Air conditioning system

Abstract

To maintain the relative humidity and temperature of the air in a target room at optimal levels while preventing temperature and humidity irregularities within the target room.SOLUTION: An air conditioning system includes: an air-conditioning room provided with a plurality of air conditioners; a target room requiring air at conditioned temperature and humidity; a control device that switches operation modes of each of the plurality of air conditioners between cooling and heating operation modes, based on a dehumidification demand and an air conditioning demand in the target room; and a blower for delivering air conditioned for temperature and humidity by the plurality of air conditioners from the air-conditioning room to the target room.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioning system.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a technique for temperature and humidity control of air in a predetermined space has been known. For example, in Patent Document 1, a plurality of air conditioners (air conditioning units) are installed inside a closed structure (target room), and when the cooling load inside the closed structure decreases, heating operation is performed by one of the plurality of air conditioners, and the remaining air conditioners perform cooling operation. An air conditioning method is disclosed. This air conditioning method suppresses a decrease in the cooling load by performing heating operation with one air conditioner in consideration of the possibility that the cooling operation may switch to a blowing operation or the like when the cooling load decreases. Thereby, it is intended to continue stable cooling operation by the remaining air conditioners and maintain the dehumidifying effect by the cooling operation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] [[ID=3,5]]However, in the air conditioning method described in Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that temperature unevenness and humidity unevenness may occur. Specifically, in Patent Document 1, mixing of warm air and cold air is performed inside the closed structure, and when the cooling load decreases, the control of each air conditioner is performed so that only one air conditioner performing heating operation exists. Therefore, in a predetermined area inside the closed structure, for example, in an area far from the air conditioner performing heating operation, mixing of warm air and cold air may not be performed well. As a result, there is a possibility that the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the area and the relative humidity and temperature of the air in other areas may become non-uniform.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its objective is to provide an air conditioning system that can maintain the relative humidity and temperature of the air in a target room in an appropriate state while suppressing the occurrence of temperature unevenness and humidity unevenness in the target room. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An air conditioning system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an air conditioning room in which a plurality of air conditioning devices are installed; a target room requiring temperature-controlled and humidity-controlled air; a control device that switches the operating state of each of the plurality of air conditioning devices between a cooling operation state and a heating operation state based on dehumidification requirements and air conditioning requirements in the target room; and a blower that sends the temperature-controlled and humidity-controlled air from the air conditioning room to the target room.

[0007] This air conditioning system allows for the delivery of temperature- and humidity-controlled air from multiple air conditioning units to the target room, thereby maintaining the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room at appropriate levels. Specifically, in this system, the control unit, based on the dehumidification load and air conditioning load in the target room, sets some of the multiple air conditioning units to cooling mode and the remaining units to heating mode. This controls the temperature and humidity of the air in the air-conditioned room. In other words, air optimized to maintain appropriate relative humidity and temperature in the target room is generated. This air is then delivered from the air-conditioned room to the target room by a fan, thereby maintaining appropriate relative humidity and temperature in the target room.

[0008] In this air conditioning system, during the process of supplying air from the air-conditioned room to the target room, the air supplied from the air conditioning unit in cooling mode is mixed with the air supplied from the air conditioning unit in heating mode. This allows air with substantially uniform relative humidity and temperature to be supplied to the target room. Therefore, compared to the case where air is mixed in the target room, temperature and humidity unevenness in the target room can be suppressed.

[0009] Therefore, the above air conditioning system can suppress temperature and humidity unevenness in the target room while maintaining the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room at an appropriate level.

[0010] In the above-described air conditioning system, it is preferable that a plant growing bed is provided in the target room.

[0011] This configuration allows plants to be grown in a room where the optimal relative humidity and temperature for plant growth are maintained. Therefore, plants can be grown efficiently.

[0012] In the above-described air conditioning system, it is preferable that the control device switches the operating state of each air conditioning unit so that, in the airflow generated by the blower, the air conditioning unit in cooling operation is located upstream of the air conditioning unit in heating operation.

[0013] With this configuration, the air in the air-conditioned room, whose temperature has dropped due to humidity control by the air conditioning unit in cooling mode, can be reheated by the air conditioning unit in heating mode. Therefore, it is possible to prevent air that deviates from the appropriate temperature conditions from being supplied to the target room.

[0014] In the above-described air conditioning system, it is preferable that the air conditioning room has an outside air intake for taking in outside air, and the target room has an exhaust port for discharging indoor air to the outside.

[0015] This configuration allows fresh outside air to be drawn into the air-conditioned room through an outside air intake. Furthermore, as the temperature- and humidity-controlled fresh air is supplied to the target room, the indoor air in that room can be discharged to the outside air through an exhaust vent. This helps maintain clean indoor air.

