Air purification system and air purification method

Abstract

To provide an air purification system capable of almost uniformly purifying air in a plurality of spaces having different volumes from each other.SOLUTION: An air purification system 1 is provided. The air purification system 1 includes a filter 10 for purifying air, a first air circulation device 11, and a second air circulation device 12, and a controlling device 13. The first air circulation device 11 includes a first fan 27 and first duct means 28 for circulating purified air Ap through the filter 10 to a first space 5 composed of one of a plurality of chambers 2 or the plurality of the chamber 2. The second air circulation device 12 includes a second fan 31 and second duct means 32 for circulating the purified air Ap to a second space 6 composed of one except for the chambers 2 included in the first space 5 or the plurality of chambers 2. The control device 13 includes an air volume adjusting part for adjusting the air volume of the first fan 27 and the air volume of the second fan 31 so that the numbers of ventilation times of the first space 5 and the second space 6 are almost the same.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air purification system and an air purification method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1, described below, describes an air conditioning unit for air conditioning multiple spaces inside a building. In this air conditioning unit, filtered air is supplied to multiple spaces within the building. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-039610 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] Generally, multiple spaces have different volumes depending on the building's layout, ceiling height, etc. When filtered air is supplied uniformly to these spaces, a problem arises: the time it takes for each space to be ventilated by the purified air (purification time) differs.

[0005] This invention was devised in view of the above-described circumstances, and its main objective is to provide an air purification system capable of purifying the air in multiple spaces of different volumes in a substantially uniform manner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention relates to an air purification system for purifying the air in a building having multiple rooms, comprising a filter for purifying the air, a first air circulation device, a second air circulation device, and a control device, wherein the first air circulation device includes a first fan and a first duct means for circulating the purified air that has passed through the filter to a first space consisting of one or more of the multiple rooms, the second air circulation device includes a second fan and a second duct means for circulating the purified air to a second space consisting of one or more rooms excluding the rooms included in the first space, and the control device includes an airflow adjustment unit for adjusting the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan so that the number of ventilations between the first space and the second space are substantially the same. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] By adopting the above configuration, the air purification system of the present invention makes it possible to purify the air in multiple spaces of different volumes in a substantially uniform manner. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a conceptual cross-sectional view of a building equipped with an air purification system. [Figure 2] This is a magnified section of Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram of the control device of this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for the air purification method of this embodiment. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows the processing procedure for the operation adjustment process of this embodiment. [Figure 6] This flowchart shows the processing procedure for the operation adjustment step of another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This graph shows the relationship between indoor pollutant concentration and elapsed time. [Figure 8] This diagram shows the purification time required for the air quality of the first space to meet the standard, and the power consumption when the first fan is operated for the purification time, for each of the multiple modes. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. It should be understood that the drawings contain exaggerations and representations that differ from the actual dimensional ratios of the structures in order to aid in understanding the content of the invention. Furthermore, the same or common elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout each embodiment, and redundant explanations are omitted. Moreover, the specific configurations shown in the embodiments and drawings are for the purpose of understanding the content of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations shown in the drawings.

[0010] [building] Figure 1 is a conceptual cross-sectional view of building B in which the air purification system 1 is installed. Building B may be, for example, a house or an office building.

[0011] Building B has multiple rooms 2. These multiple rooms 2 are configured as, for example, living rooms or non-living rooms (for example, bathrooms). These multiple rooms 2 are separated by, for example, doors 3, and air Ai circulates through gaps 4 formed in the doors 3.

[0012] In this embodiment, the multiple rooms 2 are divided (grouped) into either a first space 5 or a second space 6. The first space 5 consists of one or more rooms 2. The second space 6 consists of one or more rooms 2 excluding the rooms 2 included in the first space 5. Note that the multiple rooms 2 are not limited to being divided into these first space 5 and second space 6, and may be divided into, for example, a third space (not shown). In this case, the third space consists of one or more rooms 2 excluding the rooms 2 included in the first space 5 and second space 6.

[0013] The first space 5 of this embodiment is composed of one or more rooms 2 formed on the first floor of the building B. On the other hand, the second space 6 of this embodiment is composed of one or more rooms 2 formed on the second floor of the building B. Note that the first space 5 and the second space 6 are not necessarily limited to such a mode. For example, when the building B is a single-story (one-floor) building, one or more rooms 2 formed on the first floor may be divided into either the first space 5 or the second space 6.

[0014] The first space 5 of this embodiment includes the first room 2a and the second room 2b provided on the first floor. Among these first room 2a and second room 2b, the volume of the first room 2a is relatively large. On the other hand, the second space 6 of this embodiment includes the third room 2c and the fourth room 2d provided on the second floor. Among these third room 2c and fourth room 2d, the volume of the third room 2c is relatively large. Although the volumes of these first room 2a to fourth room 2d are different from each other, for example, the volumes of some of the rooms 2 may be the same as each other. These volumes can be calculated, for example, by the product of the floor area and the height of the ceiling.

[0015] In this embodiment, a first volume C1, which is the total volume of the rooms 2 (in this example, the first room 2a and the second room 2b) included in the first space 5, and a second volume C2, which is the total volume of the rooms 2 (in this example, the third room 2c and the fourth room 2d) included in the second space 6, are different. Further, the first volume C1 is set to be larger than the second volume C2. Note that the magnitude relationship between the first volume C1 and the second volume C2 can be appropriately set according to the floor plan of the building B and the like.

[0016] [Air purification system] The air purification system 1 of this embodiment is configured to include a filter 10, a first air circulation device 11, a second air circulation device 12, and a control device 13. Further, the air purification system 1 of this embodiment further includes air quality measurement means 14.

[0017] [Filter] The filter 10 is for purifying the air. The filter 10 in this embodiment is selected from, for example, a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter, a photocatalytic filter, an activated carbon deodorizing filter, or an electrostatic precipitator filter, similar to the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, and these can be arranged individually or in combination. The filter 10 in this embodiment is placed (housed) inside the chamber 15.

[0018] [chamber] The chamber 15 in this embodiment is formed in the shape of a box with space inside. This chamber 15 can be formed, for example, in the same way as the unit body of Patent Document 1 described above.

[0019] Figure 2 is a partially enlarged view of Figure 1. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the chamber 15 of this embodiment is located in a storage space 17 adjacent to the hall 16 on the second floor of building B, but the embodiment is not limited to this configuration. For example, the chamber 15 may be located in a storage space (not shown) located in the hall 16 on the first floor. As shown in Figure 2, the storage space 17 and the hall 16 are separated by a partition wall 18. This partition wall 18 is provided with a gap 19 that allows air Ai to pass between the hall 16 and the storage space 17. Furthermore, the chamber 15 is provided with a gap 20 that allows air Ai to pass between the storage space 17 and the chamber 15. Through these gaps 19 and 20, air Ai that has circulated through the first space 5 and the second space 6 shown in Figure 1 is supplied to the chamber 15.

[0020] In this embodiment, an outside air supply duct 21 is connected to the chamber 15 to supply outside air Ao (underfloor air Au). As shown in Figure 1, one end of the outside air supply duct 21 is connected to the underfloor space 22 to which the outside air Ao is supplied, and the other end of the outside air supply duct 21 is connected to the chamber 15. This outside air supply duct 21 allows the chamber 15 and the underfloor space 22 to communicate with each other.

[0021] An outside air supply fan 23 may be provided in the outside air supply duct 21. The outside air supply fan 23 in this embodiment is for pressurizing and supplying outside air Ao (underfloor air Au) to the chamber 15 via the outside air supply duct 21. Through these outside air supply duct 21 and outside air supply fan 23, underfloor air Au (outside air Ao) is drawn into the chamber 15. In this specification, "fan" is a machine for pressurizing and supplying air. Therefore, the fan is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of pressurizing and supplying air.

[0022] [Air conditioner] As shown in Figure 2, an air conditioner 24 is provided inside the chamber 15 of this embodiment. This air conditioner 24 is, for example, a typical household split-type air conditioner and includes an indoor unit 25 and an outdoor unit (not shown) installed outside building B as a set.

