Air conditioning control system

Abstract

To provide an air-conditioning control system which can set a temperature suitable for energy saving by reflecting a thermal environment around office workers and each office worker's preference about thermal sensation while preventing excessive cooling and excessive heating.SOLUTION: An air-conditioning control system comprises: a plurality of air conditioners 3; a position transmitting unit 5 which is carried by an office worker and sends signals; an environment transmitting unit 7 for sending information on an environment including temperature and humidity in a region in which the air conditioners are installed; information collection units 9 installed at the air conditioners 3, respectively, and transmitting information from the position sending unit 5 and the environment sending unit 7; an office worker information transmitting unit 11 for collecting and sending information on the office worker including thermal feeling selected by the office worker, a volume of current clothing and a current amount of activity; a condition input unit 13 for setting air-conditioning conditions; and an air-conditioning control unit 15 for performing control including set temperatures of the plurality of air conditioners 3 on the basis of the information received from the information collection unit 9, the office worker information transmitting unit 11 and the condition input unit 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] In buildings such as office buildings where an air conditioning control system is introduced, by reflecting requests for air conditioning reported by workers working in the building, such as hot / cold, etc., in air conditioning control, a comfortable thermal environment is maintained for the workers. However, since there are individual differences in how people feel comfortable / uncomfortable with air conditioning, when there are multiple workers in the area controlled by a single air conditioner, the requests of all workers do not always match. For example, even if one worker feels hot, another worker may not feel hot. Thus, even when there are differences in the warm / cold sensations of each worker with respect to temperature, it is required to achieve an appropriate temperature setting so that each worker does not become uncomfortable as much as possible. Also, it is required to achieve a temperature setting considering energy conservation at a level where individual workers do not become uncomfortable.

[0003] In the power management support device described in Patent Document 1, in power supply and demand adjustment in a building, an effective priority of controlled power-consuming devices is calculated and the control result is presented in advance. In the control of the set temperature of air conditioning, it is disclosed that the number of workers in the space is acquired and the place to be preferentially air-conditioned is determined. In the air conditioning control device described in Patent Document 2, it is disclosed that a comfort index (PMV value) using a plurality of variables that affect human thermal sensation is reflected in air conditioning control. In the air conditioning control described in Patent Document 3, air conditioning is controlled by reflecting the hot and cold feelings of workers. It is disclosed that an individual is identified by image recognition and position detection is performed, and control is carried out by reflecting the preferred warm / cold feeling information registered in advance in an application or the like in the air conditioning around that individual.

[0004] Each of the methods described in the aforementioned patent documents requires consideration of the thermal environment surrounding the workers and each worker's preference for temperature in a comprehensive manner when controlling the air conditioning system. Furthermore, in addition to this comprehensively considered air conditioning control, it is also necessary to consider how to apply such air conditioning control to the entire building to effectively achieve energy conservation and power supply and demand adjustment. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5813572 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3049266 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-134973 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and the problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide an air conditioning control system that can set an energy-saving temperature by reflecting the thermal environment around the workers and each worker's preference for temperature, thereby preventing excessive cooling and heating. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following means. In other words, the air conditioning control system of the present invention comprises a plurality of air conditioners, a location transmitting unit carried by an office worker and transmitting signals, an environment transmitting unit that transmits environmental information including temperature and humidity in the area where the air conditioners are installed, an information collecting unit installed for each air conditioner and transmitting information from the location transmitting unit and the environment transmitting unit, an office worker information transmitting unit that collects and transmits information about the office worker including the office worker's selected thermal comfort, current amount of clothing worn, and current activity level, a condition input unit for setting air conditioning conditions, and an air conditioning control unit that controls the plurality of air conditioners, including the set temperature, based on the information received from the information collecting unit, the office worker information transmitting unit, and the condition input unit. The air conditioning control unit calculates the relationship between temperature and PPD for each office worker in the area where the air conditioners are installed based on the received information, calculates a maximum value curve and an average value curve from the relationship between temperature and PPD for each office worker, and determines the set temperature of the area where the air conditioners are installed so that the maximum value curve and the average value curve are below a preset threshold.