[0016] Furthermore, if plants are being grown in the room in question and pesticides and fertilizers are being sprayed to cultivate these plants, the indoor air may contain volatile components of pesticides, powdered fertilizers, and airborne particles such as dust. If such airborne particles are directly returned to the air conditioning room and drawn into the air conditioning system, these particles may degrade the performance of the air conditioning system. In contrast, with the above configuration, the indoor air containing these airborne particles is discharged to the outside air, thus keeping the indoor air clean. Also, since the indoor air containing these airborne particles is prevented from being directly returned to the air conditioning room, the degradation of the air conditioning system's performance can be suppressed.

[0017] In the above-described air conditioning system, it is preferable that the control device switches the operating state of each air conditioning unit to execute one of the following operating modes: a majority cooling operation mode in which the number of air conditioning units in cooling operation mode exceeds the majority; a majority heating operation mode in which the number of air conditioning units in heating operation mode exceeds the majority; a full cooling operation mode in which all air conditioning units are in cooling operation mode; and a cooling and heating equal number operation mode in which the number of air conditioning units in cooling operation mode and the number of air conditioning units in heating operation mode are equal.

[0018] This configuration allows for the execution of operating modes that match the dehumidification and air conditioning requirements of the target room. This enables precise control of the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to maintain the relative humidity and temperature of the air in a target room in an appropriate state while suppressing the occurrence of temperature and humidity unevenness in the target room.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a control device. [Figure 3] (a) is a schematic diagram showing a majority cooling operation mode, (b) is a schematic diagram showing a majority heating operation mode, (c) is a schematic diagram showing a full cooling operation mode, (d) is a schematic diagram showing a same number of cooling and heating operation mode, and (e) is a schematic diagram showing a full heating operation mode. [Figure 4] It is a flowchart showing the processing flow of a control device. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart showing the processing flow of a control unit in an air conditioner that performs humidity control. [Figure 6] It is a flowchart showing the processing flow of a control unit in an air conditioner that performs temperature control. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart showing the processing flow of a control unit according to a modified embodiment.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of an air conditioning system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The air conditioning system 1 is a system for keeping the relative humidity and temperature of the air in a predetermined target room 4 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as indoor air) in an appropriate state. As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioning system 1 includes an air conditioning room 2, a blower 3, a target room 4, and a control device 6.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioning room 2 has a plurality of air conditioners 21, an outside air intake 22, an air outlet 23, an air conditioning room humidity sensor 24, and an air conditioning room temperature sensor 25.

[0023] The air conditioning unit 21 is a device that controls the temperature and humidity of the air in the air-conditioned room 2. Here, a commercially available room air conditioner's indoor and outdoor units are used as the air conditioning unit 21. As shown in Figure 1, this embodiment shows an example in which three indoor units of the air conditioning unit 21 are installed in the air-conditioned room 2 (the outdoor unit is not shown), but the number of air conditioning units 21 installed can be changed as appropriate, and there may be two or four or more. In this embodiment, the capacity of each air conditioning unit 21 is the same. However, the capacity of each air conditioning unit 21 may be different. In this specification, the capacity of the air conditioning unit 21 refers to the performance of the air conditioning unit 21. Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience of explanation, each air conditioning unit 21 may be referred to as the first air conditioning unit 21a, the second air conditioning unit 21b, and the third air conditioning unit 21c, in order from the air conditioning unit 21 located on the upstream side in the airflow F generated by the blower 3 (see Figure 3). As shown in Figure 1, each of the air conditioning units 21 has a control unit 21A.

[0024] The control unit 21A consists of a microcomputer including a CPU, RAM, and ROM, and is responsible for the overall control of the air conditioning system 21. The control unit 21A switches the operating state of the air conditioning system 21 to one of three states: cooling operation, heating operation, or off operation, according to the control signal output by the output unit 614, which will be described later. In the cooling operation state, the temperature of the air in the air-conditioned room 2 can be lowered, and the relative humidity can be lowered. In other words, dehumidification can be performed. In the heating operation state, the temperature of the air in the air-conditioned room 2 can be raised. In the off operation state, the operation of the air conditioning system 21 is stopped, and temperature and humidity control of the air-conditioned room 2 is not performed.

[0025] The outside air intake 22 is an opening for bringing fresh outside air into the air conditioning room 2, and is installed through the wall of the air conditioning room 2. The outside air intake 22 may also be made up of the outdoor unit of the room air conditioner and the piping connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. In this embodiment, an outside air humidity sensor and an outside air temperature sensor (not shown) are attached around the outside air intake 22 for measuring the relative humidity and temperature of the outside air.

