Ventilation control device and ventilation control method

Abstract

To flexibly control a rate of outside air contained in supplied air in comparison with a conventional one.SOLUTION: A ventilation control device includes a level setting unit (an operation mode setting unit 1601 and a ventilation level setting unit 1602) for setting a level on the basis of an index of at least one of an environment of a control object space and energy consumption, and an outside air control unit 1608 for controlling a rate of outside air contained in supplied air with respect to the control object space generated by an air conditioner 4 on the basis of the level set by the level setting unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a ventilation control device and a ventilation control method. [Background technology]

[0002] An air conditioning control system performs air conditioning control for a controlled space (room) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Conventionally, such an air conditioning control system may control the amount of outside air taken in for ventilation of the controlled space to be reduced as much as possible in seasons when the load on the air conditioner is high (summer and winter) in order to save energy.

[0003] In this case, for example, the air conditioning control system may perform ventilation control (CO2 control) using the concentration of CO2. There are two types of CO2 control: "control of the ratio of outside air and return air" and "variable control of the minimum air volume setting in the supply VAV (Variable Air Volume) unit."

[0004] In the "control of the ratio of outside air and return air", as shown in FIG. 7A, for example, the air conditioning control system controls to increase the ratio of outside air contained in the supply air according to the concentration of CO2 in the controlled space or return air measured by a CO2 sensor. That is, when the concentration of CO2 in the controlled space or return air is equal to or higher than a set value (e.g., 900 ppm), the air conditioning control system increases the ratio of outside air (increases the amount of outside air and decreases the amount of return air accordingly), and when the concentration of CO2 is less than the set value, controls to take in as little outside air as possible. This control is performed by calculating the required amount of outside air within the range between the minimum amount of outside air (local exhaust amount) and the design amount of outside air. The local exhaust amount is the amount of exhaust air discharged to the outside by an exhaust fan (such as the exhaust fan 8 shown in FIG. 1 described later) installed in the controlled space. The design amount of outside air is the amount of outside air taken in that satisfies the ventilation standard value determined by the design. In FIG. 7A, reference numeral 701 indicates the amount of outside air supplied to the air conditioner, reference numeral 702 indicates the amount of return air supplied to the air conditioner out of the amount of air sent from the controlled space by the return air fan (return air fan air volume), and reference numeral 703 indicates the amount of exhaust air exhausted to the outside out of the return air fan air volume (general exhaust volume).

[0005] In "variable control of minimum air volume setting in supply air VAV unit," the air conditioning control system controls the supply air VAV unit to increase the minimum blow-out volume (minimum air volume) according to the CO2 concentration in the controlled space measured by the CO2 sensor, for example, as shown in Figure 7B (i.e., blows out if there is little supply of air to maintain room temperature). Note that Figure 7B shows the case where the air conditioning control system performs cooling. In Fig. 7B, reference numeral 704 indicates the range in which the minimum airflow rate in the supply VAV unit can be increased or decreased depending on the CO2 concentration. The upper limit of the minimum airflow rate is a value determined by design. The lower limit of the minimum airflow rate can be set up to 0 if the air conditioning control system includes a control to maintain the minimum airflow rate of the air conditioner.

[0006] In addition, when an air conditioning control system only uses "control of the ratio of outside air and return air" as a CO2 control, it is common for a CO2 sensor to be installed in the return air duct in the air conditioning control system, taking into account ease of maintenance.

[0007] For example, an air conditioning control system may also perform ventilation control (headcount control) using the number of people in the controlled space. In this headcount control, the air conditioning control system measures the number of people in the controlled space and controls the amount of outside air taken in according to the number of people.

[0008] Furthermore, in some cases, the air conditioning control system has a function for increasing the proportion of outside air before opening the chilled water valve (outdoor air cooling control) when the cooling energy consumption can be reduced by taking in outside air, for example, as shown in Fig. 8. That is, in this case, the air conditioning control system sets the amount of outside air taken in to less than the designed outdoor air volume when outdoor air cooling is disabled, but makes it possible to set the amount of outside air taken in to equal to or greater than the designed outdoor air volume when outdoor air cooling is enabled, thereby reducing the amount of cold energy consumed. Note that with outdoor air cooling control, there is no change in the amount of air supplied, and the amount of outside air taken in can be increased to the maximum outdoor air volume.

[0009] As shown in Fig. 9, the control range of the air supply volume (air supply volume supplied from the air conditioner) in the air conditioning control system is the range between the minimum air supply volume and the rated air supply volume, and the air conditioning control system adjusts the air supply volume according to the load condition of the controlled space, etc. The minimum air supply volume is the minimum value of the air supply volume that the air conditioner has as its equipment. In addition, the control range of the amount of outside air taken in by the air conditioning control system (amount of outside air supplied to the air conditioner) is the range between the minimum outside air volume (local exhaust volume) and the designed outside air volume when outdoor air cooling is disabled, and the air conditioning control system adjusts the amount of outside air taken in by CO2 control. In addition, the control range of the amount of outside air taken in by the air conditioning control system (amount of outside air supplied to the air conditioner) is the range between the required amount of outside air and the maximum amount of outside air when outdoor air cooling is enabled, and the air conditioning control system adjusts the amount of outside air taken in by outdoor air cooling control. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 901 indicates the control range of the amount of supply air, reference numeral 902 indicates the control range of the amount of outdoor air taken in (when outdoor air cooling is disabled), and reference numeral 903 indicates the control range of the amount of outdoor air taken in (when outdoor air cooling is enabled). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-173200 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] On the other hand, during an epidemic of an airborne infectious disease, it is necessary to prioritize reducing the risk of infection for people in the controlled space over energy conservation, and to increase the proportion of outside air in the supply air as much as possible. However, with conventional air conditioning control systems, the amount of outside air taken in does not exceed the designed amount of outside air except when controlling outdoor air cooling. Thus, it cannot be said that conventional air conditioning control systems are able to flexibly control the proportion of outside air contained in the supply air.