[0008] According to the present invention, a maximum value curve and an average value curve are calculated from the relationship between temperature and PPD for each worker, and the set temperature of the area where the air conditioner is installed is determined so that these maximum value curve and average value curve are below a predetermined threshold. This makes it possible to set a temperature that reflects the thermal environment around the workers and each worker's preference for temperature, preventing excessive cooling and heating and saving energy.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioning control unit calculates the PPD after changing the temperature within a predetermined range from the set temperature determined above for each area in which the air conditioner is installed, for both the maximum value curve and the average value curve, determines the priority order for changing the temperature of the air conditioner based on the PPD after the temperature change, and performs the temperature change of the air conditioner based on the priority order.

[0010] According to this embodiment, the PPD after changing the temperature within a predetermined range from the set temperature is calculated for both the maximum value curve and the average value curve, the priority for changing the temperature of the air conditioner is determined based on the PPD after the temperature change, and the temperature of the air conditioner is changed based on this priority, so that energy saving measures can be effectively implemented while taking into account the thermal comfort of each worker. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioning control system that can set temperatures that reflect the thermal environment surrounding the workers and each worker's preference for temperature, thereby preventing excessive cooling and heating and saving energy. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioning control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioning control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This diagram shows the configuration of the air conditioning control unit of an air conditioning control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a plan view showing the employee information transmission unit of an air conditioning control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This graph shows a PPD curve according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This graph shows a PPD curve according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a graph in which a temperature shift has been performed based on the thermal sensation of the worker. [Figure 7] This graph shows the maximum value curve and the average value curve of PPD according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This flowchart shows the operation of the air conditioning control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This graph shows the maximum value curve and the average value curve of a PPD according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the graph shows the set temperature selected by each threshold. [Figure 10] It is a flowchart showing the operation of an air conditioning control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of office workers in an office where the air conditioning control system of the present invention is implemented. [Figure 12] It is a graph of the maximum value curve and the average value curve of PPD for each office obtained according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments for implementing an air conditioning control system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0014] (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioning control system according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioning control system 1 includes an air conditioner 3, a position transmitter 5, an environment transmitter 7, an information collection unit 9, an operator information transmitter 11, a condition input unit 13, and an air conditioning control unit 15. The air conditioning control unit 15 is composed of a control calculation unit 17 and a control command unit 19.

[0015] A plurality of air conditioners 3 are installed according to the number of areas for controlling air conditioning. The position transmitter 5 is individually carried by each operator and transmits a signal for specifying the position of the operator. The environment transmitter 7 transmits information on the environment including the temperature and humidity of the area where the air conditioner 3 is installed. The information collection unit 9 is installed for each area where the air conditioner 3 is installed, receives information from the position transmitter 5 and the environment transmitter 7, and transmits the information to the air conditioning control unit 15. The operator information transmitter 11 collects and transmits information on the operator including the temperature sensation selected by the operator, the current clothing amount, and the current activity amount. The condition input unit 13 sets air conditioning conditions and inputs the conditions to the air conditioning control unit 15. The air conditioning control unit 15 performs control including setting temperatures of a plurality of air conditioners 3 based on the information received from the information collection unit 9, the operator information transmitter 11, and the condition input unit 13.

[0016] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioning control system 1 according to this embodiment in more detail, including the network 24. As shown in Figure 2, two air conditioners 3 are installed in air conditioning area 1 and air conditioning area 2. In each area, the location transmitting unit 5 carried by the worker is, for example, a beacon tag 5a. The environmental transmitting unit 7 that transmits temperature, humidity, etc. for each air conditioning area is, for example, an environmental measuring device 7a such as an environmental sensor. The information collecting unit 9 that receives and transmits information from the location transmitting unit 5 and the environmental transmitting unit 7 is, for example, a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) receiver 9a. The worker information transmitting unit 11 that transmits information including the worker's thermal comfort via the network 24 is, for example, a mobile terminal 11a. In Figure 2, wired connections are shown with solid lines, and wireless connections are shown with dashed lines. In this embodiment, the employee information transmission unit 11 is exemplified as a mobile terminal 11a, but it is not limited to this, and the employee information transmission unit 11 may be, for example, a personal computer that can access the employee information registration site of the air conditioning control system 1, such as the Internet.