[0026] The air outlet 23 is an opening for sending air from the air-conditioned room 2 to the target room 4, and is installed through the wall of the air-conditioned room 2. As shown in Figure 1, the air outlet 23 is connected to one end of a duct 5 that is located between the air-conditioned room 2 and the target room 4. Preferably, the duct 5 is equipped with an insulating structure that can suppress heat exchange with the outside air. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress changes in the temperature and humidity of the air sent from the air-conditioned room 2 to the target room 4 as it passes through the duct 5.

[0027] The air conditioning room humidity sensor 24 and the air conditioning room temperature sensor 25 are known sensors that are installed at predetermined locations in the air conditioning room 2 and periodically measure the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the air conditioning room 2.

[0028] The blower 3 generates an airflow F that flows from the air-conditioned room 2 toward the target room 4. The blower 3 can be made up of a known fan, such as a sirocco fan or a propeller fan. Here, an example is shown in which the blower 3 is installed near the air outlet 23 of the air-conditioned room 2. However, the blower 3 may be installed in the duct 5 or the target room 4, as long as it can form an airflow F toward the target room 4 from the air-conditioned room 2.

[0029] Target Room 4 is a space that requires temperature- and humidity-controlled air. In this embodiment, Target Room 4 is a growing room where plants are grown. Specifically, it is a greenhouse such as a vinyl greenhouse where the temperature is required to be maintained at 20°C to 30°C throughout the year, and the relative humidity is required to be maintained at 60% to 80%. In this embodiment, it is assumed that pesticides and fertilizers for growing plants are sprayed inside Target Room 4. As shown in Figure 1, Target Room 4 has a growing bed 41, an air outlet 42, an exhaust port 43, a target room humidity sensor 44, and a target room temperature sensor 45.

[0030] Various plants such as vegetables, fruits, ornamental plants, and trees are grown in the growing bed 41. The growing bed 41 is, for example, a pot containing potting soil and plant seedlings. However, the growing bed 41 may also be composed of a pallet, ground, hydroponic growing equipment, etc. In this embodiment, plants such as phalaenopsis orchids and mangoes, whose quality can be greatly affected by temperature and humidity control, are grown in the growing bed 41.

[0031] The outlet 42 is an opening for blowing air sent from the air conditioning room 2 by the airflow F into the target room 4, and is installed through the wall of the target room 4. As shown in Figure 1, the outlet 42 is connected to the other end of the duct 5.

[0032] The exhaust port 43 is an opening for discharging circulating indoor air from the target room 4 to the outside air, and is installed through the wall of the target room 4. With this configuration, for example, when temperature- and humidity-controlled fresh air is blown out from the outlet 42 in the air conditioning room 2, indoor air can be discharged to the outside air through the exhaust port 43. This allows for ventilation of the indoor air and helps maintain clean indoor air. Furthermore, as described above, in this embodiment, pesticides and fertilizers may be sprayed inside the target room 4, so the indoor air may contain volatile components of pesticides, powdered fertilizers, and suspended matter such as dust. On the other hand, since the indoor air in this embodiment is discharged to the outside air through the exhaust port 43, it is prevented that the indoor air containing the suspended matter is directly returned to the air conditioning room 2, and that the suspended matter is directly drawn into the air conditioning device 21. Therefore, in this embodiment, deterioration of the capacity of the air conditioning device 21 due to the suspended matter is suppressed.

[0033] The target room humidity sensor 44 and the target room temperature sensor 45 are known sensors that are installed at predetermined locations in the target room 4 and periodically measure the relative humidity (hereinafter referred to as target room humidity RH) and temperature (hereinafter referred to as target room temperature T) of the air in the target room 4.

[0034] The control device 6 outputs signals to switch the operating state of each of the multiple air conditioning units 21 between a cooling operation state and a heating operation state based on dehumidification requests and air conditioning requests described later. The control device 6 is connected to each control unit 21A and each sensor so as to be able to communicate with each other via a communication line such as a LAN. As shown in Figure 1, the control device 6 according to this embodiment is installed in the air conditioning room 2. However, the control device 6 may also be installed in the target room 4 or in a predetermined control room. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the control device 6. As shown in Figure 2, the control device 6 has a main unit 61, an input unit 62 and a display unit (e.g., a liquid crystal monitor) connected to the main unit 61, and a storage unit 63.

[0035] The input unit 62 is for receiving various commands and data input operations from the user of the air conditioning system 1, and is composed of, for example, a keyboard or mouse. In this embodiment, the input unit 62 receives the target temperature of the air in the target room 4 (hereinafter referred to as the target room target temperature TS) and the target humidity of the air in the target room 4 (hereinafter referred to as the target room target humidity RHS). This information may also be input via a remote controller for operating the air conditioning device 21.