[0012] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a ventilation control device that can flexibly control the proportion of outside air contained in the supply air, as compared to the conventional device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The ventilation control device according to the present invention receives a user input, CO 2 If the CO concentration is 900 ppm or higher, increase the proportion of outside air intake to reduce CO 2 If the concentration is less than 900 ppm, the intake of outside air should be controlled as little as possible. The air conditioner is characterized by comprising a level setting unit that sets either a normal level or one or more levels for controlling the proportion of outside air contained in the supply air to be higher than the normal level, and an outside air volume control unit that controls the proportion of outside air contained in the supply air generated by the air conditioner for the controlled space based on the level set by the level setting unit. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, since it is configured as described above, it is possible to control the proportion of outside air contained in the supply air more flexibly than in the past. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air-conditioning control system according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a controller according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a ventilation control operation by the controller according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining the effect of the ventilation control operation by the controller according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining a case where the amount of outside air taken in is simply increased in the air-conditioning control system according to embodiment 1. FIG. [Figure 6] 6A and 6B are diagrams for explaining the effect of the ventilation control operation by the controller according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] Figures 7A and 7B are diagrams explaining CO2 control by a conventional air conditioning control system, where Figure 7A explains "control of the ratio of outside air and return air" and Figure 7B explains "variable control of the minimum air volume setting in the supply air VAV unit." [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating outdoor air cooling control by a conventional air conditioning control system. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a control range of the amount of supply air and the amount of intake of outside air by a conventional air conditioning control system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Embodiment 1 Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air-conditioning control system according to embodiment 1. Note that arrows shown in Fig. 1 indicate the flow of air. An air conditioning control system performs air conditioning control for a controlled space (room). Fig. 1 shows a specific floor in a building, and illustrates a case in which the air conditioning control system performs air conditioning control for a plurality of rooms on that floor. Fig. 1 shows two private rooms 101a, 101b and one large room 102 as controlled spaces. A corridor 103 is connected to the large room 102, and the corridor 103 is further connected to a small room 104 such as a toilet.

[0017] The air conditioning control system shown in Fig. 1 includes an outside air VAV unit 1, a cold water valve (valve) 2a, a hot water valve (valve) 2b, a humidifier valve 3, an air conditioner 4, a temperature sensor 5, a temperature sensor 6, a supply air VAV unit 7, an exhaust fan 8, a return air fan 9, a return air damper 10, an exhaust VAV unit 11, a temperature and humidity sensor 12, a CO2 sensor 13, a CO2 sensor 14, a human detection sensor 15, and a controller 16. In Fig. 1, the connection lines between the controller 16 and each part of the air conditioning control system are omitted.

[0018] The controller 16 is realized by a processing circuit such as a system LSI (Large Scale Integration), or a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes a program stored in a memory or the like.

[0019] The outside air VAV unit 1 is provided in an outside air duct 17, takes in outside air from an outside air port 18, and supplies the outside air to the air conditioner 4. The amount of outside air taken in by the outside air VAV unit 1 (the amount of outside air supplied to the air conditioner 4) is controlled by a controller 16.

[0020] The cold water valve 2a is provided in a cold water supply passage 19a through which cold water flows, and opens and closes the cold water supply passage 19a by adjusting the opening degree. The cold water valve 2a adjusts the flow rate of cold water in the cold water supply passage 19a, and adjusts the amount of cold water supplied to a cold water coil 401a (described later) of the air conditioner 4. The opening degree of the cold water valve 2a is controlled by the controller 16. The cold water valve 2a may also have a function of measuring the flow rate of cold water in the cold water supply passage 19a.

[0021] The hot water valve 2b is provided in a hot water supply passage 19b through which hot water flows, and opens and closes the hot water supply passage 19b by adjusting the opening degree. The hot water valve 2b adjusts the flow rate of hot water in the hot water supply passage 19b, and adjusts the amount of hot water supplied to a hot water coil 401b (described later) of the air conditioner 4. The opening degree of the hot water valve 2b is controlled by the controller 16. The hot water valve 2b may also have a function of measuring the flow rate of hot water in the hot water supply passage 19b.

[0022] The humidifier valve 3 is provided in a supply path 20 through which water or steam flows, and adjusts its opening to open and close the supply path 20. The humidifier valve 3 adjusts the flow rate of water or steam in the supply path 20, and adjusts the amount of water or steam supplied to a humidifier 402 (described later) provided in the air conditioner 4. The opening of the humidifier valve 3 is controlled by a controller 16.

[0023] The air conditioner 4 generates conditioned air for the controlled space using outside air from the outside air VAV unit 1 and return air from the return air damper 10, and supplies the conditioned air as supply air to the supply air VAV unit 7 via the supply air duct 21. The air conditioner 4 shown in FIG.

[0024] The cold water coil 401a is connected to a cold water supply passage 19a, and cold water is supplied from the cold water supply passage 19a. The hot water coil 401b is connected to the hot water supply passage 19b, and hot water is supplied from the hot water supply passage 19b. The humidifier 402 is connected to the supply path 20 and receives water or steam from the supply path 20 . In the air conditioner 4, heat exchange is performed with the outside air from the outside air VAV unit 1 and the return air from the return air damper 10 using the cold water coil 401a or the hot water coil 401b, and the humidity is adjusted using the humidifier 402, thereby generating conditioned air. Air supply fan 403 supplies conditioned air as supply air to air supply VAV unit 7 via air supply duct 21. The rotation speed of air supply fan 403 is controlled by controller 16.

[0025] 1 shows a case where the coils of the air conditioner 4 are a cold water coil 401a and a hot water coil 401b. However, this is not limiting, and the air conditioner 4 may have a cold / hot water coil as a coil. In this case, in the air conditioning control system, a cold / hot water supply path through which cold water or hot water flows is provided as a supply path, and a cold / hot water valve that opens and closes the cold / hot water supply path is provided as a valve. The cold / hot water valve may have a function of measuring the flow rate in the cold / hot water supply path.

[0026] The temperature sensor 5 is provided in the supply air duct 21, and measures the temperature of the supply air from the air conditioner 4. The temperature measured by this temperature sensor 5 is notified to the controller 16.