[0023] The indoor unit 25 has an intake port 25i and an outlet port 25o. The intake port 25i is for drawing in air (in this example, a mixture of circulated air Ai and outside air Ao) into a heat exchanger (not shown) located inside the indoor unit 25. On the other hand, the outlet port 25o is for discharging the air (conditioned air) Ac that has been conditioned by the heat exchanger.

[0024] In this embodiment, the filter 10 described above is positioned downstream of the air (conditioned air Ac) discharged from the outlet 25o within the chamber 15. This allows purified air Ap to be generated by passing the conditioned air Ac (a mixture of circulated air Ai and outside air Ao) through the filter 10.

[0025] [First air circulation device] As shown in Figure 1, the first air circulation device 11 is for circulating purified air Ap, which has passed through the filter 10, into the first space 5. The first air circulation device 11 in this embodiment includes a first fan 27 and a first duct means 28.

[0026] [First fan] The first fan 27 is for supplying (pressurizing) purified air Ap to the first space 5 via the first duct means 28. In this embodiment, the first fan 27 is positioned downstream of the purified air Ap (filter 10) within the chamber 15 and generates an airflow from the first duct means 28 toward the first space 5. This enables the first fan 27 to supply purified air Ap to the first space 5 via the first duct means 28.

[0027] The first fan 27 in this embodiment is capable of operating based on multiple modes with different airflow rates. This allows the first fan 27 to adjust the amount of purified air Ap supplied to the first space 5. Switching between these multiple operating modes of the first fan 27 can be performed by the control device 13.

[0028] The airflow rate for each mode can be appropriately set according to, for example, the first volume C1, which is the total volume of the chambers 2 included in the first space 5, and the purification performance required for the air purification system 1. The multiple modes in this embodiment include the first to fourth modes.

[0029] Of the four modes (Mode 1 to Mode 4), Mode 1 may be set to the highest airflow and Mode 4 to the lowest airflow. Therefore, Mode 1 consumes the most power and Mode 4 consumes the least power. Examples of airflow for each mode are as follows. Note that the airflow is not limited to these modes, as long as the relative airflow levels of Modes 1 to 4 are maintained. In addition, other modes different from Modes 1 to 4 may also be included. Mode 1: 800m 3 / h Mode 2: 640m 3 / h Mode 3: 480m 3 / h Mode 4: 170m 3 / h

[0030] [First ducting means] The first ducting means 28 is for supplying (guiding) purified air Ap to the first space 5. As shown in Figure 2, the first ducting means 28 in this embodiment is composed of a first main duct 28a and a plurality of first branch ducts 28b. The first main duct 28a and the plurality of first branch ducts 28b are formed, for example, by ducts formed in a cylindrical shape. In this embodiment, a first branch chamber 29 is provided between the first main duct 28a and the plurality of first branch ducts 28b.

[0031] The first main duct 28a in this embodiment is for supplying purified air Ap to the first branch chamber 29. One end of the first main duct 28a is located downstream of the purified air Ap (filter 10) within the chamber 15. The other end of the first main duct 28a is connected to the first branch chamber 29. This first main duct 28a connects the chamber 15 and the first branch chamber 29, allowing purified air Ap, which has passed through the filter 10, to be supplied to the first branch chamber 29 via the first main duct 28a.

[0032] A first fan 27 is provided at one end of the first main duct 28a. This allows purified air Ap to be pumped (supplied) to the first branch chamber 29 via the first main duct 28a. Note that if the first fan 27 is directly connected to the first branch chamber 29, the first main duct 28a may be omitted.

[0033] The multiple first branch ducts 28b in this embodiment are for branching purified air Ap and supplying it to the first space 5 shown in Figure 1 (in this example, the first chamber 2a and the second chamber 2b). One end of each of the multiple first branch ducts 28b is connected to the first branch chamber 29. On the other hand, the other end of each of the multiple first branch ducts 28b is connected to a chamber 2 (either the first chamber 2a or the second chamber 2b) included in the first space 5 shown in Figure 1. These multiple first branch ducts 28b connect the first branch chamber 29 and the first space 5, and the purified air Ap supplied to the first branch chamber 29 can be branched by the multiple first branch ducts 28b and supplied to the first space 5 (the first chamber 2a and the second chamber 2b).

[0034] The total number of first branch ducts 28b is preferably set according to the size of the first volume C1 of the first space 5 shown in Figure 1. This ensures that purified air Ap is supplied evenly throughout the first space 5.

[0035] In this embodiment, of the first chamber 2a and the second chamber 2b contained in the first space 5, the volume of the first chamber 2a is relatively larger. It is preferable that more first branch ducts 28b are connected to the first chamber 2a than to the second chamber 2b. This allows more purified air Ap to be supplied evenly to the first chamber 2a, which has a relatively larger volume.

[0036] Each first branch duct 28b may be equipped with a first damper 30 for adjusting the amount of purified air Ap supplied. Such a first damper 30 allows for adjustment of the amount of purified air Ap supplied for each first branch duct 28b. In this embodiment, the first damper 30 is a VAV damper capable of adjusting the amount of purified air Ap supplied according to the opening (opening area), but it is not particularly limited, and other types of dampers may be used.

[0037] At least a portion of the purified air Ap supplied to the first space 5 (first chamber 2a and second chamber 2b) is supplied to the chamber 15 as circulating air (return air) Ai through, for example, the gap 4 formed in the door 3, the stairs between the first and second floors (not shown), the gap 19 in the hall 16 shown in Figure 2, and the gap 20 in the chamber 15. This enables the first air circulation device 11 to circulate the purified air Ap to the first space 5.

[0038] [Second air circulation device] As shown in Figure 1, the second air circulation device 12 is for circulating the purified air Ap, which has passed through the filter 10, into the second space 6. The second air circulation device 12 in this embodiment includes a second fan 31 and a second duct means 32.

[0039] [Second Fan] The second fan 31 is for supplying (pressurizing) purified air Ap to the second space 6 via the second duct means 32. In this embodiment, the second fan 31, like the first fan 27, is positioned downstream of the purified air Ap (filter 10) within the chamber 15 and generates an airflow from the second duct means 32 toward the second space 6. This enables the second fan 31 to supply purified air Ap to the second space 6 via the second duct means 32.

[0040] The second fan 31 in this embodiment, like the first fan 27, is capable of operating based on multiple modes with different airflows, allowing the amount of purified air Ap supplied to the second space 6 to be adjusted. Switching between these multiple operating modes of the second fan 31 can be performed by the control device 13.

[0041] The airflow rate for each mode can be appropriately set according to, for example, the second volume C2, which is the total volume of the chambers 2 included in the second space 6, and the purification performance required for the air purification system 1. The multiple modes in this embodiment include the first to fourth modes, similar to the first fan 27. The airflow rates for each of these first to fourth modes are as described above.

[0042] [Second ducting method] The second ducting means 32 is for supplying (guiding) purified air Ap to the second space 6. As shown in Figure 2, the second ducting means 32 in this embodiment is composed of a second main duct 32a and a plurality of second branch ducts 32b. The second main duct 32a and the plurality of second branch ducts 32b are formed, for example, by ducts formed in a cylindrical shape. In this embodiment, a second branch chamber 33 is provided between the second main duct 32a and the plurality of second branch ducts 32b.

[0043] The second main duct 32a in this embodiment is for supplying purified air Ap to the second branch chamber 33. One end of the second main duct 32a is located downstream of the purified air Ap (filter 10) within the chamber 15. The other end of the second main duct 32a is connected to the second branch chamber 33. This second main duct 32a connects the chamber 15 and the second branch chamber 33, allowing purified air Ap, which has passed through the filter 10, to be supplied to the second branch chamber 33 via the second main duct 32a.

[0044] A second fan 31 is provided at one end of the second main duct 32a. This allows purified air Ap to be pressurized (supplied) to the second branch chamber 33 via the second main duct 32a. However, if the second fan 31 is directly connected to the second branch chamber 33, the second main duct 32a may be omitted.