[0036] The storage unit 63 is, for example, a memory area provided in the main unit 61 (described later), a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive), and stores the information received by the input unit 62.

[0037] The main unit 61 is an information processing device equipped with a CPU for performing various calculation and control processing, a non-volatile memory (not shown) such as a ROM in which a predetermined control program is stored, a RAM (not shown) for temporarily storing data, a timer circuit (not shown) for timing the current date and time, and peripheral circuits thereof. The main unit 61 functionally comprises an acquisition unit 611, a calculation unit 612, a processing unit 613, and an output unit 614 by causing the CPU to execute the control program stored in the ROM, etc.

[0038] The acquisition unit 611 acquires information necessary to calculate the dehumidification and air conditioning requirements, which will be described later. Specifically, the acquisition unit 611 accesses the storage unit 63 to acquire the target room target humidity RHS and target room target temperature TS. The acquisition unit 611 also acquires the target room humidity RH and target room temperature T from the target room humidity sensor 44 and target room temperature sensor 45.

[0039] The calculation unit 612 calculates the values ​​for dehumidification and air conditioning requirements. Specifically, the calculation unit 612 calculates the difference between the target humidity RHS and the target humidity RH of the target room, and calculates the value of the dehumidification requirement necessary to reduce this difference. The calculation unit 612 also calculates the difference between the target temperature TS and the target temperature T of the target room, and calculates the value of the cooling or heating requirement necessary to reduce this difference. In detail, the calculation unit 612 calculates the cooling requirement value if the target temperature T is higher than the target temperature TS of the target room, and calculates the heating requirement value if the target temperature T is lower than the target temperature TS of the target room. In this specification, these cooling and heating requirements may be collectively referred to as air conditioning requirements.

[0040] The processing unit 613 selects an operating mode that can satisfy the dehumidification and air conditioning requirements. Specifically, the processing unit 613 selects an operating mode that can satisfy the dehumidification and air conditioning requirements from among various operating modes consisting of combinations of the operating state and number of operating units of each air conditioning unit 21. The various operating modes selected by the processing unit 613 will be described below with reference to Figure 3. In Figures 3(a) to (e), the size of the arrows represents the size of the airflow.

[0041] Figure 3(a) is a schematic diagram showing the majority cooling operation mode. The majority cooling operation mode is an operating mode in which the majority of the air conditioning units 21 out of the multiple air conditioning units 21 are in a cooling operation state. The majority cooling operation mode is selected, for example, when the dehumidification requirement in the target room 4 is high and the heating requirement is low. In the majority cooling operation mode according to this embodiment, the first air conditioning unit 21a and the second air conditioning unit 21b are in a cooling operation state to control the humidity (dehumidify) of the air, and the third air conditioning unit 21c is in a heating operation state to control the temperature of the air. The air from the air conditioning room 2, which has been controlled in temperature and humidity in this way, is mixed in the air conditioning room 2 and the duct 5 and sent to the target room 4. In this operating mode, the humidity RH of the target room can be lowered while the temperature T of the target room can be raised, lowered, or maintained. Furthermore, in the majority cooling operation mode, the air from the air-conditioned room 2, which has been cooled to the extent that it has not been dehumidified, is sent to the target room 4. By lowering the target room temperature T without lowering the absolute humidity in the target room 4, the humidity RH in the target room can be increased.

[0042] Figure 3(b) is a schematic diagram showing the majority heating operation mode. The majority heating operation mode is an operating mode in which the majority of the air conditioning units 21 out of the multiple air conditioning units 21 are in a heating operation state. The majority heating operation mode is selected, for example, when the dehumidification requirement in the target room 4 is small and the heating requirement is large. In the majority heating operation mode according to this embodiment, the first air conditioning unit 21a is in a cooling operation state to control the humidity of the air, and the second air conditioning unit 21b and the third air conditioning unit 21c are in a heating operation state to control the temperature of the air. In this operating mode, the humidity RH of the target room can be maintained or reduced while the temperature T of the target room can be increased.

[0043] Figure 3(c) is a schematic diagram showing the full cooling operation mode. The full cooling operation mode is an operating mode in which all air conditioning units 21a to 21c are in a cooling operation state. The full cooling operation mode is selected, for example, when there is a high dehumidification requirement and a high cooling requirement in the target room 4. In the full cooling operation mode according to this embodiment, the first air conditioning unit 21a and the second air conditioning unit 21b control the humidity of the air, and the third air conditioning unit 21c controls the temperature of the air. In this operating mode, it is possible to lower the target room temperature T while lowering the target room humidity RH. In addition, in the full cooling operation mode, air from the air conditioning room 2 that has been cooled to the extent that it has not been dehumidified is sent to the target room 4, and by lowering the target room temperature T without lowering the absolute humidity in the target room 4, it is possible to increase the target room humidity RH.

