Air Conditioning Equipment

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner that enables a user to be easily aware of a service life of a refrigerant sensor and improvement of safety.SOLUTION: An air conditioner includes: an outdoor unit 10; an indoor unit 20 connected to the outdoor unit 10 via refrigerant piping and air-conditioning an air-conditioned space; a refrigerant sensor 30 for detecting refrigerant leakage in the air-conditioned space; and a remote controller 40 for operating an air-conditioning operation. The air conditioner further includes a control section 50 that when an integrated energization time of the refrigerant sensor 30 exceeds a reference time, performs control to issue a warning to the remote controller 40 for each predetermined period and stop the air-conditioning operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioning apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioning device that issues a pre-alert when the accumulated power-on time of the refrigerant sensor is shorter than the lifespan of the refrigerant sensor, and issues a post-alert when the refrigerant sensor reaches its lifespan, and if the refrigerant sensor breaks down after the lifespan of the refrigerant sensor has elapsed, issues a warning regarding the lifespan of the refrigerant sensor and then stops air conditioning operation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6656490 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides an air conditioner that can make users more aware of the end of the life of a refrigerant sensor, thereby improving safety. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The air conditioning apparatus according to the present disclosure includes an outdoor unit, an indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit via a refrigerant piping for conditioning the conditioned space, a refrigerant sensor for detecting refrigerant leakage in the conditioned space, and a remote control for operating the air conditioning, and is further equipped with a control unit that issues a warning to the remote control and controls the air conditioning operation to stop when the accumulated power supply time of the refrigerant sensor exceeds a reference time. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present disclosure, when the cumulative power-on time of the refrigerant sensor exceeds a reference time, an alarm is issued on the remote control and the air conditioning operation is stopped, so that the user can easily notice the alarm on the remote control by stopping the air conditioning operation. This allows the user to take measures against the life of the refrigerant sensor, such as contacting a maintenance company, thereby improving safety. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] A refrigeration cycle diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioner in embodiment 1. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control configuration according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 3(a), (b), (c), and (d) are explanatory diagrams showing examples of warnings issued by the remote control during air conditioning operation. [Figure 4] Flowchart showing the operation in the first embodiment DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] (The knowledge and other information that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time the inventors came up with the present disclosure, technology existed that would issue a pre-alert when the accumulated power-on time of the refrigerant sensor was shorter than the refrigerant sensor's lifespan, and would issue a post-alert if the refrigerant sensor reached its lifespan, and if the refrigerant sensor failed after its lifespan had elapsed, would issue a warning regarding the refrigerant sensor's lifespan and then stop air conditioning operation.

[0009] However, in conventional technologies, although notifications regarding the lifespan of the refrigerant sensor are issued in advance, at the end of its lifespan, or after the fact, the inventors discovered a problem in that simply notifying the user of the lifespan of the refrigerant sensor may not be noticeable, and in order to solve this problem, they have come up with the subject matter of the present disclosure. The present disclosure provides an air conditioner that can make users more aware of the end of the life of a refrigerant sensor, thereby improving safety.

[0010] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming more redundant than necessary and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. [1-1. Air conditioning system configuration] First, the configuration of the air conditioner will be described. FIG. 1 is a refrigeration cycle diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioner. As shown in Fig. 1, the air conditioner 1 includes an outdoor unit 10 and an indoor unit 20. The outdoor unit 10 houses a compressor 11, a four-way valve 12 that switches the refrigerant flow path, an outdoor heat exchanger 13, an outdoor fan 14, and an outdoor throttling device 15, and the compressor 11, the four-way valve 12, the outdoor heat exchanger 13, and the outdoor throttling device 15 are connected in sequence by refrigerant piping 16.

[0012] The indoor unit 20 accommodates an indoor heat exchanger 21, an indoor throttling device 22, and an indoor fan 23, and the indoor heat exchanger 21 and the indoor throttling device 22 are connected via a refrigerant piping 24. The compressor 11 of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor heat exchanger 21 of the indoor unit 20 are connected by a liquid refrigerant pipe 25 and a gas refrigerant pipe 26. A refrigerant shutoff valve 27 is provided in the middle of each of the liquid refrigerant pipe 25 and the gas refrigerant pipe 26.

