How to renovate your air conditioning system

Abstract

To avoid supply disruption of air-conditioning air due to abnormal stop of some of the air conditioners by improving redundancy, on an air conditioning system in which a plurality of air conditioners is installed and a supply air duct communicated to each of the air-conditioning target areas from air-conditioning air outlet parts of the air conditioners is separately installed to each of the air conditioners.SOLUTION: An air conditioning system includes: a communication duct 50 for communicating air-conditioning air outlet parts 1b to each other of a plurality of air conditioner 1A, 1B; and a communication damper 51 capable of opening and closing the communication duct 50.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioning system in which a plurality of air conditioning units are installed and a supply air duct leading from the conditioned air outlet of each of the air conditioning units to each of the areas to be air-conditioned is provided for each of the plurality of air conditioning units, and a method for renovating the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, an air conditioning system has been known in which multiple air conditioning units are installed, and each of the multiple air conditioning units has a separate air supply duct that runs from the conditioned air outlet of the air conditioning unit to each of the areas to be air-conditioned (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-241163 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In an air conditioning system in which conditioned air is supplied from multiple air conditioning units to each of the target air-conditioning areas through separate air supply ducts, if one of the multiple air conditioning units abnormally stops, the supply of conditioned air to the air supply duct provided for the air conditioning unit that is abnormally stopped and to each of the target air-conditioning areas connected to it will be stopped. To repair such an air conditioning system and prevent interruptions in the supply of conditioned air due to the abnormal shutdown of some air conditioning units, it is possible to add ducts to each air-conditioned area within the facility so that conditioned air can be supplied from a separate supply duct from the normal supply duct, or to add a backup air conditioning unit to each air conditioning unit. However, adding ducts to each air-conditioned area within the facility can be problematic, as it requires the construction of structural sleeves and adjustments to the ceiling fit. Furthermore, adding a backup air conditioning unit to each air conditioning unit can be problematic in terms of securing installation space and costs. In view of this situation, the main objective of the present invention is to provide a technology that, by simply making simple and rational modifications to an air conditioning system in which multiple air conditioning units are installed and each of the multiple air conditioning units has a separate air supply duct leading from the conditioned air outlet of the air conditioning unit to each of the areas to be air-conditioned, can improve redundancy and avoid interruptions in the supply of conditioned air due to the abnormal shutdown of some of the air conditioning units. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A first characteristic configuration of the present invention is a method for renovating an air conditioning system in which a plurality of air conditioning units are installed, and air supply ducts leading from conditioned air outlets of the air conditioning units to respective air-conditioned areas are provided for each of the plurality of air conditioning units, a communication duct that connects the conditioned air blowing portions of the plurality of air conditioners to each other, and a communication damper that can open and close the communication duct; 、 The air conditioning device is an outdoor air conditioning unit that is installed in a predetermined outdoor air conditioning unit installation location on the roof or outdoors of a facility and adjusts the temperature of the taken-in outdoor air to generate conditioned air, The communication duct and the communication damper are provided in the outdoor air-conditioning unit installation section. It's at the point.

[0006] According to this configuration, a simple and rational modification can be made by adding at least one communication duct and communication damper that connect the respective conditioned air blow-out portions to the vicinity of the installation locations of the plurality of air conditioners. By performing such a modification, even when some of the plurality of air conditioners are abnormally stopped, the communication duct that is normally closed can be opened, and conditioned air can continue to be supplied from the air conditioners that are operating normally through the communication duct to the supply air ducts provided for the abnormally stopped air conditioners and to each air-conditioned area connected to them. Therefore, the present invention provides a technology that, by simply making simple and rational modifications to an air conditioning system in which multiple air conditioning units are installed and each air conditioning unit has a separate supply air duct leading from the conditioned air outlet of the air conditioning unit to each air-conditioned area, can improve redundancy and avoid interruptions in the supply of conditioned air due to the abnormal shutdown of some of the air conditioning units.

[0008] Furthermore, According to this configuration, even if multiple outdoor air-conditioning units are installed on the roof or outdoors of a facility as air-conditioning devices, renovations can be made by adding the above-mentioned communication ducts and the above-mentioned communication dampers to the roof or outdoors where the multiple outdoor air-conditioning units are installed, thereby improving the redundancy of the air-conditioning system while avoiding, for example, construction work within the facility.