[0017] Although only one set of the air conditioner 3, location transmission unit 5, environment transmission unit 7, information collection unit 9, and employee information transmission unit 11 is shown in Figure 1, in reality, there may be two or more sets for each area to be controlled by air conditioning, as shown in Figure 2, which shows two sets for air conditioning area 1 and air conditioning area 2.

[0018] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioning control unit 15. As mentioned above, the air conditioning control unit 15 consists of a control calculation unit 17 and a control command unit 19. The control calculation unit 17 may be an information processing device such as a personal computer, and the control command unit 19 may be an air conditioning control device such as an air conditioning control panel. The control calculation unit 17 includes a recording unit 17a and a calculation unit 17b. Here, the recording unit 17a may be a storage device such as a hard disk or flash memory provided in the information processing device, and the calculation unit 17b may be a program executed by the CPU of the information processing device. The condition input unit may be an input device such as a monitor, mouse, or keyboard. The control calculation unit 17 receives information from a mobile terminal 11a via wired or wireless connection from a network such as the Internet, records this information in the recording unit 17a along with information from the BLE receiver 9a and the condition input unit 13, sends this information to the calculation unit 17b to determine the information necessary for controlling the air conditioner 3, and sends the control information to the control command unit 19. The control command unit 19 transmits control signals, such as the set temperature, to each air conditioner 3.

[0019] Based on the information received through the above configuration, the air conditioning control unit 15 calculates the relationship between temperature and PPD (described later) for each worker in the area where the air conditioner 3 is installed. From the relationship between temperature and PPD for each worker, it calculates a maximum value curve and an average value curve. The control unit then determines the set temperature for the area where the air conditioner 3 is installed so that the maximum value curve and the average value curve are below their respective preset thresholds.

[0020] The operation of the air conditioning control system 1, configured in this manner, is outlined below. The location transmitter 5 shown in Figure 1 is carried by the worker and continuously transmits a signal. This signal is received by the information collection unit 9, which is installed one-to-one with the air conditioner 3, to identify the area where the worker is located. This area is the range in which the air conditioner 3 delivers temperature-controlled air, and is hereinafter referred to as the air-conditioned area. The environment transmitter 7 measures the temperature and humidity of the office space where the worker resides and transmits the measured values ​​to the information collection unit 9. The information collection unit 9 collects information transmitted from the location transmitter 5 and the environment transmitter 7 and transmits it to the air conditioning control unit 15. The worker information transmitter 11 inputs the worker's preferred temperature, clothing amount, and activity level and transmits it to the air conditioning control unit 15. The condition input unit 13 is responsible for inputting other conditions and setting values ​​necessary for control calculations. For example, the condition input unit 13 receives information such as the wind speed experienced by the worker in the work area and the correspondence between the air conditioner 3 and the information collection unit 9. The control calculation unit 17 of the air conditioning control unit 15 calculates the optimal set temperature using all of this information as input values ​​and transmits it to the control command unit 19. The control command unit 19 controls the air conditioner 3 with the set temperature transmitted from the control calculation unit 17.

[0021] In Figure 2, two air-conditioned areas are assumed, but in reality, multiple air-conditioned areas are connected throughout the entire building. As mentioned earlier, the arrows in the figure represent wired connections with solid lines and wireless connections with dotted lines. The mobile terminal 11a is used as the employee information transmission unit 11. Each employee carries it and inputs their clothing load, activity level, and preferred temperature preference. This information is transmitted to the control calculation unit 17 via the network 24. The beacon tag 5a is used to detect the location of employees. The beacon tag 5a constantly emits Bluetooth radio waves, and the BLE receiver 9a, which is the information collection unit 9, receives these radio waves to detect the location of the beacon tag 5a.