[0044] Figure 3(d) is a schematic diagram showing the equal number of cooling and heating operation mode. The equal number of cooling and heating operation mode is an operating mode in which the number of air conditioners 21 in cooling operation mode and the number of air conditioners 21 in heating operation mode are equal. The equal number of cooling and heating operation mode is selected, for example, when the dehumidification requirement in the target room 4 is small and the heating requirement is also small. In other words, the equal number of cooling and heating operation mode can be selected in situations where it is required to maintain the current relative humidity and temperature. In the equal number of cooling and heating operation mode according to this embodiment, the first air conditioner 21a is in cooling operation mode to control the humidity of the air, the third air conditioner 21c is in heating operation mode to control the temperature of the air, and the second air conditioner 21b is in a stopped state. In this operating mode, it is possible to maintain the target room temperature T while maintaining the target room humidity RH. If four air conditioners 21 are installed, it is possible to operate them with two in cooling operation mode and the remaining two in heating operation mode.

[0045] Furthermore, the processing unit 613 according to this embodiment may select a full heating operation mode as needed. Figure 3(e) is a schematic diagram showing the full heating operation mode. The full heating operation mode is an operating mode in which all air conditioning units 21a to 21c are in a heating operation state. The full heating operation mode is selected, for example, when there is a high heating demand. In this operating mode, the target room temperature T can be increased. Also, as the amount of saturated water vapor in the indoor air increases with the increase in the target room temperature T, the humidity RH of the target room can be decreased.

[0046] The processing unit 613 according to this embodiment appropriately selects one of the various operating modes described above in accordance with the dehumidification and air conditioning requirements of the target room 4. As a result, the various operating modes are executed while being switched as appropriate, and the air that has been temperature and humidity controlled by the operating mode is sent to the target room 4, so that the target room temperature T can be increased, decreased, or maintained while the target room humidity RH is increased, decreased, or maintained. In other words, the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room 4 can be finely adjusted. It is preferable that the processing unit 613 selects the operating mode based on COP (Coefficient of Performance). That is, it is preferable that the processing unit 613 selects an operating mode that can satisfy the dehumidification and air conditioning requirements and can operate each air conditioning unit 21 in a high COP state. This makes it possible to efficiently adjust the target room humidity RH and target room temperature T.

[0047] The output unit 614 outputs control signals to each air conditioning unit 21 that define the operating state of each air conditioning unit 21 so that the operating mode selected by the processing unit 613 is realized. Specifically, the output unit 614 outputs control signals to switch each air conditioning unit 21 to a cooling operation state, a heating operation state, or an off state.

[0048] In this embodiment, when an operating mode is selected in which both an air conditioning unit 21 in cooling operation and an air conditioning unit 21 in heating operation are present, the output unit 614 outputs a control signal so that in the airflow F generated by the blower 3, the air conditioning unit 21 in cooling operation is positioned upstream of the air conditioning unit 21 in heating operation. Examples of operating modes in which both an air conditioning unit 21 in cooling operation and an air conditioning unit 21 in heating operation are present include a majority cooling operation mode, a majority heating operation mode, and an equal number of cooling and heating operation modes. With this configuration, the air in the air-conditioned room 2, whose temperature has been lowered by dehumidification by the air conditioning unit 21 in cooling operation, can be reheated by the air conditioning unit 21 in heating operation. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the supply of air that deviates from appropriate temperature conditions to the target room 4.

[0049] Furthermore, with the above configuration, the rise in the temperature of the intake air of the air conditioner 21 in cooling operation is suppressed, allowing for efficient dehumidification. Specifically, in the air conditioner 21 in cooling operation, the intake air drawn in by the fan of the air conditioner 21 comes into contact with the low-temperature heat exchanger (evaporator) of the air conditioner 21, and heat exchange occurs, causing the temperature of the air to drop and condensation to occur, thus performing dehumidification. Here, if the air conditioner 21 in heating operation is located upstream of the air conditioner 21 in cooling operation, the temperature of the intake air in the air conditioner 21 in cooling operation may rise. In this case, the temperature of the air in the evaporator may not be sufficiently lowered, and the occurrence of condensation may be suppressed. In contrast, in this embodiment, the output unit 614 outputs a control signal so that the air conditioner 21 in cooling operation is located upstream of the air conditioner 21 in heating operation. As a result, the rise in the temperature of the intake air of the air conditioner 21 in cooling operation is suppressed, allowing for efficient dehumidification.