[0009] The present invention 2 The characteristic configuration includes an abnormality determination means for determining whether each of the plurality of air conditioners is operating normally or abnormally stopped; an abnormality control means for controlling the operation of the communication damper based on the determination result of the abnormality determination means; The abnormality control means is configured to execute communication damper switching control to close the communication damper when each of the plurality of air conditioning devices is operating normally, and to open the communication damper when some of the plurality of air conditioning devices are abnormally stopped, i.e., when some of the plurality of air conditioning devices are abnormally stopped.

[0010] According to this configuration, the abnormality determination means and the abnormality control means are provided, and the communication damper switching control can be executed by the abnormality control means. As a result, the communication damper that is closed during the fully normal operation can be automatically opened during the partial abnormal shutdown. By automatically opening the communication damper during the partial abnormal shutdown in this manner, the supply of conditioned air from the air conditioner operating normally through the communication duct can be automatically continued to the air supply duct provided for the air conditioner that is abnormally stopped and to each air-conditioned area connected to it.

[0011] The present invention 3 A characteristic configuration is that an intake air adjustment damper whose opening degree is adjustable is provided at an inlet portion of the intake air duct where the conditioned air flows from the conditioned air blowing portion, The abnormality control means is configured to execute air supply balance adjustment control to narrow the opening of the air supply adjustment damper provided in the air supply duct on the air conditioning unit side that is operating normally during the partial abnormal stop compared to the opening during the fully normal operation.

[0012] According to this configuration, the supply air adjustment damper is provided, and the abnormality control means can execute the supply air balance adjustment control in addition to the communication damper switching control. This allows the opening of the supply air adjustment damper on the normally operating air conditioner, which is set to a relatively large opening during fully normal operation, to be automatically reduced during the partial abnormal shutdown. By reducing the opening of the supply air adjustment damper on the normally operating air conditioner during the partial abnormal shutdown, the conditioned air blown out to the conditioned air outlet from the normally operating air conditioner can be effectively distributed to the supply air duct and the communication duct connected to the conditioned air outlet, and the amount of conditioned air supplied through the communication duct to the supply air duct provided for the air conditioner that has abnormally stopped and to each air-conditioned area connected to it can be ensured. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the schematic configuration of the air conditioning system after repairs and its state when in full normal operation [Figure 2] A diagram showing the schematic configuration of the air conditioning system after repairs and the state when a partial abnormality occurred [Figure 3] Diagram showing the schematic configuration of the air conditioning system before renovation DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the air conditioning system 100 of this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "this air conditioning system") is installed in a facility 80 having multiple air-conditioned areas 80A, 80B on each floor, and is configured to have multiple air conditioning units 1A, 1B, and to have separate air supply ducts 10A, 10B that lead from the conditioned air blowing sections 1b of the multiple air conditioning units 1A, 1B to each of the air-conditioned areas 80A, 80B, respectively, provided for each of the multiple air conditioning units 1A, 1B. The air conditioning system 100 is constructed by applying the repair method of this embodiment to the pre-repair air conditioning system 90 shown in FIG. In Figures 1, 2, and 3, open dampers are shown in white and closed dampers are shown in black. Ducts with air flow are shown in solid lines, and ducts with no air flow are shown in dashed lines. The configuration of the air conditioning system 100 and the repair method applied to the pre-repair air conditioning system 90 will be described in detail below.

[0017] A facility 80 in which the air conditioning systems 90, 100 are installed is provided with a plurality of first air-conditioned areas 80A and a plurality of second air-conditioned areas 80B. The air-conditioning systems 90, 100 are provided with a first air conditioner 1A for mainly performing air conditioning on the plurality of first air-conditioned areas 80A, and a second air conditioner 1B for mainly performing air conditioning on the plurality of second air-conditioned areas 80B.

