air conditioner

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner having an air cleaning part for achieving a longer life while maintaining constant space sterilization ability.SOLUTION: An air conditioner in the embodiment which has an air fan and a heat exchanger arranged in a ventilation trunk communicating an air inlet and an air outlet with each other, includes the air cleaning part having a shading grill, a germicidal lamp and an air filter arranged on the ventilation trunk, and a control part for controlling the light-on and light-off of the germicidal lamp. The germicidal lamp is controlled to be lit on / off in a predetermined time period during the operation of the air fan, and the light-on time for the germicidal lamp is changed and set on the basis of the air amount setting of the air fan.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to an air conditioner having an air cleaning unit. [Background Art]

[0002] When air-conditioning a large space such as a store, a built-in type installed in the back of a ceiling is more advantageous than a so-called wall-mounted type that is mounted on a wall surface as an indoor unit of an air conditioner. This type of indoor unit communicates with a plurality of air outlets provided on the ceiling through ducts, and blows out heat exchange air uniformly throughout the room, thereby achieving comfortable air conditioning.

[0003] Conventionally, there is known an air conditioner provided with an ultraviolet lamp for killing bacteria and the like captured by a collection element such as a filter. For example, Patent Document 1 sterilizes bacteria contained in the sucked air and blows them out into the room by shifting the start or stop timing of a fan and an ultraviolet lamp serving as a sterilization means. Specifically, by delaying the stop timing of the ultraviolet lamp from the stop timing of the fan, bacteria remaining in the collection element after the operation of the air conditioner are sterilized.

[0004] However, although the method disclosed in the above document can sterilize the collection element, the ultraviolet lamp keeps lighting during the operation of the fan. Therefore, the power consumption of the ultraviolet lamp is large, and furthermore, the replacement period due to the service life of the ultraviolet lamp is short, which has been a problem. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-131880 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0006] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide an air conditioner having an air purification unit that can maintain a certain level of spatial sterilization capability and achieve a long lifespan. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The air conditioner of this embodiment has a blower and a heat exchanger arranged in an air passage connecting an air intake and an air outlet. It also includes an air purification unit having a light-shielding grille, a germicidal lamp and an air filter arranged in the air passage, and a control unit that controls the turning on and off of the germicidal lamp. The germicidal lamp is controlled to turn on or off at predetermined time intervals when the blower is operating, and the on-time of the germicidal lamp is changed and set based on the airflow setting of the blower. The germicidal lamp is controlled so that when the fan is running, the on-time is shorter and the off-time is longer when the fan's airflow is higher than when the fan's airflow is lower. Furthermore, the air conditioner of this embodiment has a blower and a heat exchanger arranged in an air passage connecting an air intake and an air outlet. It also includes an air purification unit having a light-shielding grille, a germicidal lamp and an air filter arranged in the air passage, and a control unit that controls the turning on and off of the germicidal lamp. The germicidal lamp is controlled to turn on or off at predetermined time intervals when the blower is in operation, and the on-time of the germicidal lamp is changed and set based on the airflow setting of the blower. The germicidal lamp is controlled to turn on or off at predetermined time intervals when the blower is stopped. Furthermore, the air conditioner of the embodiment has a blower and a heat exchanger arranged in an air passage connecting an air intake and an air outlet. It also includes an air purification unit having a light-shielding grille, a germicidal lamp and an air filter arranged in the air passage, and a control unit that controls the turning on and off of the germicidal lamp. The germicidal lamp is controlled to turn on or off at predetermined time intervals when the blower is in operation, and the on-time of the germicidal lamp is changed based on the airflow setting of the blower. The germicidal lamp is controlled to turn on or off at predetermined time intervals when the blower is stopped, and the on-time of the germicidal lamp is changed based on the airflow setting when the blower is in operation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A longitudinal cross-sectional view of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Control block diagram of an indoor unit control board and an air purification unit control board according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] A diagram showing the relationship between the illumination time of an ultraviolet lamp and the airflow rate during operation of a blower according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] A timing chart showing the on / off operation of an ultraviolet lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] (First embodiment) Hereinafter, an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4.

[0010] Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a built-in air conditioner 1. The air conditioner 1 comprises an indoor unit 2 and an air purification unit 3, which is an air purification section. When the indoor unit 2 and the air purification unit 3 are connected, they have a connecting air passage 18.