[0022] The BLE receiver 9a is installed in a one-to-one correspondence with the air conditioner 3 to identify who is in the air-conditioned area. The environmental measurement device 7a is used to measure the environment of the workspace. As mentioned above, a specific example of the environmental measurement device 7a is an environmental sensor. The environmental measurement device 7a constantly measures humidity and temperature and transmits the measurement data to the BLE receiver 9a. The communication method here is to transmit to the control calculation unit 17 using Bluetooth radio waves, but it may also be transmitted to the control calculation unit 17 via a wired connection. The control calculation unit 17 collects worker information from the mobile terminal 11a, worker location information from the BLE receiver 9a, and workspace environment information, and calculates control values ​​for the air conditioner 3 based on the conditions entered from the condition input unit 13. As mentioned above, the condition input unit consists of, for example, a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. As mentioned above, the control calculation unit 17 is a computing server such as a personal computer. As described above, the control command unit 19 is an air conditioning control device such as an air conditioning control panel, and transmits the results of the control values ​​calculated by the control calculation unit 17 to each air conditioner 3.

[0023] As shown in Figure 3, the control calculation unit 17 is composed of two main systems: a recording unit 17a and a calculation unit 17b. The recording unit 17a records information about office workers obtained via the network 24, as well as control conditions, wind speed, and the correspondence between the air conditioner 3 and the BLE receiver 9a. When office workers update various information using their mobile terminals 11a, or when building managers update information using the condition input unit 13, the recorded content is also updated. The calculation unit 17b receives environmental information from the BLE receiver 9a and information about the air-conditioned area where the office workers are located, extracts the necessary information from the recording unit 17a for the target air-conditioned area, and calculates the set temperature according to the control conditions. This calculation result is transmitted to the control command unit 19, which is an air conditioning control device.

[0024] (Registration of employee information) This section describes the employee information registered using the mobile terminal 11a. The mobile terminal 11a is used to register information on each employee's preferences for temperature, clothing amount used to calculate thermal environment indicators, and activity level. This functions as the employee information transmission unit 11 in the system configuration. Figure 4 shows an image of the registration screen 11b using the mobile terminal 11a.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, respondents are asked to choose their preferred temperature from five options: "cool," "slightly cool," "normal," "slightly warm," and "warm." Since preferences are expected to vary by season, respondents are asked to register their preferred temperature for each season. For clothing and activity levels, the options shown in Figure 4 are possible. This registered information is quantified for the calculation of thermal environment indicators. The numerical values ​​for each item are shown in Table 1. In Table 1, preferred temperatures are assigned to the five preference levels. For example, preferred temperatures are assigned in five increments of ±1°C and ±2°C from the standard temperature for each season (summer: 26°C, spring / autumn: 24°C, winter: 22°C) (Table 1(A)). For clothing and activity levels, commonly used values ​​are set (Table 1(B)(C)).

[0026] [Table 1]

[0027] The location information of the office worker is detected when a BLE receiver 9a receives radio waves transmitted from a beacon tag 5a carried by the office worker. The beacon tag 5a is the location transmission unit 5 in the system configuration, and the BLE receiver 9a is the information collection unit 9. The BLE receiver 9a is installed in a one-to-one relationship with the air conditioner 3. Each beacon tag 5a is assigned an identifiable ID, and the correspondence between office worker information and location information is defined by linking that ID with the office worker information answered on the mobile terminal 11a. An example is shown in Table 2. The office worker information is recorded in the recording unit 17a of the control calculation unit 17.

[0028] [Table 2]

[0029] (Calculation of PPD) The thermal environment index is calculated using the Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD), which is derived from the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV), proposed by PO Fanger in 1973. PMV is calculated using the following equation [Equation 1]. As shown in [Equation 1], PMV is expressed as a function f whose elements are activity level, clothing amount, temperature, radiant temperature, humidity, and relative wind speed.