[0018] Air conditioners 1A, 1B are installed, for example, on the roof or outdoors of facility 80 and are configured as general outdoor air conditioning units. That is, air conditioners 1A, 1B configured as outdoor air conditioning units are configured to take in outside air OA from outdoors through outside air intake section 1a, adjust the temperature of the taken in outside air OA to generate conditioned air SA, and blow out the generated conditioned air SA from air conditioner air outlet section 1b connected to air supply ducts 10A, 10B. The conditioned air SA blown out from air conditioner air outlet section 1b of air conditioner 1A, 1B is then supplied to each of air-conditioned areas 80A, 80B through vertical pipes 11 and branch pipes 12 of air supply ducts 10A, 10B connected to air conditioner air outlet section 1b. On the other hand, the air conditioners 1A, 1B configured as outdoor air conditioning units are configured to take in return air RA through return air intake sections 1c to which return air ducts 20A, 20B are connected, recover the heat contained in the return air RA by heat exchange with the outside air OA, and blow out the exhaust air EA after the heat recovery from the exhaust air blow-out section 1d to the outdoors. Then, the indoor air of each air-conditioned area 80A, 80B is taken in as return air RA into the return air intake sections 1c of the air conditioners 1A, 1B through the branch pipes 22 and upright pipes 21 of the return air ducts 20A, 20B.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3, in the air conditioning system 90 before renovation, if one of the multiple air conditioning units 1A, 1B abnormally stops, the supply of conditioned air SA to the air supply ducts 10A, 10B provided for the air conditioning units 1A, 1B that are abnormally stopped and to each of the air-conditioned areas 80A, 80B connected to them will be stopped. Furthermore, in order to renovate such an air conditioning system 90 and avoid a stop in the supply of conditioned air SA due to an abnormal shutdown of some of the air conditioning units 1A, 1B, it is conceivable to install a loop duct 70 connecting the air supply ducts 10A, 10B on each floor, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3, and when some of the multiple air conditioning units 1A, 1B stop abnormally, open a loop damper 71 provided in the loop duct 70, and supply the conditioned air SA supplied from the air conditioning units 1A, 1B operating normally through the loop duct 70 to each of the air-conditioned areas 80A, 80B where the supply of conditioned air SA from the abnormally stopped air conditioning units 1A, 1B has been stopped. However, this design plan poses the problem of the complexity of installing additional loop ducts 70 on the side of each of the air-conditioned areas 80A and 80B in the facility 80, which requires the construction of frame sleeves and adjustment of ceiling fit.

[0020] Therefore, the present air conditioning system 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is constructed by making simple and rational modifications to the pre-modification air conditioning system 90 shown in Figure 3 in order to improve redundancy and avoid a stop in the supply of conditioned air SA due to an abnormal shutdown of some of the air conditioning units 1A, 1B. Below, as a detailed configuration of the air conditioning system 100 after repair constructed by the repair method of this embodiment, details of the configuration added to the air conditioning system 90 before repair will be mainly described.

[0021] The air conditioning system 100 is provided with a communication duct 50 that connects the conditioned air blowing sections 1b of the multiple air conditioners 1A, 1B, and a communication damper 51 that can open and close the communication duct 50. Since the multiple air conditioners 1A, 1B are configured as outdoor air conditioning units and are installed on the roof or outdoors of the facility 80, the communication duct 50 and communication damper 51 are installed on the roof or outdoors while avoiding construction work within the facility 80.

[0022] Furthermore, in each of the supply air ducts 10A and 10B, supply air adjustment dampers 53A and 53B whose opening degree can be adjusted are provided at inflow portions 10Aa and 10Ba for the conditioned air SA from the conditioned air blow-out portion 1b. Furthermore, the outside air intake section 1a of each of the air conditioners 1A and 1B is provided with outside air intake dampers 55A and 55B that can open and close the outside air intake section 1a.

[0023] In this air conditioning system 100, the air conditioning control device 60 that controls the operation of each of the air conditioners 1A, 1B functions as an abnormality determination means 61 that determines whether each of the air conditioners 1A, 1B is operating normally or has stopped abnormally, and is also configured to function as an abnormality control means 62 that performs the communication damper switching control and supply air balance adjustment control described below by controlling the operation of the dampers 51, 53A, 53B, 55A, 55B added as described above based on the determination result of the abnormality determination means 61.

[0024] By executing the communication damper switching control by the abnormality control means 62, the state of the air conditioning system 100 is switched between a fully normal operation state (see Figure 1) in which each of the multiple air conditioners 1A, 1B is operating normally, and a partial abnormal stop state (see Figure 2) in which some of the multiple air conditioners 1A, 1B are abnormally stopped. For ease of explanation, it is assumed that in the partial abnormal shutdown state shown in FIG. 2, the first air conditioner 1A is operating normally and the second air conditioner 1B is abnormally stopped.