[0013] A refrigerant sensor 30 for detecting refrigerant leakage is housed in the indoor unit 20. The refrigerant sensor 30 may be configured separately from the indoor unit 20 and installed at any location in the space to be air-conditioned.

[0014] A remote control 40 for operating the air conditioning is also installed in the air conditioned space. The remote control 40 includes a display unit 41 and an operation unit . The display unit 41 displays predetermined information such as the set temperature of the conditioned space, the current indoor temperature, the type of operation such as cooling, heating, or dehumidification, the wind direction, and time. The operation unit 42 is composed of, for example, a plurality of operation switches, and allows the setting of the set temperature, the type of operation, the air volume, the air direction, and the like.

[0015] [1-2. Control configuration] Next, the control configuration of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the air conditioner includes a control unit 50 and a storage unit 51. The control unit 50 is equipped with a processor such as a CPU or MPU that executes programs, and memory such as a ROM or RAM, and performs various processes through cooperation between hardware and software, such as the processor reading out control programs stored in the memory and executing processing.

[0016] The control unit 50 controls the compressor 11 of the outdoor unit 10, the outdoor throttle device 15, the outdoor fan 14, the indoor fan 23, and the indoor throttle device 22 of the indoor unit 20 based on a control program operated by the remote control 40. The control unit 50 receives a detection signal from the refrigerant sensor 30, and when the refrigerant sensor 30 detects a refrigerant leak, for example, controls the compressor 11 to stop and the refrigerant shutoff valve 27 to close. Furthermore, the storage unit 51 stores, for example, information sent from the remote control 40. Furthermore, the control unit 50 counts the time that the refrigerant sensor 30 is energized, calculates the integrated energization time, and stores it in the storage unit 51.

[0017] In addition, the control unit 50 issues a warning via the remote control 40 based on the accumulated power supply time of the refrigerant sensor 30. The control unit 50 determines whether the accumulated power supply time of the refrigerant sensor 30 has passed a first reference time. The first reference time is a predetermined time before the end of the life of the refrigerant sensor 30. Specifically, for example, if the life of the refrigerant sensor 30 is five years, the first reference time is set to 60 days before that. The first reference time can be set arbitrarily.

[0018] When the control unit 50 determines that the integrated power-on time of the refrigerant sensor 30 has exceeded the first reference time, it controls the remote control 40 to issue a warning in a first manner. The warning according to the first aspect is, for example, to display an error code and a blinking inspection indicator to prompt the user to perform an inspection. Then, the control unit 50 controls the air conditioning operation to stop. In this way, since it is considered that the user is inclined to check the remote control 40 by stopping the air conditioning operation by the control unit 50, it is easier to make the user aware that the refrigerant sensor 30 has reached the end of its life.

[0019] Thereafter, when the user operates the operation unit 42 of the remote control 40 to restart the air conditioning operation, the control unit 50 performs control in the second mode in which no error code is displayed and only the inspection display is flashed.

[0020] When the first reference time has elapsed, the control unit 50 stops the air conditioning operation when a predetermined first set period has elapsed, and controls the remote control 40 to issue a warning in a first manner. Here, the first period is set to, for example, 7 days. The first period can be set arbitrarily. Then, when the air conditioning operation is resumed, the control unit 50 controls the remote control 40 to issue a warning in the second manner. These operations are repeated for each first period. This makes it easier for the user to recognize that the refrigerant sensor 30 has reached the end of its life by checking the remote control 40.

[0021] In this embodiment, the air conditioning operation is controlled to stop when the first reference time has elapsed, but the control unit 50 may control the air conditioning operation to continue while only issuing a warning via the remote control 40 when the first reference time has elapsed. This is because stopping the air conditioning operation may reduce the comfort of the users. Also, since the refrigerant sensor 30 has not yet reached the end of its life, continuing the air conditioning operation will not cause any problems. Furthermore, when the notification time has passed after the first reference time has elapsed, the control unit 50 may control the air conditioning operation to be stopped under conditions that do not impair the comfort of the user. This makes it possible to prevent the comfort of the user from being impaired. The notification time is, for example, the time when a first period has elapsed since the operation was restarted. The case where the comfort of the user is not impaired is, for example, when the temperature difference between the temperature set by the remote control 40 and the indoor temperature or the outdoor temperature is within a predetermined value. Specifically, this can be during the day in winter, or early morning or evening in summer.