[0045] The multiple second branch ducts 32b in this embodiment are for branching the purified air Ap and supplying it to the second space 6 shown in Figure 1 (in this example, the third chamber 2c and the fourth chamber 2d). One end of each of the multiple second branch ducts 32b is connected to the second branch chamber 33. On the other hand, the other end of each of the multiple second branch ducts 32b is connected to a chamber 2 (the third chamber 2c or the fourth chamber 2d) included in the second space 6. These multiple second branch ducts 32b connect the second branch chamber 33 and the second space 6, and the purified air Ap supplied to the second branch chamber 33 can be branched by the multiple second branch ducts 32b and supplied to the second space 6 (the third chamber 2c and the fourth chamber 2d).

[0046] The total number of second branch ducts 32b is preferably set according to the size of the second volume C2 of the second space 6 shown in Figure 1. This ensures that purified air Ap is supplied evenly throughout the second space 6.

[0047] As described above, in this embodiment, the first volume C1 of the first space 5 is set to be larger than the second volume C2 of the second space 6. Therefore, the total number of first branch ducts 28b is set to be greater than the total number of second branch ducts 32b.

[0048] In this embodiment, of the third chamber 2c and fourth chamber 2d contained in the second space 6, the volume of the third chamber 2c is relatively larger. It is preferable that more second branch ducts 32b are connected to the third chamber 2c than to the fourth chamber 2d. This allows more purified air Ap to be supplied evenly to the third chamber 2c, which has a relatively larger volume.

[0049] Each second branch duct 32b may be provided with a second damper 34 for adjusting the amount of purified air Ap supplied. Such second dampers 34 allow the amount of purified air Ap supplied to each second branch duct 32b to be adjusted. In this embodiment, the second damper 34 may be the same type of damper as the first damper 30 (in this example, a VAV damper).

[0050] At least a portion of the purified air Ap supplied to the second space 6 (third chamber 2c and fourth chamber 2d) is supplied to the chamber 15 as circulating air (return air) Ai through, for example, the gap 4 formed in the door 3, the gap 19 in the hole 16 shown in Figure 2, and the gap 20 in the chamber 15. This allows the second air circulation device 12 to circulate the purified air Ap back into the second space 6.

[0051] [Air quality measurement method] As shown in Figure 1, the air quality measuring means 14 is for measuring the air quality of multiple rooms 2. In this embodiment, the air quality measuring means 14 is provided in all rooms 2 (room 1 2a to room 4 2d) in building B, but the air quality measuring means 14 may be provided in only some of the rooms 2. The air quality measuring means 14 may employ, for example, a known air quality sensor capable of detecting CO2 concentration, humidity, and dust amount (e.g., the amount of pollen, PM2.5, and dust).

[0052] [Control device] The control device 13 in this embodiment is used to adjust the airflow W1 of the first fan 27, the airflow W2 of the second fan 31, and so on. The control device 13 is composed of a computer and is located, for example, in a partition wall. Figure 3 is a block diagram of the control device 13 in this embodiment.

[0053] The control device 13 is configured to include, for example, an arithmetic unit 41, a storage device 42 for storing the processing procedure (program) of the air purification method described later, and a working memory 43 for reading the processing procedure from the storage device 42. An input device 44 and an output device 45 are connected to the control device 13 (arithmetic unit 41).

[0054] [Input device] The input device 44 in this embodiment is composed of operation buttons, a touch panel, etc., provided on the housing of the control device 13 (shown in Figure 1). Through this input device 44, information (data) entered by, for example, a user (resident), can be transmitted to the arithmetic unit 41 (control device 13). The information entered into the input device 44 includes, for example, the start and stop of air purification operation, and the start and stop of air conditioning operation (heating operation or cooling operation) of the air conditioner 24.

[0055] [Output device] In this embodiment, the output device 45 is configured as a display provided in the housing of the control device 13 (shown in Figure 1). By receiving data from the arithmetic unit 41 (control device 13), the output device 45 is capable of displaying, for example, the operating status of the air purification system 1.

[0056] [Arithmetic device] The arithmetic unit 41 of this embodiment is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The arithmetic unit 41 of this embodiment is communicated with the first fan 27 and the second fan 31 shown in Figure 1. As a result, the arithmetic unit 41 can control the operation of the first fan 27 and the second fan 31, and for example, purified air Ap can be supplied at the airflow rate of one of several modes.

[0057] The computing unit 41 is communicated with the first damper 30 and the second damper 34 shown in Figure 1. This allows the computing unit 41 to control the amount of purified air Ap supplied by the first damper 30 and the second damper 34.

[0058] The computing device 41 is connected to the air quality measuring means 14 shown in Figure 1 in a communication manner. This allows the computing device 41 to receive measurement information (measurement data) of the air quality of each room 2 measured by the air quality measuring means 14. The computing device 41 may also be connected to the air conditioner 24 shown in Figure 1.

[0059] [Storage device] The storage device 42 in this embodiment is, for example, a non-volatile information storage device. The storage device 42 includes a data section 46 and a program section 47.

[0060] [Data Section] The data unit 46 in this embodiment is for storing, for example, data necessary for processing by the arithmetic unit 41 and the calculation results of the arithmetic unit 41. The data unit 46 in this embodiment includes a volume input unit 46A, a reference input unit 46B, a measurement information input unit 46C, a purification time input unit 46D, and a power consumption input unit 46E. However, the data unit 46 is not limited to this configuration, and may include input units (not shown) for storing other data as needed, or some of these may be omitted.

[0061] The volume input unit 46A stores the first volume C1, which is the total volume of the chambers 2 included in the first space 5 shown in Figure 1, and the second volume C2, which is the total volume of the chambers 2 included in the second space 6. Furthermore, the volume input unit 46A also stores the volumes of multiple chambers 2 (first chamber 2a to fourth chamber 2d).

[0062] The standard input unit 46B stores the air quality standards that all rooms 2 shown in Figure 1 must meet. These standards can be set for each measurement information (e.g., CO2 concentration, humidity, and dust content) measured by the air quality measurement means 14 shown in Figure 1. These standards are pre-entered, for example, according to the air quality required for building B (room 2).

[0063] The measurement information input unit 46C stores the measurement information from the air quality measurement means 14 received by the calculation unit 41. The data stored in the purification time input unit 46D and the power consumption input unit 46E are the results calculated by the air purification method described later.

[0064] [Programming Department] The program unit 47 is a program (computer program) that causes the arithmetic unit 41 (control device 13) to execute the air purification method described later. When this program unit (program) 47 is executed by the arithmetic unit 41, the control device 13 can be made to function as a specific means.

[0065] The program unit 47 of this embodiment includes an airflow adjustment unit 47A, a first damper adjustment unit 47B, a second damper adjustment unit 47C, and an operation adjustment unit 47D. The functions of these program units 47 will be explained in each step of the air purification method described later. Furthermore, the program unit 47 is not limited to this configuration, and may include other programs (not shown) as needed, or some of these may be omitted.

[0066] [Whole building air conditioning operation] In this embodiment, prior to the implementation of the air purification method, the operation of the air conditioner 24, the first fan 27, and the second fan 31 shown in Figure 1 is started, and whole-house air conditioning operation is performed to circulate the air Ai within building B and ventilate and air condition multiple rooms 2. In this whole-house air conditioning operation, the airflow W1 of the first fan 27 and the airflow W2 of the second fan 31 are set based on the number of ventilations required for building B, and are set to the same airflow (for example, the airflow of the fourth mode, which has the smallest airflow). Therefore, purified air Ap is uniformly supplied to the first space 5 and the second space 6.

[0067] In this whole-house air conditioning operation, purified air Ap is supplied to multiple rooms 2, thus purifying the air within building B to a certain extent. However, in whole-house air conditioning operation, purified air Ap is supplied uniformly (at the same supply rate) to the first space 5 and the second space 6, which have different volumes. As a result, there is a difference in the time it takes for the first space 5 and the second space 6 to be ventilated by the purified air Ap (purification time), making it difficult to purify the first space 5 and the second space 6 almost uniformly.