[0027] Temperature sensor 6 is provided in the controlled space and measures the temperature of the controlled space. The temperature measured by temperature sensor 6 is notified to supply air VAV unit 7. In Fig. 1, one temperature sensor 6 is provided in private room 101a, one is provided in private room 101b, and two are provided in large room 102.

[0028] Supply air VAV unit 7 is provided in the controlled space, and supplies supply air from air conditioner 4 to the controlled space via supply air port 22. Based on the temperature measured by temperature sensor 6 provided in the controlled space to which it supplies supply air, supply air VAV unit 7 adjusts the amount of supply air it blows out (air volume) so that the temperature matches the set temperature. The amount of supply air blown out by supply air VAV unit 7, together with the set temperature and the temperature measured by temperature sensor 6, is notified to controller 16 as the load status of the controlled space. In FIG. 1, one supply air VAV unit 7 is provided in private room 101a, one in private room 101b, and two in large room 102.

[0029] The exhaust fan 8 is provided in the controlled space, and exhausts the air in the controlled space to the outside via the exhaust port 23. In FIG. In FIG. 1, the large room 102 and the corridor 103 are connected via an air vent 24.

[0030] The return air fan 9 is provided in a return air duct 25, and supplies air from the controlled space to the return air damper 10 as return air via a return air port 26 provided in the controlled space.

[0031] The return air damper 10 is provided in the return air duct 25, and opens and closes the return air duct 25 by adjusting the opening degree. The return air damper 10 adjusts the flow rate of the return air in the return air duct 25, and adjusts the amount of return air supplied (return air amount) to the air conditioner 4. The opening degree of the return air damper 10 is controlled by a controller 16.

[0032] Exhaust VAV unit 11 is provided in return air duct 25, and exhausts at least a portion of the return air from return air fan 9 as exhaust air to the outside via exhaust port 27. It is possible that the exhaust volume (general exhaust volume) by exhaust VAV unit 11 becomes zero. The exhaust volume by exhaust VAV unit 11 is controlled by controller 16.

[0033] The temperature and humidity sensor 12 is provided in the return air duct 25 and measures the temperature and humidity of the return air. The temperature and humidity measured by the temperature and humidity sensor 12 are notified to the controller 16.

[0034] The CO2 sensor 13 is provided in the space to be controlled and measures the concentration of CO2 in the space to be controlled. The concentration of CO2 measured by the CO2 sensor 13 is notified to the controller 16. In FIG. 1, one CO2 sensor 13 is provided in the private room 101a.

[0035] The CO2 sensor 14 is provided in the return air duct 25 and measures the concentration of CO2 in the return air duct 25. The concentration of CO2 measured by the CO2 sensor 14 is notified to the controller 16.

[0036] The human detection sensor 15 is provided in the controlled space and measures the number of people present in the controlled space. The number of people measured by the human detection sensor 15 is notified to the controller 16. In FIG. 1, one human detection sensor 15 is provided in the private room 101b.

[0037] The controller 16 performs air conditioning control based on the information notified from each unit. For example, the controller 16 controls the supply air by controlling the cold water valve 2a, the hot water valve 2b, the humidification valve 3, and the air conditioner 4. Specifically, the controller 16 controls the opening degree of the cold water valve 2a or the opening degree of the hot water valve 2b and the opening degree of the humidification valve 3 so that the temperature and humidity of the controlled space become the set temperature and the set humidity based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 5. That is, the controller 16 adjusts the temperature of the supply air from the air conditioner 4 by controlling the amount of cold water supplied to the cold water coil 401a or the amount of hot water supplied to the hot water coil 401b, and adjusts the humidity of the supply air from the air conditioner 4 by controlling the amount of water or steam supplied to the humidifier 402. The controller 16 also adjusts the supply amount (supply air amount) of the supply air from the air conditioner 4 by controlling the rotation speed of the supply air fan 403 so as to satisfy the blowing amount required by the supply air VAV unit 7. At this time, controller 16 may change the set temperature or the like in accordance with the load condition of the controlled space notified by supply air VAV unit 7.

[0038] In addition, the controller 16 (ventilation control device) controls the outside air VAV unit 1, the return air damper 10, and the exhaust VAV unit 11, thereby controlling ventilation (the amount of outside air taken in). The controller 16 shown in FIG. 1 performs ventilation control using the concentration of CO2 (CO2 control) and ventilation control using the number of people in the controlled space (number of people control).

[0039] In the CO2 control, the controller 16 controls the amount of outside air taken in based on the concentration of CO2 measured by the CO2 sensor 13 or the concentration of CO2 measured by the CO2 sensor 14. The controller 16 shown in Fig. 1 performs "control of the ratio of outside air and return air" and "variable control of the setting of the minimum air volume in the supply air VAV unit 7" as CO2 control.

[0040] That is, in "controlling the ratio of outside air and return air", the controller 16 controls the amount of outside air taken in based on the concentration of CO2 measured by the CO2 sensor 13 or the concentration of CO2 measured by the CO2 sensor 14. At this time, when the operation mode of the controller 16 is an energy saving priority mode described later, the controller 16 increases the ratio of the amount of outside air taken in (increases the amount of outside air and decreases the amount of return air accordingly) when the concentration of CO2 is equal to or higher than a set value (e.g., 900 ppm), and controls so as not to take in as much outside air as possible when the concentration of CO2 is below the set value. On the other hand, when the operation mode of the controller 16 is a ventilation mode described later, the controller 16 controls so as to increase the ratio of outside air, while controlling so as to stop increasing the amount of outside air taken in or decrease the amount of outside air taken in when the processing capacity of the air conditioner 4 becomes equal to or higher than a threshold value.

[0041] Also, in the "variable control of the minimum air volume setting in supply air VAV unit 7", as in the conventional method, controller 16 controls the minimum blowing volume (minimum air volume) of supply air VAV unit 7 to increase based on the CO2 concentration measured by CO2 sensor 13 (i.e., blows out air if there is little supply of air to maintain room temperature).