[0011] The indoor unit 2 is a flat, rectangular box whose height is shorter than its width (front-to-back direction in Figure 1) and depth (left-to-right direction in Figure 1). The indoor unit 2 is provided with a partition plate 6 that divides the indoor unit 2 into a blower room 4 and a heat exchange room 5, extending across the width of the indoor unit 2.

[0012] The indoor unit 2 is composed of a bottom plate 2a on the bottom of the heat exchange chamber 5, a top plate 2b on the top, a side plate 2c on the front side, a side plate 2d on the rear side, and a windbreak plate 2e on the bottom of the blower chamber 4. Each of the plates 2a to 2e is formed by sheet metal processing of thin metal sheets. An air outlet 7 is provided on the front part 2f of the indoor unit 2.

[0013] The blower room 4 is equipped with an air intake 8 that draws in air from the ceiling space within the indoor unit 2. This air intake 8 has an air intake 8a located on the bottom and an air intake 8b located on the rear. Depending on the conditions of the installation site, either the air intake 8a or 8b is selected, and the other air intake 8a or 8b is closed by a windbreak plate 2e. In this embodiment of the present invention, the blower room 4 is connected to the air purification unit 3, which will be described later, by closing the air intake 8a on the bottom and opening the air intake 8b on the rear.

[0014] The indoor unit 2 comprises a blower 9 housed in the blower room 4, a heat exchanger 10 housed in the heat exchange room 5, and a drain pan 11 and a first electrical components box 12 housed in the heat exchange room 5 and positioned below the heat exchanger 10.

[0015] The blower room 4 draws in air from the air intake 8 and discharges it into the heat exchange room 5. The air discharged into the heat exchange room 5 undergoes heat exchange in the heat exchanger 10. In other words, the blower 9 circulates heat-exchanged air into the heat exchange room 5. The blower room 4, configured in this way, is equipped with a first electrical component box 12, which contains electrical control components that control all the electrical components housed in the indoor unit 2, and a control board on which these electrical control components are mounted to form an electrical circuit, as will be described later.

[0016] The blower 9 comprises a fan motor 13 having a rotating shaft that extends in the width direction of the indoor unit 2, and a fan (not shown) driven by the fan motor 13. The fan is a multi-blade fan (sirocco fan) that draws in air axially and blows it out circumferentially as it rotates. The fan is housed in a fan casing 14. An air intake port 15 is provided on the side of the fan casing 14. A discharge nozzle 16 is provided at the end of the fan casing 14 on the partition plate 6 side. The discharge nozzle 16 penetrates the partition plate 6 and protrudes into the heat exchange chamber 5.

[0017] The heat exchanger 10 is a fin-and-tube type heat exchanger, comprising a plurality of aluminum fins 17a and a plurality of heat transfer tubes 17b. End plates (not shown) are placed at both ends of the heat exchanger 10, and a plurality of aluminum fins 17a are arranged side by side between these end plates at predetermined intervals. A plurality of heat transfer tubes 17b pass through the end plates and aluminum fins 17a. The heat exchanger 10 performs heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing inside the heat transfer tubes 17b and the air flowing between the aluminum fins 17a. The plurality of aluminum fins 17a are arranged in a manner perpendicular to the direction of airflow. The heat exchanger 10 is housed in the heat exchange chamber 5 in a tilted position toward the air outlet 7, for example, in a forward-tilted position. This allows the air conditioner 1 to secure a larger heat exchange area within the flat indoor unit 2. Insulation (not shown) is provided on the inner wall surface of the indoor unit 2 around the heat exchanger 10 and on the air outlet 7 side of the heat exchanger 10.

[0018] The drain pan 11 receives drain water (condensed water) generated by heat exchange of the heat exchanger 10 during cooling operation and stores the drain water in the drain pan receiving portion 11a. A drain pump (not shown) is provided above the drain receiving portion 11a. The air conditioner 1 activates the drain pump to discharge the drain water accumulated in the drain receiving portion 11a to the outside of the indoor unit 2. The substantially entire lower surface of the drain pan 11 is covered by the lower plate 2a of the indoor unit 2.

[0019] A first electrical component box 12 is provided on the side of the indoor unit 2. The first electrical component box 12 is located inside the indoor unit 2 and is provided on the side plate 2c or 2d. An opening is appropriately provided in the first electrical component box 12 so that cooling air flows inside when the blower 9 is driven. An indoor unit control board 20, which will be described later, is attached to the side surface.