[0068] [Air purification method (first embodiment)] In this embodiment, the air purification method described below is implemented (the system switches from whole-house air conditioning operation to air purification operation), thereby purifying the air in the first space 5 and the second space 6, which have different volumes, in a substantially uniform manner. This air purification method (air purification operation) can be started by the control device 13 (input device 44 shown in Figure 3) based on instruction information input by the resident of building B (for example, by pressing an air purification button not shown), or by the control device 13 which receives measurement information from the air quality measurement means 14. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the air purification method in this embodiment.

[0069] [Air volume adjustment process] In the air purification method of this embodiment, first, the airflow W1 of the first fan 27 and the airflow W2 of the second fan 31 are adjusted so that the number of ventilation cycles (times / h) between the first space 5 and the second space 6 shown in Figure 1 are approximately the same (airflow adjustment step S1). Here, "the number of ventilation cycles between the first space 5 and the second space 6 are approximately the same" means that the ratio N1 / N2 of the number of ventilation cycles N1 of the first space 5 and the number of ventilation cycles N2 of the second space 6 is in the range of 0.5 to 1.5, preferably in the range of 0.9 to 1.1.

[0070] In the airflow adjustment step S1 of this embodiment, first, the first volume C1 of the first space 5 and the second volume C2 of the second space 6, which are stored in the volume input unit 46A shown in Figure 3, and the airflow adjustment unit 47A included in the program unit 47 are loaded into the working memory 43. The airflow adjustment unit 47A is a program for adjusting the airflow W1 of the first fan 27 and the airflow W2 of the second fan 31 so that the ventilation rate between the first space 5 and the second space 6 is approximately the same. When this airflow adjustment unit 47A is executed by the calculation unit 41, the control device 13 can function as a means for adjusting the airflow W1 of the first fan 27 and the airflow W2 of the second fan 31.

[0071] In the airflow adjustment step S1 of this embodiment, the airflow W1 of the first fan 27 and the airflow W2 of the second fan 31 shown in Figure 1 are controlled based on the first volume C1 and the second volume C2. These first volume C1 and second volume C2 are correlated with the ventilation rate of the first space 5 and the ventilation rate of the second space 6. Therefore, by controlling the airflow W1 of the first fan 27 and the airflow W2 of the second fan 31 based on these first volume C1 and second volume C2, the ventilation rate of the first space 5 and the ventilation rate of the second space 6 can be made approximately the same.

[0072] In the airflow adjustment process S1, when the first volume C1 is larger than the second volume C2, the airflow W1 of the first fan 27 is made larger than the airflow W2 of the second fan 31. As a result, a larger amount of purified air Ap is supplied to the first space 5, which has a relatively larger volume than the second space 6, making it possible to make the ventilation rate of the first space 5 and the ventilation rate of the second space 6 approximately the same.

[0073] The airflow rates of the first fan 27 and the second fan 31 can be set as appropriate, provided that the airflow rate W1 of the first fan 27 is greater than the airflow rate W2 of the second fan 31. For example, the first fan 27 may be operated based on the first mode, which has the largest airflow rate among the multiple modes described above, and the second fan 31 may be operated based on the second mode, which has a smaller airflow rate than the first mode. This makes it possible to purify the air in the first space 5 and the second space 6 quickly, while keeping the ventilation rate of the first space 5 and the second space 6 approximately the same, by supplying a large amount of purified air Ap to both the first space 5 and the second space 6.

[0074] Furthermore, if the first fan 27 and the second fan 31 are adjustable to airflows other than those described above (variable speed fans), the airflows W1 and W2 may be adjusted so that the ratio C1 / C2 between the first volume C1 and the second volume C2 is the same as the ratio W1 / W2 between the airflow W1 of the first fan 27 and the airflow W2 of the second fan 31. This makes it possible to bring the ventilation rate of the first space 5 and the ventilation rate of the second space 6 closer to being the same.

[0075] On the other hand, in the airflow adjustment process S1, when the second volume C2 is larger than the first volume C1, the airflow W2 of the second fan 31 is made larger than the airflow W1 of the first fan 27. As a result, a larger amount of purified air Ap is supplied to the second space 6, which has a relatively larger volume than the first space 5, making it possible to make the ventilation rate of the first space 5 and the ventilation rate of the second space 6 approximately the same.

[0076] The airflow rates of the first fan 27 and the second fan 31 can be set as appropriate, provided that the airflow rate W2 of the second fan 31 is greater than the airflow rate W1 of the first fan 27. For example, the second fan 31 may be operated based on the first mode, and the first fan 27 may be operated based on the second mode. This makes it possible to quickly purify the air in the first space 5 and the second space 6 while keeping the ventilation rate of the first space 5 and the ventilation rate of the second space 6 approximately the same.

[0077] Furthermore, if the first fan 27 and the second fan 31 are adjustable to airflows other than those described above (variable volume fans), the airflows W1 and W2 may be adjusted so that the ratio C2 / C1 between the second volume C2 and the first volume C1 is the same as the ratio W2 / W1 between the airflow W2 of the second fan 31 and the airflow W1 of the first fan 27. This makes it possible to bring the ventilation rate of the first space 5 and the ventilation rate of the second space 6 closer to being the same.

[0078] Thus, in the air purification method of this embodiment (airflow adjustment unit 47A), the airflow W1 of the first fan 27 and the airflow W2 of the second fan 31 are adjusted so that the number of ventilation cycles in the first space 5 and the number of ventilation cycles in the second space 6 are approximately the same. As a result, even if the first volume C1 of the first space 5 and the second volume C2 of the second space 6 are different from each other, the air in the first space 5 and the air in the second space 6 are replaced (ventilated) with purified air Ap in a substantially uniform manner. Therefore, the air in the first space 5 and the air in the second space 6 can be purified in a substantially uniform manner.

[0079] A portion of the purified air Ap supplied to the first space 5 (chamber 2 included in the first space 5) is supplied to the chamber 15 as air that has circulated through the first space 5 (return air) Ai. On the other hand, a portion of the purified air Ap supplied to the second space 6 (chamber 2 included in the second space 6) is supplied to the chamber 15 as air that has circulated through the second space 6 (return air) Ai. In this way, in the airflow adjustment process S1 of this embodiment (first air circulation device 11 and second air circulation device 12), purified air Ap can be circulated independently to the first space 5 and the second space 6, so that each of the first space 5 and the second space 6 can be efficiently purified.

[0080] [First damper adjustment process] Next, in the air purification method of this embodiment, the first damper 30 shown in Figure 1 is controlled (first damper adjustment step S2). In the first damper adjustment step S2, the first damper 30 is controlled so that the amount of purified air Ap supplied to the chamber 2 with a relatively large volume among the multiple chambers 2 contained in the first space 5 is increased.

[0081] In the first damper adjustment step S2 of this embodiment, first, the volumes of the chambers 2 of the first space 5 (in this example, the first chamber 2a and the second chamber 2b) stored in the volume input unit 46A shown in Figure 3 are loaded into the working memory 43. Furthermore, the first damper adjustment unit 47B included in the program unit 47 is loaded into the working memory 43. This first damper adjustment unit 47B is a program for controlling the first damper 30 so that the amount of purified air Ap supplied to the chamber 2 with a relatively larger volume among the multiple chambers 2 included in the first space 5 is increased. When such a first damper adjustment unit 47B is executed by the arithmetic unit 41, the control device 13 can function as a means for controlling the first damper 30.

[0082] In this embodiment, among the multiple chambers 2 included in the first space 5 shown in Figure 1, the opening degree D1 of the first damper 30 of the first branch duct 28b connected to the chamber 2 with a relatively large volume (in this example, the first chamber 2a) is set to a larger opening degree compared to the other first dampers 30. As a result, in the first damper adjustment step S2, a large amount of purified air Ap can be supplied to the chamber 2 with a relatively large volume (the first chamber 2a). On the other hand, since the opening degree D2 of the first damper 30 of the first branch duct 28b connected to the chamber 2 with a relatively small volume (in this example, the second chamber 2b) is set to a smaller degree, the amount of purified air Ap supplied is reduced.