[0042] In addition, in the case of headcount control, the controller 16 controls the amount of outside air taken in based on the number of people measured by the human detection sensor 15. At this time, when the operation mode of the controller 16 is the energy saving priority mode, the controller 16 performs the same control as in the conventional case. On the other hand, when the operation mode of the controller 16 is the ventilation mode, the controller 16 performs control to increase the ratio of outside air, and when the processing capacity of the air conditioner 4 becomes equal to or greater than a threshold value, the controller 16 performs control to stop increasing the amount of outside air taken in or to reduce the amount of outside air taken in.

[0043] In the following, the system (controlled space) in which the controller 16 controls the ventilation volume (amount of outside air taken in) based on the CO2 concentration will be referred to as the CO2 control system, and the system (controlled space) in which the controller 16 controls the ventilation volume (amount of outside air taken in) based on the number of people in the controlled space will be referred to as the number of people control system.

[0044] Furthermore, the controller 16 may have a function of performing outdoor air cooling control. In this case, when the controller 16 determines that outdoor air cooling is effective for the controlled space, it controls the amount of outdoor air supplied to the air conditioner 4 before controlling the supply air temperature with the chilled water valve 2a.

[0045] As a function of controlling ventilation in the air conditioning control system, this controller 16 has an operation mode setting unit 1601, a ventilation level setting unit 1602, an outdoor air volume calculation unit 1603, a ventilation deficiency determination unit 1604, a setting confirmation unit 1605, a ventilation state determination unit 1606, a valve state determination unit 1607, and an outdoor air volume control unit 1608, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0046] The operation mode setting unit 1601 sets the operation mode of the controller 16. Examples of the operation modes of the controller 16 include an energy saving priority mode, a ventilation mode, and a maximum ventilation mode. The energy saving priority mode is a mode in which the same control as the conventional control is performed, in which energy saving is prioritized and control is performed to reduce the intake of outside air as much as possible. The ventilation mode is a mode that prioritizes ventilation and performs control to maximize the intake of outside air while maintaining the environment of the controlled space. The maximum ventilation mode is a mode that controls the intake of maximum outside air, but this mode may cause a deterioration in the temperature of the controlled space.

[0047] In this operation mode setting unit 1601, for example, a screen for setting the operation mode is displayed on a display device (not shown) used by a user (such as a building manager or a person in a controlled space). Then, the operation mode setting unit 1601 sets the operation mode to the operation mode selected by the user using the screen.

[0048] The ventilation level setting unit 1602 sets a level (ventilation level) when the operation mode of the controller 16 is the ventilation mode. The ventilation level includes, for example, a permissible concentration of CO2 or a permissible amount of outdoor air per person. The ventilation level setting unit 1602 can set the ventilation level from a plurality of levels. For example, the ventilation level setting unit 1602 may set a permissible concentration of CO2 of 900 ppm and a permissible amount of outdoor air per person of 30 m 3 / h (Level 1), the allowable CO2 concentration is 700 ppm and the allowable outdoor air volume per person is 40 m 3 / h (Level 2), the allowable CO2 concentration is 500 ppm and the allowable outdoor air volume per person is 50 m 3 / h (level 1), and a level (level 2). In this example, the controller 16 controls so that the ratio of outside air contained in the supply air increases as the level number increases.

[0049] For example, the ventilation level setting unit 1602 displays a screen for setting the ventilation level on a display device used by the user. The ventilation level setting unit 1602 then sets the ventilation level to the ventilation level selected by the user using the screen.

[0050] The operation mode setting unit 1601 and the ventilation level setting unit 1602 constitute a "level setting unit that sets a level based on at least one of the indicators of the environment of the controlled space and energy consumption." The environment of the controlled space can be air quality or thermal environment. In the above example, the energy saving priority mode corresponds to level 0 (control to reduce the ratio of outside air contained in the supply air compared to the ventilation mode (levels 1 to 3)), and the maximum ventilation mode corresponds to level 4 (control to increase the ratio of outside air contained in the supply air compared to the ventilation mode (levels 1 to 3)).

[0051] Outside air amount calculation section 1603 calculates, for each supply air VAV unit 7, the amount of outside air contained in the supply air blown out by supply air VAV unit 7. In this case, first, the outdoor air volume calculation unit 1603 calculates the volume of supply air from the air conditioner 4 based on the volume of supply air blown out from each supply air VAV unit 7. Then, the outdoor air volume calculation unit 1603 calculates the outdoor air introduction ratio based on the volume of outdoor air taken in and the volume of supply air. The outdoor air introduction ratio is the ratio of the volume of outdoor air taken in to the volume of supply air. Then, the outdoor air volume calculation unit 1603 calculates, for each supply air VAV unit 7, the volume of outdoor air contained in the supply air blown out by the supply air VAV unit 7 based on the outdoor air introduction ratio and the volume of supply air blown out from each supply air VAV unit 7.

[0052] The ventilation insufficiency determining unit 1604 determines whether or not there is an insufficient ventilation state for each system. At this time, the ventilation insufficiency determination unit 1604 determines that the CO2 control system is in an insufficient ventilation state when the CO2 concentration is equal to or higher than a threshold value (for example, 1000 ppm), and determines that the ventilation insufficiency state is not present otherwise. In addition, for the number of people control system, the ventilation shortage determination unit 1604 sets a threshold value (for example, 30 m 3If the value obtained by multiplying by (a) x (b) (the amount of outside air contained in the supply air blown out by supply air VAV unit 7 installed in the space to be controlled) is equal to or greater than the amount of outside air contained in the supply air blown out by supply air VAV unit 7 installed in the space to be controlled, then it is determined that there is insufficient ventilation, and otherwise it is determined that there is no insufficient ventilation. Note that ventilation insufficiency determiner 1604 uses the calculation result by outside air amount calculator 1603 for the amount of outside air contained in the supply air blown out by supply air VAV unit 7.