[0030]

number

[0031] Furthermore, the expected dissatisfaction rate PPD, which indicates the proportion of people who experience discomfort, can be approximated using PMV by the following equation [Equation 2].

[0032]

number

[0033] Here, if we treat temperature as a variable, radiant temperature as equivalent to temperature, and other parameters as constants, we can calculate the relationship between temperature and PPD, and determine the PPD at any given temperature. As an example, Figure 5 shows PPD curve A when humidity is 50%, airflow velocity is 0.1 m / s, clothing amount is 1.0 clo (assuming a suit is worn), and activity level is 1.1 met (seated work) (PPD ≤ 30%). If the temperature is too high or too low, the PPD will be high. Also, according to Figure 5, the PPD is lowest at 22.5°C. In this invention, this relationship is called the PPD curve, and by using it, we can determine the set temperature of the air conditioner while evaluating the PPD, achieving both worker comfort and energy saving.

[0034] To determine the set temperature for each air conditioner unit, a PPD curve is calculated for each air-conditioned area. This PPD curve calculation consists of three main steps. First, a standard PPD curve is created for each worker based on environmental information and worker information. Here, humidity is measured using spatial measurements, and clothing and activity levels are reported in advance by the workers. Airflow velocity is determined by the building specifications. Using these values, a curve A like the one in Figure 5 can be drawn. This is called the standard PPD curve.

[0035] In the next step, we will reflect the workers' preferred temperature preferences in this standard PPD curve A. First, we shift the PPD curve so that the PPD is lowest at the preferred temperature. For example, if we define preferred temperature preferences as five levels: "cool," "slightly cool," "normal," "slightly warm," and "warm," and the preferred temperatures for each are 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24°C, then a person who answered "warm" as their preference in winter would have a preference of 24°C. Here, we shift the axis of the standard PPD curve, which is 22.5°C, to 24°C. This is called the preference-based PPD curve. Figure 6 shows the result of shifting the standard PPD curve A in Figure 5 for each preferred temperature preference (assuming winter). The shape of the graph remains unchanged, and the temperature at which the PPD is minimized becomes the preference-based curve. We assign this curve to each worker. In Figure 6, the five levels of "cool," "slightly cool," "normal," "slightly warm," and "warm" correspond to PPD curves B to F.

[0036] In the final step, the PPD curve for each air-conditioned area is calculated by integrating the preference-based PPD curves of any number of detected individuals. Two PPD curves are calculated at this time. One is the average value calculated using the preference-based PPD curves of the detected office workers. When n office workers are detected in an air-conditioned area, the average value of the predicted discomfort rate for a given temperature t is calculated as AvePPD. t,area It can be expressed by the following formula.

[0037]

number

[0038] Here, PPDt,k This is the PPD of the worker with index k out of n workers at a given temperature t. The other is to calculate the maximum PPD of workers in the air-conditioned area. The reason for calculating the maximum value is that if only the average value is used for evaluation, the PPD of one worker may not be taken into consideration, potentially leading to a higher rate of discomfort. For example, when three workers are detected with 50% humidity and an airflow velocity of 0.1 m / s, wearing 1.0 clo (assuming a suit) and an activity level of 1.1 met (seated work), two of them answered "cool" and one answered "slightly warm," the average PPD at t=19.6℃ is less than 10%, but the PPD of the worker who answered "slightly warm" is 19%. Therefore, the maximum value is also considered in the evaluation, and the maximum PPD among the workers is calculated as MaxPPD. t,area We also calculate this. This value can be expressed by the following formula [Equation 4].

[0039]

number

[0040] As an example, Figure 7 shows the average and maximum values ​​of the PPD curve when, under conditions of 50% humidity and an airflow velocity of 0.1 m / s, with a clothing load of 1.0 clo (assuming a suit is worn) and an activity level of 1.1 met (seated work), one person answered "warm," three answered "somewhat warm," and one answered "somewhat cool," for a total of five people, all within an air-conditioned area. The average value curve G and the maximum value curve H are shown in Figure 7. These curves are called air-conditioned area PPD curves and are used as a thermal environment index that takes into account the thermal comfort of workers in an air-conditioned area.