[0025] 1, the communication damper switching control automatically closes the communication damper 51. At the same time, the supply air adjustment dampers 53A and 53B and the outside air intake dampers 55A and 55B are fully opened.

[0026] Then, during completely normal operation, all of the conditioned air SA blown out from the conditioned air blowout section 1b of the first air conditioner 1A in normal operation is supplied to each of the first air-conditioned areas 80A through the first air supply duct 10A connected to that conditioned air blowout section 1b. On the other hand, during completely normal operation, all of the conditioned air SA blown out from the conditioned air blowout section 1b of the second air conditioner 1B in normal operation is supplied to each of the second air-conditioned areas 80B through the second air supply duct 10B connected to that conditioned air blowout section 1b. During normal operation, the indoor air in each air-conditioned area 80A, 80B is taken in as return air RA through each return air duct 20A, 20B into the return air intake 1c of each air conditioner 1A, 1B, and is discharged to the outdoors from the exhaust air outlet 1d as exhaust air EA.

[0027] During a partial abnormal shutdown as shown in Fig. 2, the communication damper switching control automatically opens the communication damper 51. At the same time, the first outside air intake damper 55A provided at the exhaust air outlet 1d of the first air conditioner 1A during normal operation is kept open, but the second outside air intake damper 55B provided at the exhaust air outlet 1d of the second air conditioner 1B during abnormal shutdown is closed. Furthermore, during a partial abnormal shutdown, the second supply air adjustment damper 53B provided at the inlet 10Ba of the second supply air duct 10B on the side of the second air conditioner 1B during abnormal shutdown is kept fully open, but the opening of the first supply air adjustment damper 53A provided at the inlet 10Aa of the first supply air duct 10A on the side of the first air conditioner 1A during normal operation is narrowed by the supply air balance control compared to the fully normal operation.

[0028] As a result, during a partial abnormal shutdown, part of the conditioned air SA blown out from the conditioned air blowout section 1b of the first air conditioner 1A in normal operation is supplied to each of the first air conditioned areas 80A through the first air supply duct 10A connected to that air conditioned air blowout section 1b, and the remainder flows into the second air supply duct 10B through the communication duct 50 and is supplied to each of the second air conditioned areas 80B through that second air supply duct 10B. In other words, the supply of conditioned air SA from the first air conditioner 1A in normal operation continues automatically through the communication duct 50 to the second air supply duct 10B provided for the second air conditioner 1B that is abnormally shut down and to each of the second air conditioned areas 80B that communicate with it.

[0029] Furthermore, by performing the above-described supply air balance control, the opening of first supply air adjustment damper 53A on the first air conditioner 1A side during normal operation is narrowed compared to the fully normal operation described above (see FIG. 1), and the conditioned air SA blown out from the first air conditioner 1A during normal operation to the conditioned air blowout section 1b is distributed, for example equally, to the first supply air duct 10A connected to the conditioned air blowout section 1b and the communication duct 50 due to back pressure generated by the narrowed opening of first supply air adjustment damper 53A. The supply amount of conditioned air SA is then ensured through the communication duct 50 to the second supply air duct 10B provided for the air conditioner 1B that is abnormally stopped and to each of the second air-conditioned areas 80B connected to it. That is, the conditioned air SA generated by air conditioner 1A during normal operation is distributed to first air conditioned area 80A and second air conditioned area 80B. Therefore, if the amount of conditioned air SA blown out from air conditioner 1A during normal operation is the same as during fully normal operation as described above, the amount of conditioned air SA blown out to each of air conditioned areas 80A, 80B during this partial abnormal shutdown will be reduced, for example, by half, but it is also possible to increase the amount of conditioned air SA blown out from air conditioner 1A during partial abnormal shutdown compared to fully normal operation, thereby preventing a decrease in the amount of conditioned air SA blown out to each of air conditioned areas 80A, 80B.