[0053] The result of the determination by the ventilation insufficiency determination unit 1604 is displayed on a display device used by the user. Then, the user may change the setting of the operation mode in the operation mode setting unit 1601 and the setting of the ventilation level in the ventilation level setting unit 1602 based on the result of the determination displayed on the display device. That is, in this case, the operation mode setting unit 1601 sets the operation mode to the operation mode selected by the user based on the result of the determination by the ventilation insufficiency determination unit 1604. Also, the ventilation level setting unit 1602 sets the ventilation level to the ventilation level selected by the user based on the result of the determination by the ventilation insufficiency determination unit 1604.

[0054] The setting confirmation unit 1605 confirms the operation mode set by the operation mode setting unit 1601 .

[0055] When the setting confirmation unit 1605 confirms that the operation mode is the ventilation mode, the ventilation state determination unit 1606 determines whether the ventilation state for each system satisfies the ventilation level set by the ventilation level setting unit 1602.

[0056] At this time, for example, for the CO2 control system, the ventilation state determination unit 1606 compares the CO2 concentration with the allowable concentration indicated by the ventilation level, and determines whether the ventilation state is "insufficient," "appropriate," or "excessive" with respect to the ventilation level. That is, when the CO2 concentration is equal to or greater than the allowable concentration, the ventilation state determination unit 1606 determines that the ventilation state is insufficient with respect to the ventilation level, when the CO2 concentration is equal to or greater than the lower limit and less than the allowable concentration, the ventilation state is appropriate with respect to the ventilation level, and when the CO2 concentration is less than the lower limit, the ventilation state is excessive with respect to the ventilation level. The lower limit is a value smaller than the allowable concentration, and the value changes depending on the allowable concentration (for example, the lower limit=allowable concentration-50).

[0057] Also, for example, for the number of people control system, the ventilation state determination unit 1606 compares a value (indoor required outdoor air volume) obtained by multiplying the number of people in the controlled space by the allowable outdoor air volume indicated by the ventilation level with the outdoor air volume (indoor supply outdoor air volume) contained in the supply air blown out by the supply VAV unit 7 provided in the controlled space, and determines whether the ventilation state is "insufficient," "appropriate," or "excessive" for the ventilation level. That is, the ventilation state determination unit 1606 determines that the ventilation state is insufficient for the ventilation level when the indoor required outdoor air volume is equal to or greater than the indoor supply outdoor air volume, determines that the ventilation state is appropriate for the ventilation level when the indoor required outdoor air volume is equal to or greater than the lower limit and less than the indoor supply outdoor air volume, and determines that the ventilation state is excessive for the ventilation level when the indoor required outdoor air volume is less than the lower limit. The lower limit is a value smaller than the indoor supply outdoor air volume, similar to the lower limit in the case of the CO2 control system, and the value changes depending on the indoor supply outdoor air volume. It should be noted that ventilation state determination section 1606 uses the calculation result by outside air volume calculation section 1603 for the amount of outside air contained in the supply air blown out by supply air VAV unit 7.

[0058] The valve state determination unit 1607 determines the capacity state of the valve when the ventilation state determination unit 1606 determines that the ventilation state in at least any one of the systems is insufficient for the ventilation level. At this time, if the valve opening is equal to or greater than a threshold value (for example, 90% (initial value)), the valve state determination unit 1607 determines that the controllable characteristic of heat exchange by the valve is in an insufficient capacity state, and otherwise determines that the controllable characteristic of heat exchange by the valve is not in an insufficient capacity state. Furthermore, if the valve has a function of measuring the flow rate in the supply path, the valve state determination unit 1607 may determine the capacity state of the valve based on the flow rate. In this case, if the flow rate in the supply path is equal to or greater than a threshold value (e.g., near the rated flow rate), the valve state determination unit 1607 determines that the controllable characteristic of heat exchange by the valve is in an insufficient capacity state, and otherwise determines that the controllable characteristic of heat exchange by the valve is not in an insufficient capacity state.

[0059] The outdoor air volume control unit 1608 controls the amount of outdoor air taken in (ventilation volume) by controlling the outdoor air VAV unit 1, the exhaust VAV unit 11, and the return air damper 10 based on the operation mode set by the operation mode setting unit 1601 and the ventilation level set by the ventilation level setting unit 1602.

[0060] At this time, if the setting confirmation unit 1605 confirms that the operation mode is the energy saving priority mode, the outdoor air volume control unit 1608 performs normal control (control to reduce the intake of outdoor air as much as possible without causing insufficient ventilation). Furthermore, when the setting confirmation unit 1605 confirms that the operation mode is the maximum ventilation mode, the outside air amount control unit 1608 performs control to take in the maximum amount of outside air.

[0061] Furthermore, when the setting confirmation unit 1605 confirms that the operation mode is the ventilation mode, the outside air volume control unit 1608 performs control to increase the amount of outside air taken in as much as possible while maintaining the environment of the controlled space. That is, when the valve state determination unit 1607 determines that the controllable characteristic of the heat exchange by the valve is not in a capacity insufficient state, the outdoor air amount control unit 1608 controls to increase the amount of outdoor air taken in. Also, when the valve state determination unit 1607 determines that the controllable characteristic of the heat exchange by the valve is in a capacity insufficient state, the outdoor air amount control unit 1608 controls to stop increasing the amount of outdoor air taken in or to reduce the amount of outdoor air taken in. Also, when the ventilation state determination unit 1606 determines that the ventilation state in all systems is excessive for the ventilation level, the outdoor air amount control unit 1608 controls to reduce the amount of outdoor air taken in. Also, when the ventilation state determination unit 1606 determines that the ventilation state in none of the systems is insufficient for the ventilation level and that the ventilation state in any of the systems is not excessive for the ventilation level, the outdoor air amount control unit 1608 controls to maintain the amount of outdoor air taken in without changing it.

[0062] 2 shows a case where the ventilation insufficiency determining unit 1604 is provided in the controller 16. However, the ventilation insufficiency determining unit 1604 is not an essential component, and may not be provided in the controller 16. 2 shows a case where the outside air volume calculation unit 1603 is provided in the controller 16. However, if the controller 16 does not control the number of people, the outside air volume calculation unit 1603 is not necessary.