[0022] If the refrigerant sensor 30 is configured separately from the indoor unit 20 and installed in the space to be air-conditioned, the refrigerant sensor 30 may be controlled to issue a warning in addition to the warning issued by the remote control 40. By controlling in this manner, it becomes easier for the user to understand that the refrigerant sensor 30 has reached the end of its life. On the other hand, if the refrigerant sensor 30 is built into the indoor unit 20, the refrigerant sensor 30 may be controlled not to issue a warning. Furthermore, a warning may be issued when the first reference time has elapsed by a centralized control center that manages the air conditioners.

[0023] In addition, the control unit 50 determines whether the accumulated power-on time of the refrigerant sensor 30 has elapsed a second reference time, and if it is determined that the accumulated power-on time of the refrigerant sensor 30 has elapsed the second reference time, the control unit 50 stops the air conditioning operation and controls the remote control 40 to issue an alert in the first manner. The second reference time is the lifespan of the refrigerant sensor 30. If the lifespan of the refrigerant sensor 30 is five years, the second reference time is five years.

[0024] Thereafter, when the user operates the operation unit 42 of the remote control 40 to restart the air conditioning operation, the control unit 50 performs control in the second mode in which no error code is displayed and only the inspection display is flashed.

[0025] When the second reference time has elapsed, the control unit 50 stops the air conditioning operation after a predetermined second period has elapsed, and controls the remote control 40 to issue a warning in the first manner. Here, the second period is set to, for example, one day. The second set time can be set arbitrarily. Then, when the air conditioning operation is resumed, the control unit 50 controls the remote control 40 to issue a warning in the second manner. These operations are repeated for each second period. This makes it easier for the user to recognize that the refrigerant sensor 30 has reached the end of its life by checking the remote control 40.

[0026] Furthermore, when a third reference time has elapsed, the control unit 50 controls the air conditioner so as to prohibit operation. The third reference time is set to a time longer than the second reference time, and is set, for example, in a range of about six months to two years beyond the life of the refrigerant sensor 30. If the third reference time has elapsed, there is no guarantee that the refrigerant sensor 30 will function normally, and so operation of the air conditioner is prohibited for safety reasons.

[0027] Furthermore, when the control unit 50 detects that a special operation has been performed on the remote control 40 or the like, it can reset the integrated power supply time of the refrigerant sensor 30. The special operation on the remote control 40 or the like is, for example, an operation of simultaneously pressing multiple buttons on the remote control continuously for a predetermined period of time. When the control unit 50 receives a refrigerant leakage detection signal from the refrigerant sensor 30, it stops the compressor 11, stops the air conditioning operation, and rotates the indoor fan 23. This allows the refrigerant leaked into the conditioned space to be agitated. The control unit 50 then controls the air conditioning operation so that it cannot be resumed until it detects that the breaker has been turned off and then restored, and that a special operation has been performed on the remote control 40 or the like. In other words, by preventing the air conditioning operation from being resumed until the above-mentioned operation is performed, it is possible to prevent the user from freely resuming the air conditioning operation without taking appropriate measures after the refrigerant leakage.

[0028] When the control unit 50 detects an abnormal state of the refrigerant sensor 30, it stops the compressor 11 and stops the air conditioning operation. An abnormal state of the refrigerant sensor 30 is, for example, when the voltage value of the refrigerant sensor 30 is an abnormal value. After detecting the abnormal state of the refrigerant sensor 30, the control unit 50 controls the air conditioning operation so that it cannot be resumed until it detects that the breaker has been turned off and then restored. In other words, by not allowing the air conditioning operation to be resumed until the above operation is performed, it is possible to prevent the user from freely resuming the air conditioning operation without inspecting or replacing the refrigerant sensor 30. Since the importance of safety measures increases in the order of detection of a refrigerant leak, detection of an abnormal state of the refrigerant sensor 30, and the end of life state of the refrigerant sensor 30, the conditions for resuming air conditioning operation from a stopped state are made strictest when a refrigerant leak is detected, followed by easing when an abnormal state of the refrigerant sensor 30 is detected, and then when the end of life state of the refrigerant sensor 30 is detected. This makes it possible to achieve both user convenience and safety.