[0041] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating a series of operations of the air conditioning control system 1 in this embodiment. Next, the overall operation of the air conditioning control system 1 in this embodiment will be described with reference to this flowchart. First, it is determined whether or not there are any workers in the air-conditioned area (S001). This is determined by a BLE receiver 9a installed in each air conditioner 3. If it is determined that there are no workers (S001, No), a command to turn off the power is sent to that air conditioner 3 (S002). If it is determined that there is one or more workers (S001, Yes), the worker information is identified. Specifically, information about who that person is, and their clothing amount and activity level is referenced (S003). Here, this can be referenced by associating the tag ID of the detected beacon tag with the worker information recorded in the recording unit 17a of the control calculation unit 17.

[0042] Next, environmental information is acquired (S004). This can be obtained by receiving information from the environmental measurement device 7a with the BLE receiver 9a and transmitting that information to the control calculation unit 17. Subsequently, a standard PPD curve for the detected worker (Figure 5) is calculated from the above information (S005), and this is used to calculate preference-based PPD curves that reflect the worker's preferences (S006, Figure 6).

[0043] Once the calculation is complete, the PPD curve for the air-conditioned area is calculated (S007). For example, if the humidity is 50%, the airflow velocity is 0.1 m / s, the amount of clothing is 1.0 clo (assuming a suit is worn), the activity level is 1.1 met (seated work), and there are 5 people in the air-conditioned area, with 1 person who answered "warm," 3 who answered "somewhat warm," and 1 who answered "somewhat cool," a curve like the one in Figure 7 is calculated. Next, the control conditions are obtained (S008). These control conditions are obtained from the information input from the condition input unit 13 and stored in the recording unit 17a. In this embodiment, the upper limits of the average and maximum values ​​of PPD are used as thresholds for the control conditions. For example, the average value is set to 10% and the maximum value to 15%. The set temperature is determined by using the control conditions and the PPD curve to set the temperature that is most energy-efficient among the control conditions (S009).

[0044] As an example, the PPD threshold for the control conditions is set so that the average value is 10% or less and the maximum value is 15% or less. Using winter as an example, to save energy, the lowest temperature is the set temperature. Figure 9 shows the result of calculating the set temperature using the average and maximum value conditions from the PPD curve of the air-conditioned area when there are 5 people in the air-conditioned area: 1 person who answered "warm," 3 who answered "somewhat warm," and 1 who answered "somewhat cool." From Figure 9, the range for an average value of 10% or less is 21.1 to 24.8°C, and the range for a maximum value of 15% or less is 21.2°C to 24.8°C. The lowest temperature that satisfies both conditions (average value 10% or less and maximum value 15% or less) is 21.2°C. Assuming the air conditioning set temperature is set in 0.5°C increments, the set temperature command value to the air conditioner 3 in this air-conditioned area would be 21.5°C. This set temperature value is transmitted to the control command unit 19 to perform air conditioning control (S010). Although this explanation describes the operation of one air conditioner unit 3, the same setting routine is performed for multiple other air conditioner units 3.

[0045] As described above, in this embodiment, a maximum value curve and an average value curve are calculated from the relationship between each worker's temperature and PPD, and the set temperature in the area where the air conditioner is installed is determined so that these maximum value curve and average value curve are below the respective preset thresholds. This makes it possible to set a temperature that reflects the thermal environment around the workers and each worker's preference for temperature, preventing excessive cooling and heating and saving energy. According to this embodiment, since the dissatisfaction rate is calculated based on the workers' preferences, it becomes possible to control the environment in a way that better reflects the comfort of the space. Furthermore, although the power reduction effect is small with only one air conditioner, the effect becomes significant in large buildings with tens to hundreds of units, and the set temperature can be changed while considering the occupancy status and temperature preferences of the workers.