[0063] Next, an example of the ventilation control operation by the controller 16 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. The operation mode setting unit 1601 sets the operation mode of the controller 16. The ventilation level setting unit 1602 sets the ventilation level when the operation mode of the controller 16 is the ventilation mode. In this way, the controller 16 can select a "ventilation mode" for preventing infectious diseases, and can set a "ventilation level" for balancing the amount of outside air taken in and the amount of energy consumed.

[0064] In an example of ventilation control operation by controller 16 according to embodiment 1 shown in FIG. 2, first, as shown in FIG. 3, outside air volume calculation unit 1603 calculates the volume of outside air contained in the supply air blown out by each supply VAV unit 7 (step ST301). In this case, first, as shown in the following equation (1), the outside air amount calculation unit 1603 calculates the supply air amount based on the supply air blown out amount of each supply air VAV unit 7. Then, as shown in the following equation (2), the outside air amount calculation unit 1603 calculates the outside air introduction ratio based on the outside air intake amount and supply air amount. Then, as shown in the following equation (3), the outside air amount calculation unit 1603 calculates the amount of outside air contained in the supply air blown out by the supply air VAV unit 7 for each supply air VAV unit 7 based on the outside air introduction ratio and the supply air blown out amount of each supply air VAV unit 7. Supply air volume = Σ (air supply volume of each supply VAV unit 7) (1) Outdoor air intake ratio = outdoor air intake volume ÷ supply air volume (2) Amount of outside air contained in the supply air blown out by each supply air VAV unit 7 = Amount of supply air blown out by each supply air VAV unit 7 × Outside air introduction ratio (3)

[0065] Next, the ventilation insufficiency determining unit 1604 determines whether or not each system is in an insufficient ventilation state (step ST302). At this time, the ventilation insufficiency determination unit 1604 determines that the CO2 control system is in an insufficient ventilation state when the CO2 concentration is equal to or higher than a threshold value (for example, 1000 ppm), and determines that the ventilation insufficiency state is not present otherwise. In addition, for the number of people control system, the ventilation shortage determination unit 1604 sets a threshold value (for example, 30 m 3 If the value obtained by multiplying the amount of outside air contained in the supply air blown out by the supply VAV unit 7 installed in the space to be controlled is equal to or greater than the amount of outside air contained in the supply air blown out by the supply VAV unit 7 installed in the space to be controlled, it is determined that there is insufficient ventilation, and otherwise it is determined that there is no insufficient ventilation.

[0066] The result of the determination by the ventilation insufficiency determination unit 1604 is displayed on a display device used by the user. Then, the user may change the setting of the operation mode in the operation mode setting unit 1601 and the setting of the ventilation level in the ventilation level setting unit 1602 based on the result of the determination displayed on the display device. That is, in this case, the operation mode setting unit 1601 sets the operation mode to the operation mode selected by the user based on the result of the determination by the ventilation insufficiency determination unit 1604. Also, the ventilation level setting unit 1602 sets the ventilation level to the ventilation level selected by the user based on the result of the determination by the ventilation insufficiency determination unit 1604.

[0067] Next, the setting confirmation unit 1605 confirms whether the operation mode set by the operation mode setting unit 1601 is the ventilation mode (step ST303).

[0068] In this step ST303, if the setting confirmation unit 1605 confirms that the operation mode is the ventilation mode, the ventilation state determination unit 1606 determines whether the ventilation state in any system is insufficient for the ventilation level (step ST304). At this time, the ventilation status determination unit 1606 determines that, for the CO2 control system, if the CO2 concentration is equal to or higher than the allowable concentration, the ventilation status is insufficient relative to the ventilation level, and otherwise determines that the ventilation status is not insufficient relative to the ventilation level. In addition, for the number of people control system, the ventilation status determination unit 1606 determines that the ventilation status is insufficient for the ventilation level if the amount of outdoor air required indoors is equal to or greater than the amount of outdoor air supplied indoors, and otherwise determines that the ventilation status is not insufficient for the ventilation level.

[0069] In this step ST304, if the ventilation state determination unit 1606 determines that the ventilation state in at least any system is insufficient relative to the ventilation level, the valve state determination unit 1607 determines whether the controllable characteristic of heat exchange by the valve is in a capacity insufficient state (step ST305). At this time, if the valve opening is equal to or greater than a threshold value (e.g., 90% (initial value)) or if the flow rate in the supply path is equal to or greater than a threshold value (e.g., near the rated flow rate), the valve state determination unit 1607 determines that the controllable characteristic of heat exchange by the valve is in an insufficient capacity state, and otherwise determines that the controllable characteristic of heat exchange by the valve is not in an insufficient capacity state.

[0070] In this step ST305, if the valve state determination unit 1607 determines that the controllable characteristic of heat exchange by the valve is not in a capacity insufficient state, the outside air amount control unit 1608 performs control to increase the amount of outside air taken in (step ST306).

[0071] On the other hand, if the valve state determination unit 1607 determines in step ST305 that the controllable characteristic of heat exchange by the valve is in a capacity insufficient state, the outside air amount control unit 1608 stops increasing the amount of outside air taken in or reduces the amount of outside air taken in (step ST307). At this time, for example, when the valve opening degree is in a first range (e.g., 90% or more and less than 95%), the outside air amount control unit 1608 stops increasing the amount of outside air taken in, and when the valve opening degree is in a second range (e.g., 95% or more) larger than the first range, reduces the amount of outside air taken in. The above is also the case when the capacity state of the valve is determined by the flow rate in the supply path.

[0072] On the other hand, if the ventilation state determination unit 1606 determines in step ST304 that the ventilation state in any system is not insufficient for the ventilation level, it determines whether the ventilation state in all systems is excessive for the ventilation level (step ST308). At this time, the ventilation status determination unit 1606 determines that, for the CO2 control system, if the CO2 concentration is below the lower limit, the ventilation status is excessive for the ventilation level, and otherwise determines that the ventilation status is not excessive for the ventilation level. In addition, for the number of people control system, the ventilation state determination unit 1606 determines that the ventilation state is excessive for the ventilation level if the amount of outdoor air required indoors is less than a lower limit value, and otherwise determines that the ventilation state is not excessive for the ventilation level.

