the amount of dust inside the indoor unit 20 and the amount of dust in the air of the indoor space, and perform appropriate clean operation.

[0046] According to the embodiments of the present invention described above, it is possible to provide an air conditioning device and method for detecting and cleaning dust inside the indoor unit and dust in the indoor space.

[0047] Each of the embodiments of the present invention described above can be implemented by a device-executable program written in C, C++, C#, Java®, etc. The program of this embodiment can be stored and distributed on a device-readable recording medium such as a hard disk drive, CD-ROM, MO, DVD, flexible disk, EEPROM®, EPROM, etc., and can also be transmitted over a network in a format that can be used by other devices.

[0048] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. It is included within the scope of the present invention as long as it achieves the effects and advantages of the present invention within the range of embodiments that a person skilled in the art could deduce. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 10…Air conditioning system, 20...Indoor unit, 21...Indoor heat exchanger, 22... Indoor fan, 23... Control board, 24... Dust sensor, 25...Temperature sensor, 26...Upper and lower wind direction plates, 27... Filter, 30...Outdoor unit, 31... Compressor, 32... Four-way valve, 33...Outdoor heat exchanger, 34...Expansion valve, 35... Outdoor fan, 40... Refrigerant piping, 231...CPU, 232...RAM, 233...ROM, 234...Sensor I / F, 235...Refrigeration cycle I / F, 410...Operation mode control unit, 420... Dust detection unit, 430...Temperature measurement section, 440... Dust amount determination unit, 450…Display section

Claims

1. An air conditioning system comprising an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, and control means for controlling the operation of at least one of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, The aforementioned indoor unit is Fans, A detection means for detecting the amount of dust and Includes, The control means is Based on the amount of dust detected by the detection means while the fan is stopped, a cleaning operation is performed inside the indoor unit. Based on the amount of dust detected by the detection means during the operation of the fan, a cleaning operation of the indoor air is performed. Air conditioning system.

2. The indoor unit further includes upper and lower air deflectors, The control means is When the fan is stopped and the upper and lower air deflectors are closed, the system will perform an operation to clean the inside of the indoor unit based on the amount of dust detected. When the fan is operating and the upper and lower air deflectors are open, the system performs an operation to purify the air in the indoor space based on the amount of dust detected. The air conditioning device according to claim 1.

3. The indoor unit further includes determination means for determining whether the amount of dust detected during the operation of the fan is equal to or greater than a first threshold, The control means is When the determination means determines that the amount of dust is equal to or greater than a first threshold, it executes an operation to purify the air in the indoor space. The air conditioning device according to claim 1.

4. The indoor unit further includes determination means for determining whether the amount of dust detected while the fan is stopped is equal to or greater than a second threshold, The control means is If the determination means determines that the amount of dust is equal to or greater than a second threshold, it will perform an operation to clean the inside of the indoor unit. The air conditioning device according to claim 1.

5. An air conditioning system comprising an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, control means for controlling the operation of at least one of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, and display means, The aforementioned indoor unit is Fans, A detection means for detecting the amount of dust and Includes, Based on the amount of dust detected by the detection means while the fan is stopped, the control means performs a cleaning operation inside the indoor unit, or the display means displays the amount of dust inside the indoor unit. Based on the amount of dust detected by the detection means during the operation of the fan, the control means performs an air-cleaning operation of the indoor space, or the display means displays the amount of dust in the indoor space. Air conditioning system.

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