[0050] Furthermore, the output unit 614 outputs signals to each control unit 21A indicating the target humidity RHS and target temperature TS of the target room.

[0051] The processing flow of the control device 6, configured as described above, will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 4.

[0052] In step S1, the acquisition unit 611 acquires the target room humidity RHS and target room temperature TS from the storage unit 63. Then, in step S2, the acquisition unit 611 acquires the target room humidity RH and target room temperature T from the target room humidity sensor 44 and target room temperature sensor 45.

[0053] Next, in step S3, the calculation unit 612 calculates the dehumidification requirement value based on the target room humidity RH and the target room target humidity RHS. The calculation unit 612 also calculates the air conditioning requirement value based on the target room temperature T and the target room target temperature TS.

[0054] Next, in step S4, the processing unit 613 selects an operating mode that can satisfy the dehumidification and air conditioning requirements. For example, the processing unit 613 selects a majority cooling operation mode.

[0055] Next, in step S5, the output unit 614 outputs control signals to each air conditioning unit 21 to realize the operating mode selected in step S4. Here, since the majority cooling operation mode is selected, the output unit 614 outputs control signals to the first air conditioning unit 21a and the second air conditioning unit 21b to perform cooling operation, and also outputs a control signal to the third air conditioning unit 21c to perform heating operation. The output manner of control signals to the air conditioning units 21a to 21c when an operating mode other than the majority cooling operation mode is selected is as described above. In addition, in step S5, the output unit 614 outputs signals to each air conditioning unit 21 indicating the target humidity RHS and the target temperature TS of the target room.

[0056] The control device 6 repeats the processes from steps S2 to S5 described above until the operation of the air conditioning system 1 stops. If the input unit 62 receives an update of the target room target humidity RHS or target room target temperature TS during the above process, the control device 6 restarts the above process from step S1.

[0057] Next, the processing flow of the control unit 21A that receives the control signal from the output unit 614 will be described. Here, we assume that the processing unit 613 has selected the majority cooling operation mode. The control unit 21A executes the processing shown in Figure 5 or the processing shown in Figure 6, depending on the content of the control signal output from the output unit 614. If the control unit 21A receives a control signal to switch the air conditioner 21 to an operation stop state, it stops the operation of the air conditioner 21.

[0058] First, with reference to Figure 5, the processing flow of the control unit 21A, which has received instructions from the output unit 614 to perform cooling operation, will be explained. In other words, Figure 5 can be rephrased as the processing flow of the control unit 21A, which has received instructions from the output unit 614 to adjust the humidity RH of the target room.

[0059] In step S21, the control unit 21A obtains the target room humidity RHS from the output unit 614.

[0060] In step S22, the control unit 21A obtains the humidity RH of the target room from the target room humidity sensor 44. Alternatively, in step S22, the control unit 21A may obtain the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the air-conditioned room 2 from the air-conditioned room humidity sensor 24 and the air-conditioned room temperature sensor 25. In addition, the control unit 21A may obtain the relative humidity and temperature of the outside air from the outside air humidity sensor and the outside air temperature sensor.

[0061] In step S23, the control unit 21A calculates the difference between the target humidity RHS of the target room and the target humidity RH, and also calculates specific set temperature and airflow rate (hereinafter referred to as cooling set temperature and cooling airflow rate) to minimize this difference.

[0062] In step S24, the control unit 21A outputs the cooling set temperature and cooling airflow calculated in step S23, and operates the air conditioning unit 21 in cooling mode.

[0063] The control unit 21A repeats the processes from steps S22 to S24 described above until it receives a control signal from the output unit 614 to change the operating state of the air conditioner 21. If, during the above process, it receives a signal from the output unit 614 to update the target humidity RHS of the target room, the control unit 21A restarts the above process from step S21.

[0064] Next, with reference to Figure 6, the processing flow of the control unit 21A that has received instructions from the output unit 614 to perform heating operation will be described. In other words, Figure 6 can be rephrased as the processing flow of the control unit 21A that has received instructions from the output unit 614 to adjust the target room temperature T.

[0065] In step S31, the control unit 21A obtains the target room temperature TS from the output unit 614.

[0066] In step S32, the control unit 21A obtains the target room temperature T from the target room temperature sensor 45. In step S32, the control unit 21A may also obtain the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the air-conditioned room 2, as well as the relative humidity and temperature of the outside air, as in the case of step S22 above. Furthermore, the control unit 21A may obtain the cooling set temperature and cooling airflow rate calculated in step S23 above.