[0030] During partial abnormal shutdown, the indoor air in each first air-conditioned area 80A is taken in as return air RA through the first return air duct 20A into the return air intake 1c of the first air conditioner 1A and is discharged to the outdoors as exhaust air EA from the exhaust air outlet 1d. Meanwhile, even though the second air conditioner 1B is abnormally shut down, the indoor air in each second air-conditioned area 80B is also discharged to the outdoors as exhaust air EA through the second return air duct 20B and the second air conditioner 1B as return air RA due to the pushing force of the conditioned air SA against each second air-conditioned area 80B.

[0031] [Another embodiment] Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below. Note that the configurations of the embodiments described below are not limited to being applied independently, but can also be applied in combination with the configurations of other embodiments.

[0032] (1) In the above embodiment, the air conditioning system 90 shown in FIG. 3 was modified to construct the air conditioning system 100 of this embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, the configuration of the air conditioning system 100 of this embodiment may also be adopted when a new air conditioning system is installed.

[0033] (2) In the above embodiment, the air conditioners 1A and 1B are configured as outdoor air conditioners, but they may be configured as air conditioners of other types.

[0034] (3) In the above embodiment, the air conditioning system 100 is provided with an abnormality determination means 61 and an abnormality control means 62, and is configured so that the communication damper 51, which is closed during normal operation (see Figure 1), is automatically opened when some of the air conditioning units 1A, 1B abnormally stop (see Figure 2). However, the air conditioning system 100 may be configured so that the communication duct 50 is opened manually when some of the air conditioning units 1A, 1B abnormally stop.

[0035] (4) In the above embodiment, intake air adjustment dampers 53A, 53B are provided at the inlet portions 10Aa, 10Ba of the intake air ducts 10A, 10B for the conditioned air SA, and intake air balance adjustment control is performed to reduce the opening of the intake air adjustment damper 53A on the side of the air conditioner 1A in normal operation during a partial abnormal shutdown (see Figure 2), thereby distributing the conditioned air SA blown out from the first air conditioner 1A in normal operation approximately equally to the first intake air duct 10A and the second intake air duct 10B via the communicating duct 50. However, such intake air adjustment dampers 53A, 53B may be omitted, and the conditioned air SA blown out from the first air conditioner 1A in normal operation during a partial abnormal shutdown (see Figure 2) may be distributed as the situation dictates. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 1A,1B Air conditioner (outside conditioner) 1b Air conditioning air outlet 10A, 10B Air supply duct 10Aa,10Ba inlet 50 Connecting duct 51 Communication damper 53A, 53B Air supply adjustment damper 61 Abnormality determination means 62 Abnormality Control Measures 80A, 80B Air-conditioning area 90 Air conditioning system before renovation 100 Air Conditioning System

Claims

1. A method for renovating an air conditioning system in which a plurality of air conditioning units are installed, and air supply ducts leading from conditioned air outlets of the air conditioning units to respective air-conditioned areas are provided for each of the plurality of air conditioning units, the method comprising: a communication duct that connects the conditioned air blowing portions of the plurality of air conditioners to each other, and a communication damper that can open and close the communication duct, The air conditioning device is an outdoor air conditioning unit that is installed in a predetermined outdoor air conditioning unit installation location on the roof or outdoors of a facility and adjusts the temperature of the taken-in outdoor air to generate conditioned air, A method for renovating an air conditioning system, comprising providing the communication duct and the communication damper in the outdoor air-conditioning unit installation section.

2. an abnormality determination means for determining whether each of the plurality of air conditioners is operating normally or has stopped abnormally; an abnormality control means for controlling the operation of the communication damper based on the determination result of the abnormality determination means; The method for renovating an air conditioning system as described in claim 1, wherein the abnormality control means is configured to execute communication damper switching control to close the communication damper when each of the plurality of air conditioning devices is operating normally, and to open the communication damper when some of the plurality of air conditioning devices are abnormally stopped, i.e., when some of the plurality of air conditioning devices are abnormally stopped.

3. an intake air adjusting damper whose opening degree is adjustable is provided at an inlet portion of the conditioned air from the conditioned air blowing portion for each of the intake air ducts; The method for renovating an air conditioning system as described in claim 2, wherein the abnormality control means is configured to perform air supply balance adjustment control to narrow the opening of the air supply adjustment damper provided in the air supply duct on the side of the air conditioning unit that is operating normally during the partial abnormal stop more than during the fully normal operation.

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