[0029] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a warning issued by the remote control 40 during air conditioning operation. As shown in FIG. 3(a), during air conditioning operation, the display unit 41 displays predetermined information such as the set temperature, the operation mode, etc. Then, when the accumulated power supply time of the refrigerant sensor 30 exceeds the first reference time or the second reference time, the air conditioning operation is stopped and, as shown in FIG. 3(b), a warning is issued according to the first mode, prompting the user to perform an inspection and displaying a warning display 60 showing an error code.

[0030] Furthermore, when the air conditioning operation is resumed by operating the "ON / OFF" button from the state shown in FIG. 3(b), only the warning display 60 prompting inspection, which is a warning issued in the second manner, is displayed flashing, as shown in FIG. 3(c). When the "ON / OFF" button is operated from the state shown in FIG. 3(c) to stop the air conditioning operation, a warning display 60 prompting inspection is displayed flashing as shown in FIG. 3(d).

[0031] [1-2. Operation] Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment. When the air conditioner is installed, the control unit 50 starts counting the integrated power-on time of the refrigerant sensor 30 (ST1). The control unit 50 determines whether the integrated power supply time of the refrigerant sensor 30 has passed a first reference time (ST2). When the control unit 50 determines that the first reference time has elapsed (ST2: YES), it stops the air conditioning operation, and issues a warning in a first manner that prompts an inspection and displays an error code (ST3).

[0032] Then, when the air conditioning operation is turned on by the remote control 40 (ST4: YES), the control unit 50 restarts the air conditioning operation and issues an alarm in the second mode in which only the warning display 60 prompting inspection is displayed (ST5). If the first period has elapsed since the operation was restarted (ST6: YES), the air conditioning operation is stopped and an alarm is issued in the first manner (ST3). This operation is repeated every time the first period elapses.

[0033] The control unit 50 determines whether the accumulated power supply time of the refrigerant sensor 30 has exceeded a second reference time (ST7), and if it determines that the second reference time has exceeded (ST7: YES), it stops the air conditioning operation and issues a warning in a first manner that prompts inspection and displays an error code (ST8). Then, when the air conditioning operation is turned on by the remote control 40 (ST9: YES), the control unit 50 restarts the air conditioning operation and issues an alarm in the second mode in which only the warning display 60 prompting inspection is displayed (ST10). If the second period has elapsed since the operation was restarted (ST11: YES), the air conditioning operation is stopped and an alarm is issued in the first mode (ST8). This operation is repeated every time the second period elapses.

[0034] Then, when the control unit 50 determines that the integrated power-on time of the refrigerant sensor 30 has passed the third reference time (ST12: YES), it performs control to prohibit operation of the air conditioner (ST13).

[0035] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, this embodiment comprises an outdoor unit 10, an indoor unit 20 connected to the outdoor unit 10 via a refrigerant piping and conditioning the conditioned space, a refrigerant sensor 30 that detects refrigerant leakage in the conditioned space, and a remote control 40 that controls the air conditioning operation, and is further equipped with a control unit 50 that issues a warning to the remote control 40 when the accumulated power supply time of the refrigerant sensor 30 exceeds a reference time, and controls the air conditioning operation to be stopped at predetermined intervals. As a result, when the accumulated power supply time of the refrigerant sensor 30 exceeds the reference time, an alarm is issued on the remote control 40 and the air conditioning operation is stopped, so that the user can easily notice the alarm issued by the remote control 40 by stopping the air conditioning operation. This allows the user to take appropriate measures regarding the life of the refrigerant sensor 30, such as contacting a maintenance company, thereby improving safety.

[0036] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the accumulated power supply time of the refrigerant sensor 30 has exceeded a reference time, the control unit 50 stops the air conditioning operation and issues a warning on the remote control 40 in a first manner indicating that a warning has been issued regarding the life of the refrigerant sensor 30, and when the air conditioning operation is resumed, the control unit 50 issues a warning on the remote control 40 in a second manner. As a result, when air conditioning operation is stopped, a warning urging inspection of the refrigerant sensor 30 and an error code can be displayed on the remote control 40, and when air conditioning operation is stopped, the error code can be confirmed only when the user checks the remote control 40. Then, when air conditioning operation is restarted, the warning is only displayed flashing, allowing the user to recognize that inspection is required.