[0067] In step S33, the control unit 21A calculates the difference between the target room temperature TS and the target room temperature T, and calculates specific set temperatures and airflow rates (hereinafter referred to as heating set temperature and heating airflow rate) to reduce this difference. At this time, the control unit 21A may refer to the cooling set temperature and cooling airflow rate calculated in step S23 and correct the heating set temperature and heating airflow rate based on the cooling set temperature and cooling airflow rate.

[0068] In step S34, the control unit 21A outputs the heating set temperature and heating airflow calculated in step S33, and operates the air conditioning unit 21 in heating mode.

[0069] The control unit 21A repeats the processes from steps S32 to S34 described above until it receives a control signal from the output unit 614 to change the operating state of the air conditioner 21. If, during the above process, it receives a signal from the output unit 614 to update the target room target temperature TS, the control unit 21A restarts the above process from step S31.

[0070] As described above, according to the air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment, based on the dehumidification load and air conditioning load in the target room 4, optimized air can be generated in the air conditioning room 2 to maintain the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room 4 in an appropriate state. Then, since this air is sent from the air conditioning room 2 to the target room 4 by the blower 3, the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room 4 can be maintained in an appropriate state.

[0071] In this embodiment of the air conditioning system 1, during the process of supplying air from the air conditioning room 2 to the target room 4, the air supplied from the air conditioning unit 21 in cooling operation mode is mixed with the air supplied from the air conditioning unit 21 in heating operation mode. This allows air with substantially uniform relative humidity and temperature to be supplied to the target room 4. Therefore, compared to the case where air is mixed in the target room 4, temperature and humidity unevenness in the target room 4 can be suppressed.

[0072] Therefore, according to the air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to maintain the relative humidity and temperature of the air in the target room 4 in an appropriate state while suppressing the occurrence of temperature unevenness and humidity unevenness in the target room 4.

[0073] Furthermore, according to the air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment, plants can be grown in a target room 4 where the optimal relative humidity and temperature for plant growth are maintained. Therefore, plants can be grown efficiently. In particular, according to the air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment, plants such as phalaenopsis orchids and mangoes, for which temperature and humidity control can have a significant impact on quality, can be grown efficiently.

[0074] Furthermore, the air conditioning system 1 according to this embodiment allows for precise adjustment of temperature and humidity, thus meeting a variety of user needs. For example, it can address the need to lower the humidity RH of a target room while maintaining the target room temperature T, to the extent that it reduces the risk of crop disease outbreaks, in order to promote plant growth. Alternatively, it can address the need to increase the humidity RH of a target room while maintaining the target room temperature T, in order to more reliably suppress the occurrence of crop diseases.

[0075] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the following modified embodiments are possible.

[0076] (1) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the target room is a greenhouse such as a vinyl greenhouse, but the target room may be various spaces such as a museum exhibition room, a computer server room, and a plant factory growth room. In other words, the present invention can be used not only for temperature and humidity control of greenhouses, but also for temperature and humidity control of various spaces.

[0077] (2) In the above embodiment, an example in which a room air conditioner is used as the air conditioning device was described, but the air conditioning device may be a so-called agricultural heat pump. However, generally speaking, room air conditioners are cheaper than agricultural heat pumps and often have a better COP. Therefore, when a room air conditioner is used as the air conditioning device as in the above embodiment, it is considered that the relative humidity and temperature of the target room 4 can be efficiently adjusted while suppressing an increase in equipment costs.

[0078] Furthermore, although the above embodiment described an example in which the multiple air conditioning devices 21 consist only of room air conditioners, the multiple air conditioning devices may also include, for example, a known humidifier. In this case, it becomes possible to efficiently increase the relative humidity of the target room 4.

[0079] (3) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which a duct 5 is placed between the air conditioning room 2 and the target room 4, but the duct 5 is not essential. For example, the air conditioning room and the target room may be adjacent to each other separated by a predetermined wall. A vent is provided in the wall, and temperature-controlled and humidity-controlled air may be sent from the air conditioning room to the target room through this vent.

[0080] (4) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the control unit 21A calculates the cooling set temperature and cooling airflow, or the heating set temperature and heating airflow. However, this information may also be calculated by the control device. In this case, a signal indicating the cooling set temperature and cooling airflow, or the heating set temperature and heating airflow, is output from the control device to each control unit.