[0073] In this step ST308, if the ventilation state determination unit 1606 determines that the ventilation state in all the systems is excessive for the ventilation level, the outside air amount control unit 1608 controls so as to reduce the amount of outside air taken in (step ST309).

[0074] On the other hand, if the ventilation state determination unit 1606 determines in step ST308 that the ventilation state in any system is not excessive for the ventilation level, the outdoor air volume control unit 1608 controls the amount of outdoor air taken in to be maintained unchanged (step ST310).

[0075] On the other hand, when it is confirmed in step ST303 that the operation mode is not the ventilation mode, the setting confirmation unit 1605 confirms whether the operation mode is the energy saving priority mode (step ST311).

[0076] In this step ST311, if the setting confirmation unit 1605 confirms that the operation mode is the energy saving priority mode, the outdoor air volume control unit 1608 performs normal control (control to reduce the intake of outdoor air as much as possible without causing insufficient ventilation) (step ST312).

[0077] On the other hand, if the setting confirmation unit 1605 confirms in step ST311 that the operation mode is not the energy saving priority mode (i.e., the maximum ventilation mode), the outside air volume control unit 1608 performs control to take in as much outside air as possible (step ST313).

[0078] As described above, according to the first embodiment, the controller 16 (ventilation control device) includes a level setting unit (operation mode setting unit 1601 and ventilation level setting unit 1602) that sets a level based on at least one of the indicators of the environment of the controlled space and energy consumption, and an outside air volume control unit 1608 that controls the ratio of outside air contained in the air supplied to the controlled space generated by the air conditioner 4 based on the level set by the level setting unit. This allows the controller 16 (ventilation control device) according to the first embodiment to flexibly control the ratio of outside air contained in the supply air compared to the conventional case. Furthermore, this controller 16 makes it possible to balance the environment of the controlled space with consuming a large amount of energy.

[0079] Furthermore, in the controller 16 of embodiment 1, when the amount of outside air is increased for ventilation, priority is given to increasing the proportion of outside air contained in the supply air, so the conveying power does not increase as in the CO2 control of the conventional supply air VAV unit 7 (it is possible to take in a large amount of outside air without increasing the amount of supply air).

[0080] For example, as shown in Fig. 4, consider a case where the number of people present in a controlled space with a capacity of four is four or more. Fig. 4B shows a case where six people are present in a controlled space with a capacity of four. In this case, in the controller 16 according to the first embodiment, a higher proportion of outside air is prioritized in the ventilation mode, so that a large amount of outside air can be taken in without increasing the amount of air supplied. As a result, appropriate outside air can be supplied even when more than the capacity of the controlled space is present.

[0081] Furthermore, in the controller 16 (ventilation control device) shown in FIG. 2, the outdoor air amount control unit 1608 increases the amount of outdoor air taken in when the valve state determination unit 1607 determines that the controllable characteristic of the heat exchange by the valve is not in a capacity insufficient state, and stops the increase in the amount of outdoor air taken in or reduces the amount of outdoor air taken in when the valve state determination unit 1607 determines that the controllable characteristic of the heat exchange by the valve is in a capacity insufficient state. This allows the controller 16 (ventilation control device) to take in more outdoor air while maintaining the environment in the controlled space compared to the conventional method. That is, the controller 16 constantly monitors the processing capacity of the air conditioner 4 (valve opening or flow rate in the supply path), and when the processing capacity of the air conditioner 4 becomes equal to or greater than a threshold value, stops the increase in the amount of outdoor air taken in or reduces the amount of outdoor air taken in, thereby enabling the maximum amount of outdoor air to be taken in while maintaining the environment in the controlled space. The effects of this configuration are described below.

[0082] For example, as shown in FIG. 5, consider a case where cooling is performed by simply increasing the outdoor air ratio to 4 / 5 in an air conditioning control system when the design value of the outdoor air ratio is 1 / 5. In FIG. 5A (when the outdoor air ratio is 1 / 5), the outdoor air temperature is 36°C, the return air temperature is 26°C, the temperature inside the air conditioner 4 is 28°C, and the supply air temperature is 15°C. In this case, when high-temperature outdoor air is taken in, the temperature inside the air conditioner 4 rises. Then, when the temperature inside the air conditioner 4 rises to a value equal to or higher than the design value, the air conditioner 4 is unable to perform cooling, and the temperature of the supply air rises. In FIG. 5B (when the outdoor air ratio is 4 / 5), the temperature inside the air conditioner 4 rises to 34°C, and the opening degree of the chilled water valve 2a becomes 100%, so that cooling is unable to be performed, and the temperature of the supply air rises to 17°C. That is, such a state is a typical example of a state in which the control of heat exchange by the valve deviates from the controllable characteristics. In theory, normal control operations that use a lot of return air, which is already controlled to the target room temperature, will not deviate from the controllable range. However, when switching to a state where a lot of outside air is used for ventilation purposes, it is necessary to be aware that there is a possibility of deviation from the controllable range.

[0083] Thus, if an air conditioning control system were to simply take in a large amount of outside air as a measure to prevent infection, the capacity of the air conditioner 4 would be insufficient, and the indoor environment could deteriorate.

[0084] In contrast, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, in an air conditioning control system, when the design value of the outdoor air ratio is 1 / 5, consider a case where cooling is performed by increasing the outdoor air ratio while monitoring the processing capacity of the chilled water valve 2a. In FIG. 6A (when the outdoor air ratio is 1 / 5), the outdoor air temperature is 36°C, the return air temperature is 26°C, the temperature inside the air conditioner 4 is 28°C, and the supply air temperature is 15°C. In this case, when high-temperature outdoor air is taken in, the temperature inside the air conditioner 4 rises. However, the controller 16 shown in FIG. 2 increases the amount of outdoor air taken in while monitoring the processing capacity of the air conditioner 4, and stops the increase in the amount of outdoor air taken in or reduces the amount of outdoor air taken in when the processing capacity of the air conditioner 4 becomes equal to or greater than a threshold value. In FIG. 6B, the increase in the amount of outdoor air taken in is stopped when the opening degree of the chilled water valve 2a reaches 90% (the increase in the outdoor air ratio is stopped at 1 / 2). In this case, there is no change in the cooling capacity of the air conditioner 4, so the supply air temperature can be maintained at 15° C. without increasing.