[0037] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the specified period is set to be shorter when the integrated current flow time of the refrigerant sensor 30 has passed a second reference time that is longer than the first reference time than when the integrated current flow time of the refrigerant sensor 30 has passed a first reference time. As a result, when the first reference time, which is a shorter time than the lifespan of the refrigerant sensor 30, has elapsed, there is still time left until the lifespan of the refrigerant sensor 30, so a warning is issued to stop air conditioning operation for a long predetermined period of time, which prevents the user's convenience from being impaired. On the other hand, when the second reference time has elapsed, the lifespan of the refrigerant sensor 30 has been exceeded, so a warning is issued to stop air conditioning operation for short predetermined periods of time, which makes it easier for the user to notice. In other words, it is possible to achieve both user convenience and safety.

[0038] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the accumulated power-on time of the refrigerant sensor 30 exceeds a first reference time, the control unit 50 issues a warning to the remote control 40 while continuing the air conditioning operation, and when the accumulated power-on time of the refrigerant sensor 30 exceeds a second reference time that is longer than the first reference time, the control unit 50 issues a warning to the remote control 40 and controls the air conditioning operation to be stopped at predetermined intervals. As a result, since stopping the air conditioning operation may cause a loss of comfort for the users, the air conditioning operation is not stopped until the second reference time is exceeded, thereby ensuring the comfort of the users. On the other hand, if the second reference time is exceeded, the life of the refrigerant sensor 30 has been exceeded, so an alarm is issued to stop the air conditioning operation at short predetermined intervals, thereby making the users aware of this. In other words, it is possible to achieve both convenience and safety for the users.

[0039] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the accumulated power flow time of the refrigerant sensor 30 has exceeded a first reference time, the control unit 50 issues a warning to the remote control 40 and stops the air conditioning operation when the notification time is reached and the temperature difference between the set temperature and the room temperature is not greater than a predetermined value, and when the accumulated power flow time of the refrigerant sensor 30 has exceeded a second reference time that is longer than the first reference time, the control unit 50 controls the air conditioning operation to be stopped when the notification time is reached. As a result, stopping the air conditioning operation may impair user comfort, but if the temperature difference between the set temperature and the room temperature is below a predetermined value and does not impair user comfort, stopping the air conditioning operation allows air conditioning operation to be performed without impairing user comfort. On the other hand, if the second reference time has elapsed, the life of the refrigerant sensor 30 has been exceeded, so an alarm is issued to stop the air conditioning operation at short predetermined intervals to alert the user.

[0040] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the control unit 50 prohibits air conditioning operation when the integrated power-on time of the refrigerant sensor 30 has passed a third reference time that is longer than the second reference time. As a result, by prohibiting air conditioning operation when the third reference time has elapsed, which is the end of the life of the refrigerant sensor 30, air conditioning operation is prohibited in a state where there is a risk that the refrigerant sensor 30 will not function properly, thereby improving safety.

[0041] (Other embodiments) As described above, the first embodiment has been described as an example of the technology disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. In addition, it is also possible to combine the elements described in the first embodiment above to create new embodiments.

[0042] In the first embodiment, as an example of issuing a warning according to the first aspect, a control for displaying an error code and a blinking inspection display encouraging inspection has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, only an error code may be displayed, or an error related to the life of the refrigerant sensor 30 may be explicitly indicated. In short, any display mode may be used that allows a service technician or a user to understand that a warning related to the life of the refrigerant sensor 30 has been issued. In the first embodiment, as an example of the warning according to the second aspect, the control to only flash the inspection indicator without displaying an error code has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the inspection indicator may be turned on.

[0043] In the first embodiment, a configuration has been described in which a first warning is issued and air conditioning operation is stopped after the integrated power-on time of the refrigerant sensor 30 reaches the first reference time, the second reference time, the first elapsed time, or the second elapsed time, and then a second warning is issued after air conditioning operation is resumed, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The content of the warning issued when the first reference time or the second reference time has elapsed may be the same as that issued when air conditioning operation is started. In the first embodiment, it has been described that the second reference time is the lifetime of the refrigerant sensor 30, and the third reference time is a time longer than the lifetime of the refrigerant sensor 30. The present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the second reference time may be a time before the lifetime of the refrigerant sensor 30, and the third reference time may be the lifetime of the refrigerant sensor 30. As an example, the first reference time may be 60 days before the lifetime of the refrigerant sensor 30, the second reference time may be 10 days before the lifetime of the refrigerant sensor 30, and the third reference time may be the lifetime of the refrigerant sensor 30.