[0083] Thus, in the first damper adjustment step S2 of this embodiment, the opening degrees D1 and D2 of the first damper 30 are adjusted based on the volumes w1 and w2 of the multiple chambers 2 (in this example, the first chamber 2a and the second chamber 2b) contained in the first space 5. As a result, even if the volumes w1 and w2 of the multiple chambers 2 contained in the first space 5 are different from each other, the ventilation rate of these chambers 2 will be substantially the same. Therefore, in the first damper adjustment step S2, the air in the multiple chambers 2 contained in the first space 5 can be purified substantially uniformly.

[0084] In the first damper adjustment step S2, the opening degrees D1 and D2 may be adjusted so that the ratio w1 / w2 of the volume w1 of the first chamber 2a to the volume w2 of the second chamber 2b and the ratio D1 / D2 of the opening degree D1 of the first damper 30 in the first chamber 2a to the opening degree D2 of the first damper 30 in the second chamber 2b are the same. This makes it possible to bring the ventilation rate of the first chamber 2a and the ventilation rate of the second chamber 2b closer to being the same. Furthermore, if the number of first branch ducts 28b connected to the first chamber 2a and the second chamber 2b are different, the opening degrees D1 and D2 may be adjusted taking into account the difference in the amount of purified air Ap supplied due to the difference in the number of first branch ducts 28b.

[0085] [Second damper adjustment process] Next, in the air purification method of this embodiment, the second damper 34 shown in Figure 1 is controlled (second damper adjustment step S3). In the second damper adjustment step S3, the second damper 34 is controlled so that the amount of purified air Ap supplied to the chamber 2 with a relatively large volume among the multiple chambers 2 contained in the second space 6 is increased.

[0086] In the second damper adjustment step S3 of this embodiment, first, the volumes of the chambers 2 of the second space 6 (in this example, the third chamber 2c and the fourth chamber 2d) stored in the volume input unit 46A shown in Figure 3 are loaded into the working memory 43. Furthermore, the second damper adjustment unit 47C included in the program unit 47 is loaded into the working memory 43. This second damper adjustment unit 47C is a program for controlling the second damper 34 so that the amount of purified air Ap supplied to the chamber 2 with a relatively larger volume among the multiple chambers 2 included in the second space 6 is increased. When such a second damper adjustment unit 47C is executed by the arithmetic unit 41, the control device 13 can function as a means for controlling the second damper 34.

[0087] In this embodiment, among the multiple chambers 2 included in the second space 6 shown in Figure 1, the opening degree D3 of the second damper 34 of the second branch duct 32b connected to the chamber 2 with a relatively large volume (in this example, the third chamber 2c) is set to a larger opening degree compared to the other second dampers 34. As a result, in the second damper adjustment step S3, a large amount of purified air Ap can be supplied to the chamber 2 with a relatively large volume (the third chamber 2c). On the other hand, since the opening degree D4 of the second damper 34 of the second branch duct 32b connected to the chamber 2 with a relatively small volume (in this example, the fourth chamber 2d) is set to a smaller degree, the amount of purified air Ap supplied is reduced.

[0088] Thus, in the second damper adjustment step S3 of this embodiment, the opening degrees D3 and D4 of the second damper 34 are adjusted based on the volumes w3 and w4 of the multiple chambers 2 (in this example, the third chamber 2c and the fourth chamber 2d) included in the second space 6. As a result, even if the volumes of the multiple chambers 2 included in the second space 6 are different, the ventilation rates of these chambers 2 become approximately the same, and the air in the multiple chambers 2 included in the second space 6 can be purified approximately uniformly.

[0089] In the second damper adjustment step S3, the openings D3 and D4 may be adjusted so that the ratio w3 / w4 of the volume w3 of the third chamber 2c to the volume w4 of the fourth chamber 2d is the same as the ratio D3 / D4 of the opening degree D3 of the second damper 34 in the third chamber 2c to the opening degree D4 of the second damper 34 in the fourth chamber 2d. This makes it possible to bring the ventilation rate of the third chamber 2c and the ventilation rate of the fourth chamber 2d closer to being the same.

[0090] As described above, in the air purification method of this embodiment, in the airflow adjustment step S1, the airflow W1 of the first fan 27 and the airflow W2 of the second fan 31 are adjusted so that the number of ventilation cycles between the first space 5 and the second space 6 are approximately the same. Furthermore, in the first damper adjustment step S2, the opening degrees D1 and D2 (supply amount of purified air Ap) of the first damper 30 are adjusted based on the volumes w1 and w2 of the multiple chambers 2 (first chamber 2a and second chamber 2b) included in the first space 5. Furthermore, in the second damper adjustment step S3, the opening degrees D3 and D4 (supply amount of purified air Ap) of the second damper 34 are adjusted based on the volumes w3 and w4 of the multiple chambers 2 (third chamber 2c and fourth chamber 2d) included in the second space 6. As a result, in the air purification method of this embodiment, even if the volumes w1 to w4 of all the chambers 2 (first chamber 2a to fourth chamber 2d) are different from each other, their ventilation cycles will be approximately the same. Therefore, this air purification method makes it possible to purify the air in multiple rooms 2 within building B in a nearly uniform manner.

[0091] [Operation adjustment process] Next, in the air purification method of this embodiment, the first air circulation device 11 and / or the second air circulation device 12 are operated (air purification operation) until the air quality of all rooms 2 meets a predetermined standard (operation adjustment step S4). In this embodiment, the control device 13 receives the measurement information from the air quality measuring means 14 and determines whether or not the air quality of all rooms 2 meets a predetermined standard.

[0092] In the operation adjustment step S4 of this embodiment, first, the air quality standards stored in the reference input unit 46B included in the data unit 46 shown in Figure 3, and the operation adjustment unit 47D included in the program unit 47 are loaded into the working memory 43. This operation adjustment unit 47D is a program for operating the first air circulation device 11 and / or the second air circulation device 12 until the air quality of all rooms 2 meets a predetermined standard. When such an operation adjustment unit 47D is executed by the calculation unit 41, the control device 13 can function as a means for operating the first air circulation device 11 and / or the second air circulation device 12 until the air quality meets the standard. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the operation adjustment step S4 of this embodiment.

[0093] [Receive measurement information] In the operation adjustment process S4 of this embodiment, first, measurement information of the air quality of all rooms 2 shown in Figure 1 is received (process S41). In this embodiment, the measurement information of the air quality measuring means 14 provided in each room 2 is received by the calculation unit 41. This measurement information is stored in the measurement information input unit 46C shown in Figure 3.

[0094] [Assess whether the air quality in all rooms meets the standards] Next, in the operation adjustment step S4 of this embodiment, it is determined whether the air quality of all rooms 2 shown in Figure 1 meets a predetermined standard (step S42). If it is determined in step S42 that the air quality of all rooms 2 meets the standard ("Yes" in step S42), then the air quality of all rooms 2 is in good condition. Therefore, the series of processes of the operation adjustment step S4 shown in Figure 5 and the air purification method shown in Figure 4 (air purification operation by the first air circulation device 11 and the second air circulation device 12 shown in Figures 1 and 2) are completed, and the whole-house air conditioning operation described above is performed again.

[0095] On the other hand, if in step S42 it is determined that the air quality of at least one of the rooms 2 does not meet the standard ("No" in step S42), steps S41 and S42 are repeated. This allows the air purification operation by the first air circulation device 11 and the second air circulation device 12 to continue until the air quality of all rooms 2 meets the standard. Therefore, the air purification method makes it possible to bring the air quality of all rooms 2 to a good state.