[0081] (5) In order to efficiently ventilate the target room 4, ventilation fans (e.g., propeller fans) may be installed at both the outside air intake 22 and the exhaust 43. In this case, the control device may control each ventilation fan so that they operate in conjunction. For example, the control device may operate the ventilation fan on the exhaust 43 side at the same time that the ventilation fan on the outside air intake 22 side is operating and outside air is taken into the air conditioning room 2, thereby discharging the air from the target room 4 to the outside. With this configuration, the efficiency of ventilation is improved, and the indoor air can be kept cleaner.

[0082] (6) The control unit may adjust the humidity RH of the target room based on absolute humidity. The processing flow of the control unit according to this modified embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 7.

[0083] In step S101, the control unit obtains the target room humidity RHS and target room temperature TS from the output unit 614. Then, in step S102, the control unit calculates the target absolute humidity of the air in the target room 4 (hereinafter referred to as the target absolute humidity of the target room) based on the target room humidity RHS and target room temperature TS.

[0084] In step S103, the control unit obtains the target room humidity RH and target room temperature T from the target room humidity sensor 44 and the target room temperature sensor 45. Then, in step S104, the control unit calculates the absolute humidity of the air in the target room 4 (hereinafter referred to as the target room absolute humidity) based on the target room humidity RH and target room temperature T.

[0085] In step S105, the control unit calculates the difference between the target absolute humidity of the target room and the actual absolute humidity of the target room, and also calculates specific cooling set temperatures and cooling airflow rates to minimize this difference.

[0086] In step S106, the control unit outputs the cooling set temperature and cooling airflow calculated in step S105, and operates the air conditioning unit 21 in cooling mode.

[0087] In this modified embodiment, the control unit repeats the processes from steps S103 to S106 until it receives a control signal from the output unit 614 indicating a change in the operating state of the air conditioner 21. If, during the above process, the control unit receives a signal from the output unit 614 indicating an update to the target room target humidity RHS or target room target temperature TS, it restarts the above process from step S101.

[0088] (7) In the above embodiment, an example in which the capacity of each air conditioner 21 is the same was described, but as described above, the capacity of each air conditioner 21 may be different. When the capacity of each air conditioner 21 is different, it is preferable for the control device 6 to adjust the output of each air conditioner 21 so that the temperature and humidity adjustment according to the above operating mode is suitably realized. For example, consider a case in which the capacity of the first air conditioner 21a and the second air conditioner 21b is the same, and the capacity of the third air conditioner 21c is better than that of each air conditioner 21a and 21b, and the majority cooling operation mode is executed. In this state, if the first air conditioner 21a and the second air conditioner 21b are made to perform cooling operation and the third air conditioner 21c is made to perform heating operation, the target room temperature T may rise excessively even though the majority cooling operation mode is executed. Therefore, in this case, the control device 6 adjusts the output of each air conditioner 21c so that its output is the same as that of the first air conditioner 21a and the second air conditioner 21b. The same applies to operating modes other than the majority cooling operation mode. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0089] 1: Air conditioning system 2: Air conditioned room 3: Blower 4: Target Room 6: Control device 21: Air conditioning system 22: Outside air intake 23: Air outlet 24: Air conditioning room humidity sensor 25: Air conditioning room temperature sensor 41:Growing bed 42: Air vent 43: Exhaust vent 44: Room humidity sensor 45: Target room temperature sensor F: Airflow RH: Humidity of the target room RHS: Target humidity for the room T:Target room temperature TS: Target room temperature

Claims

1. An air conditioning room where multiple air conditioning units are installed, A target room requiring temperature- and humidity-controlled air, A control device that switches the operating state of each of the multiple air conditioning units between a cooling operation state and a heating operation state based on the dehumidification and air conditioning requirements in the target room, The system includes a blower that sends air, whose temperature and humidity have been controlled by the plurality of air conditioning devices, from the air conditioning room to the target room, The aforementioned air conditioning room has an outside air intake for taking in outside air, The aforementioned room has an exhaust vent for discharging indoor air to the outside air. The blower generates an airflow that suppresses the return of the indoor air to the air-conditioned room. Air conditioning system.

2. An air conditioning system according to claim 1, The aforementioned room contains a plant growing bed and an air conditioning system.

3. An air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, The control device switches the operating state of each air conditioning unit so that, in the airflow generated by the blower, the air conditioning unit in cooling operation is located upstream of the air conditioning unit in heating operation.

4. An air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, The control device switches the operating state of each air conditioning unit to execute one of the following operating modes: a majority cooling operation mode in which the number of air conditioning units in cooling operation mode exceeds half; a majority heating operation mode in which the number of air conditioning units in heating operation mode exceeds half; a full cooling operation mode in which all air conditioning units are in cooling operation mode; and an equal number of cooling and heating operation mode in which the number of air conditioning units in cooling operation mode and the number of air conditioning units in heating operation mode are equal.

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