[0044] In the first embodiment, the outdoor unit 10, the indoor unit 20, the remote control 40, and the refrigerant sensor 30 are configured to be controlled by one control unit 50, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, an outdoor control unit that controls the outdoor unit 10, an indoor control unit that controls the indoor unit 20, a remote control control unit that controls the remote control 40, and a sensor control unit that controls the refrigerant sensor 30 may be provided, and the indoor control unit may count the accumulated power-on time of the refrigerant sensor 30 and control the issuance of a warning to the remote control 40. Furthermore, the accumulated power-on time of the refrigerant sensor 30 may be counted by the sensor control unit, and the remote control unit may control the issuance of an alarm based on the accumulated power-on time from the sensor control unit. [Industrial Applicability]

[0045] The air conditioning apparatus of the present disclosure issues an alarm on the remote control and stops air conditioning operation when the accumulated power supply time of the refrigerant sensor exceeds a reference time. Therefore, by stopping the air conditioning operation, the user can easily notice the alarm on the remote control and can take appropriate measures to address the lifespan of the refrigerant sensor, and the air conditioning apparatus can be ideally used as an air conditioning apparatus that can improve safety. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1. Air conditioning equipment 10 Outdoor unit 11 Compressor 12 Four-way valve 13 Outdoor heat exchanger 14 Outdoor fan 15 Outdoor throttle device 16 Refrigerant piping 20 Indoor unit 21 Indoor heat exchanger 22 Indoor throttle device 23 Indoor fan 24 Refrigerant piping 25 Liquid refrigerant piping 26 Gas refrigerant piping 27 Refrigerant shutoff valve 30 Refrigerant Sensor 40 Remote Control 41 Display section 42 Operation section 50 Control section 51 Storage section

Claims

1. An air conditioner comprising an outdoor unit, an indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit via a refrigerant pipe for conditioning a space to be air-conditioned, a refrigerant sensor for detecting refrigerant leakage in the space to be air-conditioned, and a remote controller for operating the air conditioning, A control unit is provided that issues a warning to the remote controller and controls the air conditioning operation to be stopped at predetermined intervals when the cumulative power supply time of the refrigerant sensor exceeds a reference time. Air conditioning equipment.

2. When the cumulative power supply time of the refrigerant sensor exceeds the reference time, the control unit stops the air conditioning operation and issues a warning on the remote control in a first manner indicating that a warning has been issued regarding the life of the refrigerant sensor, and when the air conditioning operation is resumed, issues a warning on the remote control in a second manner. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The predetermined period is set to be shorter when the integrated current-carrying time of the refrigerant sensor has passed a second reference time that is longer than the first reference time than when the integrated current-carrying time of the refrigerant sensor has passed a first reference time. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The control unit continues the air conditioning operation while issuing a warning to the remote controller when an integrated current-carrying time of the refrigerant sensor exceeds a first reference time, When the cumulative energization time of the refrigerant sensor has passed a second reference time that is longer than the first reference time, an alarm is issued to the remote controller, and control is performed so that the air conditioning operation is stopped at predetermined intervals. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1.

5. When the integrated current supply time of the refrigerant sensor exceeds a first reference time, the control unit issues a warning to the remote controller, and when a warning time is reached and a temperature difference between a set temperature and a room temperature is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the control unit stops the air conditioning operation. When the cumulative energization time of the refrigerant sensor has passed a second reference time that is longer than the first reference time, control is performed so that the air conditioning operation is stopped when a notification time arrives. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1.

6. the first reference time is a time shorter than a life time of the refrigerant sensor, The second reference time is the life time of the refrigerant sensor. The air conditioning apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5.

7. The control unit prohibits air conditioning operation when an integrated current-carrying time of the refrigerant sensor has passed a third reference time that is longer than a second reference time. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 6.

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