[0046] (Second Embodiment) In this embodiment, in addition to the operation of the first embodiment, an operation is added in which the temperature setting is changed for each air conditioner 3 in order to save energy. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the air conditioning control system 1 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the device configuration is the same as in the first embodiment as shown in Figures 1 to 3, but the additional control is different as shown in Figure 10. In this embodiment, the air conditioner 3 to be controlled is determined while evaluating the power consumption reduction effect and the comfort level of the office workers for the air conditioners 3 throughout the building. That is, in this embodiment, for each area in which an air conditioner 3 is installed, the air conditioning control unit 15 calculates the PPD after changing the temperature within a predetermined range from the determined set temperature according to the procedure of the first embodiment for both the maximum value curve and the average value curve, determines the priority of temperature changes for the air conditioners 3 based on the PPD after temperature changes, and changes the temperature of the air conditioners 3 based on the priority.

[0047] Figure 11 shows the situation of the workers in the air-conditioned areas in this embodiment. As shown in Figure 11, there are four air-conditioned areas for each air conditioner 3, and six desks 25 are arranged in each air-conditioned area of ​​air conditioner 3. There are six seats indicated by "○". Each air-conditioned area will be referred to as Area1 to Area4, and each air conditioner 3 will be referred to as AC1 to AC4. A "●" that is black indicates an occupied seat, and a white "●" indicates an empty seat. Table 3 shows the temperature preferences of the workers w in each air-conditioned area. Figure 11 shows the set temperature of each air conditioner, but this is the control value according to the first embodiment, and it is determined considering the distribution and preferences (Table 3) of the workers w in the air-conditioned areas. This assumes a situation where the number of people and their preferences are distributed in a diverse manner.

[0048] [Table 3]

[0049] The operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 10. (Reference to the PPD curve for each air-conditioned area) First, the PPD curves for the air-conditioned areas in Areas 1 to 4 are referenced (S101). The calculation method is the same as in the first embodiment. The calculated results are shown in Figure 12. In Areas 1 and 4, the average and maximum values ​​of PPD are shown by curves K, L and curves O, P. In Area 2, there are two workers, but because their preferences are the same, the average and maximum values ​​of PPD are shown by the same curve M. In Area 3, there is one worker, so the average and maximum values ​​of PPD are shown by the same curve N.

[0050] (Calculation of PPD increase after changing the set temperature) Next, in each air-conditioned area, the change in PPD when the set temperature is lowered by 0.5°C, 1.0°C, 1.5°C, etc. is calculated from Figure 12 (S102). The results are shown in Table 4. The PPD (Current) column represents the current level of dissatisfaction. From this value, it can be seen that as each set temperature is lowered (here, winter is assumed, so lowering the temperature increases PPD), the PPD increases. Furthermore, it can be seen that the increase in PPD differs from area to area.

[0051] [Table 4]

[0052] (Priority setting of controlled air conditioners based on conditions) Next, the air conditioners to be controlled are prioritized based on the conditions from the results in Table 4 (S103). As an example, Table 5 shows the ranking results and the power reduction effect when the condition is "lowest maximum PPD value first". If the maximum PPD value is the same, the one with fewer people is ranked higher. This is to reduce the number of people who feel dissatisfied. For example, Area2 and Area3 have the same maximum PPD value after the change, but Area3 has fewer people, so it has a higher priority. Regarding the reduction effect, the calculation is based on the Ministry of the Environment's guideline effect of changing the set temperature, "10% reduction for every 1°C change," assuming a 10% effect for every 1°C change in the set temperature and that the relationship is proportional.

[0053] [Table 5]

[0054] Next, a decision is made as to whether or not to accept the request for energy conservation (S104). If the request is not accepted (S104, No), the operation of the air conditioning control system 1 ends (S107). If the request for energy conservation is accepted (S104, Yes), the system proceeds to the next step.