[0096] In the operation adjustment process S4, if the air quality of all rooms 2 included in the first space 5 meets the standard, the air purification operation by the first air circulation device 11 may be terminated. On the other hand, if the air quality of all rooms 2 included in the second space 6 meets the standard, the air purification operation by the second air circulation device 12 may be terminated. In this way, the air quality of the first space 5 and the air quality of the second space 6 are determined, and the air purification operation by the first air circulation device 11 and the air purification operation by the second air circulation device 12 can be stopped individually. This can prevent the power consumption of the first fan 27 and the second fan 31 from increasing unnecessarily.

[0097] [Air purification method (second embodiment)] In the previous embodiments, in the operation adjustment step S4, the first air circulation device 11 and / or the second air circulation device 12 were simply operated until the air quality of all the chambers 2 satisfied the standard. However, the present invention is not limited to such a mode. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the operation adjustment step S4 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the operation adjustment step S4 of this embodiment, similar to the previous embodiments, the operation adjustment unit 47D included in the program unit 47 shown in FIG. 3 is executed by the arithmetic unit 41.

[0098] [Operation adjustment step] [Calculate purification time and power consumption] In the operation adjustment step S4 of this embodiment, first, for each of a plurality of modes, the purification time required until the air quality of all the chambers 2 shown in FIG. 1 satisfies the standard and the power consumption when the first fan 27 and / or the second fan 31 are operated for the purification time are calculated (step S43).

[0099] In step S43 of the present embodiment, first, based on the following formula (1), for each of a plurality of modes (for example, the first mode to the fourth mode), the purification time required until the air quality of all the chambers 2 included in the first space 5 satisfies the standard is calculated.

[0100] [Equation] Here, V: Indoor air volume (m 3 ) C0: Initial indoor pollutant concentration (μg / m 3 ) C e : Indoor pollutant concentration (μg / m 3 ) Q: Ventilation rate (m 3 / min) t: Elapsed time (min)

[0101] In the above formula (1), assuming that the purified air Ap supplied to the first space 5 does not contain indoor pollutants, the purification time required until the air quality satisfies the standard is calculated.

[0102] In equation (1) above, the first volume C1, which is the total volume of all rooms 2 (first room 2a and second room 2b) included in the first space 5, is substituted for the indoor air volume V.

[0103] In the above equation (1), the initial indoor pollutant concentration C0 is substituted with the total value of the measured air quality information (e.g., dust amount) of the rooms 2 contained in the first space 5 at the time of the execution of step S43. The measured air quality information of each room 2 is acquired by the air quality measuring means 14 and stored in the measurement information input unit 46C shown in Figure 3.

[0104] The indoor pollutant concentration C in the above formula (1) e The sum of the air quality standards (for example, the standard values ​​for dust content) for the rooms 2 (first room 2a and second room 2b) included in the first space 5 is substituted into this value.

[0105] The airflow rates for each mode (1st mode to 4th mode) of the first fan 27 are substituted into the ventilation rate Q in equation (1) above. This allows the elapsed time t in equation (1) above to be calculated as the purification time required for the air quality of all rooms 2 contained in the first space 5 to meet the standard for each of the multiple modes.

[0106] Figure 7 shows the indoor pollutant concentration C e This graph shows the relationship between the indoor pollutant concentration C in equation (1) above and the elapsed time t. e This can be determined by using the elapsed time t as a variable. From this graph, the purification time required for the air quality of all rooms 2 included in the first space 5 to meet the standard can be determined for each of the multiple modes based on the air quality standard T1. In Figure 7, the purification time t1 for the first mode, the purification time t2 for the second mode, and the purification time t3 for the third mode are shown as representative examples. The purification times for each of the multiple modes are stored in the purification time input unit 46D shown in Figure 3.

[0107] Next, in step S43 of this embodiment, the power consumption of the first fan 27 when operated for the purification time required until the air quality of all rooms 2 included in the first space 5 shown in Figure 1 meets the standard (for example, t1, t2, and t3 shown in Figure 7) is calculated for each of the multiple modes. In this embodiment, for each of the multiple modes, the power consumption of the first fan 27 per hour (Wh) is multiplied by the purification time (the value obtained by converting the elapsed time t (min) in the above formula (1) to time (h)). This allows the power consumption of the first fan 27 required until the air quality of all rooms 2 included in the first space 5 meets the standard to be calculated for each of the multiple modes. The power consumption for each of the multiple modes is stored in the power consumption input unit 46E shown in Figure 3.

[0108] Next, in step S43 of this embodiment, for each of the multiple modes, the purification time required for the air quality of all rooms 2 (third room 2c and fourth room 2d) included in the second space 6 to meet the standard, and the power consumption when the second fan 31 is operated for the purification time are calculated. These purification times and power consumption are calculated using the same procedure as described above for the first space 5 (first fan 27). The purification times for each of the multiple modes are stored in the purification time input unit 46D shown in Figure 3, and the power consumption for each of the multiple modes is stored in the power consumption input unit 46E shown in Figure 3.

[0109] [Operation is controlled based on purification time and power consumption] Next, in the operation adjustment step S4 of this embodiment, the operation of the first fan 27 and / or the second fan 31 is controlled based on the mode in which the purification time is within a predetermined time and the power consumption is minimized (step S44). The predetermined time is set appropriately according to the air quality required for building B (each room 2), and is set to, for example, 10 to 60 minutes (30 minutes in this example).

[0110] In step S44 of this embodiment, first, the operation of the first fan 27 is controlled. In this embodiment, the operation of the first fan is controlled based on the purification time required for the air quality of the first space 5, which has been calculated for each of the multiple modes, to meet the standard, and the power consumption when the first fan 27 is operated for the purification time. Figure 8 is a diagram showing the purification time required for the air quality of the first space 5 to meet the standard and the power consumption when the first fan 27 is operated for the purification time, for each of the multiple modes.

[0111] In Figure 8, among the multiple modes (mode 1 to mode 4), the modes in which the purification time is within the predetermined time (30 minutes) are mode 1 and mode 2. Of these modes 1 and 2, mode 2 is the mode with the lowest power consumption. In this case, the first fan 27 is operated based on the airflow of mode 2.

[0112] Next, in step S44 of this embodiment, the operation of the second fan 31 is controlled. In this embodiment, similar to the control of the operation of the first fan 27, the operation of the second fan is controlled based on the purification time required for the air quality of the second space 6, calculated for each of the multiple modes, to meet the standard, and the power consumption when the second fan 31 is operated for the purification time.

[0113] Thus, in this embodiment, the operation of the first fan 27 and the second fan 31 is controlled based on the mode among several modes in which the purification time is within a predetermined time and the power consumption is minimized. As a result, the power consumption of the first fan 27 and the second fan 31 can be kept down while the air quality of all rooms meets the standard within a predetermined time. Furthermore, since the first fan 27 and the second fan 31 are controlled independently according to the air quality of the first space 5 and the second space 6, power consumption can be minimized.

[0114] As shown in Figure 6, in the operation adjustment process S4 of this embodiment, similar to the operation adjustment process S4 of previous embodiments, a process S41 is performed to receive measurement information on the air quality of all rooms 2, and a process S42 is performed to determine whether the air quality of all rooms 2 meets the standard. Then, in process S42, steps S41 and S42 are performed again until it is determined that the air quality of all rooms 2 meets the standard. As a result, in the operation adjustment process S4 of this embodiment, it is possible to maintain good air quality in all rooms 2 while suppressing the power consumption of the first fan 27 and the second fan 31.

[0115] [Air purification method (third embodiment)] In previous embodiments, the airflow adjustment step S1 shown in Figure 4 controlled the airflow W1 of the first fan 27 and the airflow W2 of the second fan 31 based on the first volume C1 of the first space 5 and the second volume C2 of the second space 6 shown in Figure 1, but the embodiment is not limited to this configuration.

[0116] As described above, the total number of multiple first branch ducts 28b is set according to the size of the first volume C1 of the first space 5, and the total number of multiple second branch ducts 32b is set according to the size of the second volume C2 of the second space 6. Furthermore, the first volume C1 and the second volume C2 are correlated with the ventilation rate of the first space 5 and the ventilation rate of the second space 6. Therefore, the total number of multiple first branch ducts 28b and the total number of multiple second branch ducts 32b are correlated with the ventilation rate of the first space 5 and the ventilation rate of the second space 6.