[0085] In the above, the ventilation level includes the permissible CO2 concentration and the permissible amount of outdoor air per person. However, the ventilation level may include the permissible temperature of the controlled space. In this case, the ventilation level may include, for example, a level (level 5) where the permissible temperature is room temperature + 0.5°C, or a level (level 6) where the permissible temperature is room temperature + 1.0°C. In this case, the outside air amount control unit 1608 increases the amount of outside air taken in when the valve state determination unit 1607 determines that the controllable characteristic of heat exchange by the valve is not in a capacity insufficient state or when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 6 is determined to be below the allowable temperature. That is, even when the valve state determination unit 1607 determines that the controllable characteristic of heat exchange by the valve is in a capacity insufficient state, the outside air amount control unit 1608 increases the amount of outside air taken in when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 6 is below the allowable temperature. On the other hand, when the valve state determination unit 1607 determines that the controllable characteristic of heat exchange by the valve is in a capacity insufficient state and the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 6 is equal to or higher than the allowable temperature, the outside air amount control unit 1608 stops increasing the amount of outside air taken in or reduces the amount of outside air taken in.

[0086] Furthermore, in winter, increasing the amount of outside air taken in may reduce the humidity in the space to be controlled. Therefore, the ventilation level may include the allowable humidity of the space to be controlled. Examples of the allowable humidity include 40%, 45%, and 50%. The ventilation status determination unit 1606 compares the humidity measured by the humidity sensor 12 with the allowable humidity to determine whether the ventilation status of each system satisfies the ventilation level set by the ventilation level setting unit 1602.

[0087] In the above description, the level setting unit (operation mode setting unit 1601 and ventilation level setting unit 1602) sets the levels (operation mode and ventilation level) by accepting manual input from the user. However, this is not limiting, and the level setting unit may set the level automatically. In this case, the level setting unit sets the level based on at least one of the power consumption status (the difference between the contracted power and the current power consumption), the demand response, and the outside air conditions, for example.

[0088] It should be noted that, within the scope of the present invention, any of the components of the embodiments may be modified or omitted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1. Outdoor air VAV unit 2a Cold water valve (valve) 2b Hot water valve (valve) 3 Humidifier valve 4 Air conditioner 5 Temperature Sensor 6 Temperature Sensor 7. Supply VAV unit 8. Exhaust Fan 9 Return air fan 10 Return air damper 11 Exhaust VAV unit 12 Temperature and humidity sensor 13 CO2 sensor 14 CO2 sensor 15 Human detection sensor 16 Controller 17 Outdoor air duct 18. Outside air vent 19a Cold water supply line (supply line) 19b Hot water supply path (supply path) 20 Supply route 21 Air supply duct 22 Air supply port 23 Exhaust port 24 Ventilation hole 25 Return Air Duct 26 Return air port 27 Exhaust port 101a, 101b Private room 102 Large Room 103 Corridor 104 Small Room 401a Chilled water coil (coil) 401b Hot water coil (coil) 402 Humidifier 403 Intake fan 1601 Operation mode setting section 1602 Ventilation level setting unit 1603 Outside air volume calculation unit 1604 Ventilation deficiency determination unit 1605 Setting confirmation section 1606 Ventilation status determination unit 1607 Valve status determination unit 1608 Outdoor air volume control unit

Claims

1. a level setting unit that, by receiving a user input, sets one of a normal level for increasing the proportion of outside air intake when the CO 2 concentration is 900 ppm or more and controlling so as to not take in as much outside air as possible when the CO 2 concentration is less than 900 ppm, and one or more levels for controlling to increase the proportion of outside air contained in the supply air relative to the normal level; an outside air amount control unit that controls a ratio of outside air contained in the supply air generated by the air conditioner to the controlled space based on the level set by the level setting unit; A ventilation control device comprising:

2. The outdoor air volume control unit enables the volume of outdoor air taken into the air conditioner to be equal to or greater than the designed outdoor air volume that satisfies a ventilation standard value determined by design.

2. The ventilation control device according to claim 1 .

3. a valve state determination unit that determines a capacity state of a valve that opens and closes a supply path that supplies cold water or hot water for heat exchange to the air conditioner; The outside air amount control unit increases an amount of outside air taken in when the valve state determination unit determines that the controllable characteristic of heat exchange by the valve is not in a capacity insufficient state, and stops increasing the amount of outside air taken in or reduces the amount of outside air taken in when the valve state determination unit determines that the controllable characteristic of heat exchange by the valve is in a capacity insufficient state.

3. The ventilation control device according to claim 2.

4. A temperature sensor that measures a temperature of the controlled space; a valve state determination unit that determines a capacity state of a valve that opens and closes a supply path that supplies cold water or hot water for heat exchange to the air conditioner, The outside air amount control unit increases the amount of outside air taken in when the valve state determination unit determines that the controllable characteristic of the heat exchange by the valve is not in a capacity insufficient state or when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is determined to be below a tolerance value, and stops increasing the amount of outside air taken in or reduces the amount of outside air taken in when the valve state determination unit determines that the controllable characteristic of the heat exchange by the valve is in a capacity insufficient state and the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is determined to be equal to or higher than a tolerance value.

3. The ventilation control device according to claim 2.

5. The valve state determination unit determines a capacity state of the valve based on an opening degree of the valve or a flow rate in the supply path.

5. The ventilation control device according to claim 3 or 4.

6. a level setting unit receiving a user input and setting either a normal level for increasing the proportion of outside air intake when the CO 2 concentration is 900 ppm or more and controlling to take in as little outside air as possible when the CO 2 concentration is less than 900 ppm, or one or more levels for controlling to increase the proportion of outside air contained in the supply air relative to the normal level; an outdoor air amount control unit controls a ratio of outdoor air contained in air supplied to a controlled space generated by an air conditioner based on the level set by the level setting unit; The ventilation control method includes the steps of:

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