[0055] (Determination of the air conditioner to be controlled) As shown in Table 5, once the priority is determined, the air conditioner 3 to be controlled is selected and the set temperature is determined based on the result (S105). This selection of air conditioners 3 and determination of the set temperature is performed by the building manager from the condition input unit 13. The determination method involves determining the amount of power to respond (reduce) to the request for power load reduction, and then determining which air conditioner 3 will change its set temperature to meet that amount. For example, if an AC3 air conditioner has a power consumption of 5kWh, taking measures for control priority 1 can reduce power consumption by 250W. The reduction effect is small for a single unit, but in buildings with many air conditioners, ranging from tens to hundreds of units, the potential for power reduction is significant. Once the air conditioners to be controlled are selected and the set temperatures are determined, the control command unit 19 commands each selected air conditioner 3 to change its set temperature (S106), and the operation of this embodiment of the air conditioning control system 1 ends (S107).

[0056] Although this embodiment focuses only on the control of the air conditioner 3, further energy savings may be possible if changes in the behavior of office workers are taken into consideration. Such cases include the following: (1) Cases where there is only one or a relatively small number of people working in the air-conditioned area. In this case, by moving the workers in that area to another location, the number of workers in that area can be reduced to 0, and the air conditioning can be turned off. (2) Cases where the distribution of preferences in the air conditioning area is uneven. In this case, workers with similar or identical thermal comfort levels are grouped together, and each group is moved to a single area, gathering workers with similar thermal comfort levels in each area. This reduces the discrepancy between the average PPD and the maximum PPD (a large discrepancy between the average and maximum values ​​narrows the range of temperature settings that satisfy the conditions, making it difficult to achieve both comfort and energy saving). Possible methods for instructing employees in each case include notifications via apps or email. While it's not possible to force employees to act in a specific way, and the power consumption will still depend on their actions, this approach has a high potential for reducing power consumption.

[0057] As described above, in this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the comfort level of the space can be evaluated from real-time location information of office workers, and the discomfort rate can be calculated for each air conditioning control range. Therefore, it is possible to determine and control which air conditioning to prioritize within the building while considering the relationship between comfort and energy saving.

[0058] In the above-described embodiment, the air-conditioned area was explained from the perspective of whether or not an employee is seated at a desk, as in an office. However, in reality, the employee is identified by receiving the presence or absence of a signal from the beacon tag 5a with the BLE receiver 9a. Therefore, the air conditioning management system 1 of the present invention can also function effectively in air-conditioned areas where seating is not fixed and employees move freely, such as conference rooms or cafeterias. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0059] 1. Air conditioning control system 3 Air conditioner 5. Location Transmitter 7. Environmental Communication Department 9. Information Gathering Department 11. Information Dissemination Department for Office Staff 13. Condition Input Section 15. Air Conditioning Control Unit

Claims

1. Multiple air conditioners, A location transmitting unit carried by the employee to transmit signals, An environmental transmission unit that transmits environmental information including temperature and humidity in the area where the air conditioner is installed, An information collection unit is installed for each of the aforementioned air conditioners and transmits information from the location transmission unit and the environment transmission unit, An employee information dissemination unit collects and disseminates information about the employee, including the employee's chosen temperature preference, current clothing level, and current activity level. A condition input section for setting air conditioning conditions, The system includes an air conditioning control unit that controls the multiple air conditioners, including setting the temperature, based on the information received from the information collection unit, the employee information transmission unit, and the condition input unit. The aforementioned air conditioning control unit is Based on the received information, the relationship between temperature and PPD for each of the workers in the area where the air conditioner is installed is calculated. An air conditioning control system that calculates a maximum value curve and an average value curve from the relationship between the temperature and PPD for each of the aforementioned workers, and determines the set temperature of the area where the air conditioner is installed so that the maximum value curve and the average value curve are below a predetermined threshold.

2. The aforementioned air conditioning control unit is An air conditioning control system that, for each area in which the air conditioner is installed, calculates the PPD after changing the temperature within a predetermined range from the set temperature determined in claim 1 for both the maximum value curve and the average value curve, determines the priority order for changing the temperature of the air conditioner based on the PPD after the temperature change, and changes the temperature of the air conditioner based on the priority order.

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