[0117] From this perspective, in the airflow adjustment step S1 of this embodiment, the airflow W1 of the first fan 27 and the airflow W2 of the second fan 31 are controlled based on the total number of first branch ducts 28b and the total number of second branch ducts 32b. As a result, the number of ventilation cycles in the first space 5 and the number of ventilation cycles in the second space 6 are made approximately the same.

[0118] In the airflow adjustment process S1, if the total number of first branch ducts 28b is greater than the total number of second branch ducts 32b, the airflow W1 of the first fan 27 is set to be greater than the airflow W2 of the second fan 31. As a result, a larger amount of purified air Ap is supplied to the first space 5, which has a relatively larger volume than the second space 6, making it possible to make the ventilation rate of the first space 5 and the ventilation rate of the second space 6 approximately the same.

[0119] Furthermore, as in the whole-house air conditioning operation described above, when the airflow rates of the first fan 27 and the second fan 31 are the same, and the total number of first branch ducts is greater than the total number of second branch ducts 32b, the amount of purified air Ap supplied from each first branch duct 28b tends to be smaller than the amount of purified air Ap supplied from each second branch duct 32b. On the other hand, in the airflow adjustment step S1 of this embodiment, the airflow rate W1 of the first fan 27 is made greater than the airflow rate W2 of the second fan 31, thereby making the amount of purified air Ap supplied from each first branch duct 28b and the amount of purified air Ap supplied from each second branch duct 32b closer to being uniform. This makes it possible to efficiently purify the first space 5 and the second space 6.

[0120] The airflow rates of the first fan 27 and the second fan 31 can be set as appropriate, provided that the airflow rate W1 of the first fan 27 is greater than the airflow rate W2 of the second fan 31. As in previous embodiments, the first fan 27 may be operated based on the first mode with the largest airflow rate, and the second fan 31 may be operated based on the second mode with a smaller airflow rate than the first mode. This makes it possible to quickly purify the air in the first space 5 and the second space 6 while keeping the ventilation rate of the first space 5 and the second space 6 approximately the same.

[0121] On the other hand, in the airflow adjustment process S1, if the total number of the multiple second branch ducts 32b is greater than the total number of the multiple first branch ducts 28b, the airflow W2 of the second fan 31 is made greater than the airflow W1 of the first fan 27. As a result, a larger amount of purified air Ap is supplied to the second space 6, which has a relatively larger volume than the first space 5, making it possible to make the ventilation rate of the first space 5 and the ventilation rate of the second space 6 approximately the same.

[0122] The airflow rates of the first fan 27 and the second fan 31 can be set as appropriate, provided that the airflow rate W2 of the second fan 31 is greater than the airflow rate W1 of the first fan 27. As in previous embodiments, the second fan 31 may be operated based on the first mode and the first fan 27 may be operated based on the second mode. This makes it possible to quickly purify the air in the first space 5 and the second space 6 while keeping the ventilation rate of the first space 5 and the ventilation rate of the second space 6 approximately the same. Furthermore, by making the airflow rate W2 of the second fan 31 greater than the airflow rate W1 of the first fan 27, it becomes possible to make the purified air Ap supplied from each first branch duct 28b and the purified air Ap supplied from each second branch duct 32b closer to being uniform.

[0123] Thus, in the air purification method (airflow adjustment unit 47A) of this embodiment, the airflow W1 of the first fan 27 and the airflow W2 of the second fan 31 are adjusted so that the number of ventilation cycles in the first space 5 and the number of ventilation cycles in the second space 6 are approximately the same, as in previous embodiments. As a result, even if the first volume C1 of the first space 5 and the second volume C2 of the second space 6 are different from each other, the air in the first space 5 and the air in the second space 6 are replaced (ventilated) with purified air Ap in a substantially uniform manner. Therefore, the air in the first space 5 and the air in the second space 6 can be purified substantially uniformly.

[0124] Although particularly preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments and can be implemented in various modified forms.

[0125] [Note] The present invention includes the following embodiments.

[0126] [Invention 1] A system for purifying the air inside a building having multiple rooms, A filter for purifying the air, First air circulation device, A second air circulation device, Includes a control device, The first air circulation device includes a first fan and a first duct means for circulating the purified air that has passed through the filter into a first space consisting of one or more of the rooms. The second air circulation device includes a second fan and a second duct means for circulating the purified air to a second space consisting of one or more chambers excluding the chamber included in the first space. The control device includes an airflow adjustment unit for adjusting the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan so that the number of ventilation cycles between the first space and the second space are substantially the same. Air purification system. [Invention 2] The air purification system according to the present invention 1, wherein the airflow adjustment unit controls the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan based on a first volume, which is the total volume of the chambers included in the first space, and a second volume, which is the total volume of the chambers included in the second space. [Invention 3] The airflow adjustment unit, when the first volume is larger than the second volume, increases the airflow of the first fan to that of the second fan. The air purification system according to the second version of the present invention, wherein if the second volume is larger than the first volume, the airflow of the second fan is made larger than the airflow of the first fan. [4th Invention] The first duct means includes a plurality of first branch ducts that branch the purified air and supply it to the first space, The total number of the plurality of first branch ducts is set according to the size of the first volume, which is the total volume of the rooms included in the first space. The second ducting means includes a plurality of second branch ducts that branch the purified air and supply it to the second space, The total number of the aforementioned multiple second branch ducts is set according to the size of the second volume, which is the total volume of the rooms included in the second space. The air purification system according to the present invention 1, wherein the airflow adjustment unit controls the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan based on the total number of the plurality of first branch ducts and the total number of the plurality of second branch ducts. [5th ​​Invention] The airflow adjustment unit, when the total number of the plurality of first branch ducts is greater than the total number of the plurality of second branch ducts, increases the airflow of the first fan to that of the second fan. The air purification system according to the present invention, wherein if the total number of the plurality of second branch ducts is greater than the total number of the plurality of first branch ducts, the airflow rate of the second fan is made greater than the airflow rate of the first fan. [Invention 6] The aforementioned first space includes multiple rooms, The first duct means includes a plurality of first branch ducts that branch the purified air and supply it to a plurality of chambers included in the first space, Each of the first branch ducts is equipped with a first damper for adjusting the amount of purified air supplied, The air purification system according to any one of inventions 1 to 5, wherein the control device includes a first damper adjustment unit for controlling the first damper so that the amount of purified air supplied to the chamber with a relatively larger volume among the plurality of chambers included in the first space is increased. [7th Invention] The aforementioned second space includes multiple rooms, The second ducting means includes a plurality of second branch ducts that branch the purified air and supply it to a plurality of chambers included in the second space, Each of the aforementioned second branch ducts is equipped with a second damper for adjusting the amount of purified air supplied, The air purification system according to any one of inventions 1 to 6, wherein the control device includes a second damper adjustment unit for controlling the second damper so that the amount of purified air supplied to the chamber with a relatively larger volume among the plurality of chambers included in the second space is increased. [8th Invention] The system further comprises air quality measuring means for measuring the air quality of the aforementioned multiple rooms, The air purification system according to any one of inventions 1 to 7, wherein the control device includes an operation adjustment unit that receives measurement information from the air quality measuring means and operates the first air circulation device and / or the second air circulation device until the air quality of all rooms meets a predetermined standard. [Invention 9] The first fan and / or the second fan are capable of operating based on multiple modes with different airflows. The operation adjustment unit calculates, for each of the multiple modes, the purification time required for the air quality of all rooms to meet the standard, and the power consumption when the first fan and / or the second fan are operated for the purification time. The air purification system according to the present invention, wherein the operation of the first fan and / or the second fan is controlled based on the mode among the plurality of modes in which the purification time is within a predetermined time and the power consumption is minimized. [Invention 10] A method for purifying the air in a building having multiple rooms using an air purification system, The air purification system includes a filter for purifying the air, a first air circulation device, and a second air circulation device. The first air circulation device includes a first fan and a first duct means for circulating the purified air that has passed through the filter into a first space consisting of one or more of the rooms. The second air circulation device includes a second fan and a second duct means for circulating the purified air to a second space consisting of one or more chambers excluding the chamber included in the first space. The method includes an airflow adjustment step for adjusting the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan so that the number of ventilation cycles between the first space and the second space are substantially the same. Air purification methods. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0127] 1. Air purification system 2 rooms 5 1st space 6 Second space 10 filters 11. First air circulation device 12. Second air circulation device 13 Control device 27 First Fan 28 First duct means 31 Second Fan 32 Second duct means

Claims

1. A system for purifying the air inside a building having multiple rooms, A filter for purifying the air, The first air circulation device, A second air circulation device, Includes a control device, The first air circulation device includes a first fan and a first duct means for circulating the purified air that has passed through the filter into a first space consisting of one or more of the rooms. The second air circulation device includes a second fan and a second duct means for circulating the purified air into a second space consisting of one or more chambers excluding the chamber included in the first space. The control device includes an airflow adjustment unit for adjusting the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan so that the number of ventilation cycles between the first space and the second space are substantially the same. The airflow adjustment unit controls the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan based on a first volume, which is the total volume of the chambers included in the first space, and a second volume, which is the total volume of the chambers included in the second space. Air purification system.

2. The airflow adjustment unit, when the first volume is larger than the second volume, increases the airflow of the first fan to that of the second fan. The air purification system according to claim 1, wherein if the second volume is larger than the first volume, the airflow rate of the second fan is made greater than the airflow rate of the first fan.

3. A system for purifying the air in a building having multiple rooms, A filter for purifying the air, The first air circulation device, A second air circulation device, Includes a control device, The first air circulation device includes a first fan and a first duct means for circulating the purified air that has passed through the filter into a first space consisting of one or more of the rooms. The second air circulation device includes a second fan and a second duct means for circulating the purified air into a second space consisting of one or more chambers excluding the chamber included in the first space. The control device includes an airflow adjustment unit for adjusting the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan so that the number of ventilation cycles between the first space and the second space are substantially the same. The first duct means includes a plurality of first branch ducts that branch the purified air and supply it to the first space, The total number of the plurality of first branch ducts is set according to the size of the first volume, which is the total volume of the rooms included in the first space. The second ducting means includes a plurality of second branch ducts that branch the purified air and supply it to the second space, The total number of the aforementioned multiple second branch ducts is set according to the size of the second volume, which is the total volume of the rooms included in the second space. The airflow adjustment unit controls the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan based on the total number of the plurality of first branch ducts and the total number of the plurality of second branch ducts. Air purification system.

4. When the total number of the plurality of first branch ducts is greater than the total number of the plurality of second branch ducts, the airflow adjustment unit makes the airflow of the first fan greater than the airflow of the second fan. The air purification system according to claim 3, wherein if the total number of the plurality of second branch ducts is greater than the total number of the plurality of first branch ducts, the airflow rate of the second fan is made greater than the airflow rate of the first fan.

5. A system for purifying the air in a building having multiple rooms, A filter for purifying the air, The first air circulation device, A second air circulation device, Includes a control device, The first air circulation device includes a first fan and a first duct means for circulating the purified air that has passed through the filter into a first space consisting of one or more of the rooms. The second air circulation device includes a second fan and a second duct means for circulating the purified air into a second space consisting of one or more chambers excluding the chamber included in the first space. The control device includes an airflow adjustment unit for adjusting the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan so that the number of ventilation cycles between the first space and the second space are substantially the same. The aforementioned first space includes multiple rooms, The first duct means includes a plurality of first branch ducts that branch the purified air and supply it to a plurality of chambers included in the first space, Each of the first branch ducts is equipped with a first damper for adjusting the amount of purified air supplied. The control device includes a first damper adjustment unit for controlling the first damper so that the amount of purified air supplied to the chamber with a relatively larger volume among the multiple chambers included in the first space is increased. Air purification system.

6. A system for purifying the air inside a building having multiple rooms, A filter for purifying the air, The first air circulation device, A second air circulation device, Includes a control device, The first air circulation device includes a first fan and a first duct means for circulating the purified air that has passed through the filter into a first space consisting of one or more of the rooms. The second air circulation device includes a second fan and a second duct means for circulating the purified air into a second space consisting of one or more chambers excluding the chamber included in the first space. The control device includes an airflow adjustment unit for adjusting the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan so that the number of ventilation cycles between the first space and the second space are substantially the same. The aforementioned second space includes multiple rooms, The second ducting means includes a plurality of second branch ducts that branch the purified air and supply it to a plurality of chambers included in the second space, Each of the aforementioned second branch ducts is equipped with a second damper for adjusting the amount of purified air supplied, The control device includes a second damper adjustment unit for controlling the second damper so that the amount of purified air supplied to the chamber with a relatively larger volume among the multiple chambers included in the second space is increased. Air purification system.

7. Further comprising an air quality measuring means for measuring the air quality of the plurality of rooms, The air purification system according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the control device includes an operation adjustment unit that receives measurement information from the air quality measuring means and operates the first air circulation device and / or the second air circulation device until the air quality of all rooms meets a predetermined standard.

8. The first fan and / or the second fan are capable of operating based on a plurality of modes with different airflows, The operation adjustment unit calculates, for each of the multiple modes, the purification time required for the air quality of all rooms to meet the standard, and the power consumption when the first fan and / or the second fan are operated for the purification time. The air purification system according to claim 7, wherein the operation of the first fan and / or the second fan is controlled based on the mode among the plurality of modes in which the purification time is within a predetermined time and the power consumption is minimized.

9. A system for purifying the air in a building having multiple rooms, A filter for purifying the air, The first air circulation device, A second air circulation device, Includes a control device, The first air circulation device includes a first fan and a first duct means for circulating the purified air that has passed through the filter into a first space consisting of one or more of the rooms. The second air circulation device includes a second fan and a second duct means for circulating the purified air into a second space consisting of one or more chambers excluding the chamber included in the first space. The control device includes an airflow adjustment unit for adjusting the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan so that the number of ventilation cycles between the first space and the second space are substantially the same. The system further comprises air quality measuring means for measuring the air quality of the aforementioned multiple rooms, The control device includes an operation adjustment unit that receives measurement information from the air quality measuring means and operates the first air circulation device and / or the second air circulation device until the air quality in all rooms meets a predetermined standard. The first fan and / or the second fan can be operated based on a plurality of modes with different airflows. The operation adjustment unit calculates, for each of the multiple modes, the purification time required for the air quality of all rooms to meet the standard, and the power consumption when the first fan and / or the second fan are operated for the purification time. Based on the mode in which the purification time is within a predetermined time and the power consumption is minimized, the operation of the first fan and / or the second fan is controlled. Air purification system.

10. A method for purifying the air in a building having multiple rooms using an air purification system, The air purification system includes a filter for purifying the air, a first air circulation device, and a second air circulation device. The first air circulation device includes a first fan and a first duct means for circulating the purified air that has passed through the filter into a first space consisting of one or more of the rooms. The second air circulation device includes a second fan and a second duct means for circulating the purified air into a second space consisting of one or more chambers excluding the chamber included in the first space. The method includes an airflow adjustment step for adjusting the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan so that the number of ventilation cycles between the first space and the second space are substantially the same. The first duct means includes a plurality of first branch ducts that branch the purified air and supply it to the first space, The total number of the plurality of first branch ducts is set according to the size of the first volume, which is the total volume of the rooms included in the first space. The second ducting means includes a plurality of second branch ducts that branch the purified air and supply it to the second space, The total number of the aforementioned multiple second branch ducts is set according to the size of the second volume, which is the total volume of the rooms included in the second space. The airflow adjustment step controls the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan based on the total number of the plurality of first branch ducts and the total number of the plurality of second branch ducts. Air purification methods.

Images