[0020] Similar to the indoor unit 2, the air cleaning unit 3 is a flat rectangular box whose dimension in the height direction is shorter than its dimension in the width direction (the front-back direction in FIG. 1) and its dimension in the depth direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 1). The box body of the air cleaning unit 3 is composed of a lower plate 3a, a top plate 3b, a front side plate 3c, and a rear side plate 3d, and is internally provided with an air inlet 31, a first dust collection filter 32, a light-shielding grille 33, an ultraviolet module 34, a second dust collection filter 35, and a second electrical component box 36.

[0021] The air inlet 31 is provided on the back surface 3e of the air cleaning unit 3, and sucks outside air into the air cleaning unit 3 through the opening.

[0022] The first dust collection filter 32 is attached to the outer wall of the air cleaning unit 3 so as to cover the air inlet 31 over the entire height direction dimension and width direction dimension of the air cleaning unit 3.

[0023] The light-shielding grille 33 is installed inside the air purification unit 3 so as to cover the air intake port 31 across the height and width dimensions of the air purification unit 3.

[0024] The ultraviolet module 34 is constructed by arranging two ultraviolet lamps 34b, which are germicidal lamps, vertically within a ventilation passage 18 formed inside an outer frame 34a, which is a rectangular parallelepiped frame. For example, a configuration in which straight-tube ultraviolet lamps 34b are arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction of the outer frame 34a is used. The ultraviolet module 34 is installed between the first dust collection filter 32 and the second dust collection filter 35. The ultraviolet module 34 irradiates ultraviolet light from two ultraviolet lamps 34b positioned within the ventilation passage 18, sterilizing bacteria contained in the air entering through the air intake 31. Here, the ultraviolet lamps 34b emit UV-C with a wavelength of 100nm to 280nm, which is also effective in inactivating viruses.

[0025] The second dust collection filter 35 is installed inside the air purification unit 3 so as to cover the connection port between the indoor unit 2 and the air purification unit 3, spanning the height and width dimensions of the air purification unit 3.

[0026] The second electrical component box 36 is attached to the outer wall of the side panel 3c or 3d. Inside the second electrical component box 36 is the air purification unit control board 30, and the indoor unit control board 20 and the air purification unit control board 30 are electrically connected.

[0027] The light-shielding grille 33 and the second dust collection filter 35, as described above, are rectangular parallelepiped frames, similar to the ultraviolet module 34, and have an outer frame with an air passage 18 inside. The outer frame is slid into recesses provided in the bottom plate 3a and top plate 3b of the air purification unit 3 from the side plate 3c or 3d side in the width direction of the air purification unit 3, thereby forming the box-shaped air purification unit 3.

[0028] Furthermore, while the first dust collection filter 32 primarily captures dust, the second dust collection filter 35 has a finer mesh and captures not only dust but also bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms.

[0029] By installing the air purification unit 3 configured in this way on the air intake port 8 side of the indoor unit 2, dust, bacteria, and viruses can be captured by the first dust collection filter 32 and the second dust collection filter 35, and sterilization and virus inactivation can be further performed by irradiating the air flowing through the air passage 18 with ultraviolet light. For convenience, in the following explanation, sterilization and virus inactivation by ultraviolet light will be collectively referred to as disinfection.

[0030] The indoor unit control board 20 controls the indoor unit 2 and exchanges control signals with the air purification unit 3, while the air purification unit control board 30 controls the ultraviolet module 34 based on signals from the indoor unit control board 20.

[0031] Figure 2 is a control block diagram of the indoor unit control board 20 and the air purification unit control board 30.

[0032] The indoor unit control board 20 includes, as control functions, an indoor control unit 51, a power output unit 52, a control output unit 53, and an abnormal signal receiving unit 54. The air purification unit control board 30 includes, as control functions, a power input unit 61, a control input unit 62, an ultraviolet lamp control unit 63, an ultraviolet lamp control energizing unit 64, and an abnormal output unit 65.

[0033] When the air conditioner 1 is in operation, the indoor control unit 51 controls the air conditioning operation of the indoor unit 2, and also supplies power to the air purification unit 3 and outputs control signals. Specifically, it supplies power to the power input unit 61 via the power output unit 52 and sends control signals to the control input unit 62 via the control output unit 53. The signals transmitted to the control input unit 62 are information regarding the rotation speed of the blower 9 or the airflow rate of the blower 9. The ultraviolet lamp control unit 63 then decides whether to turn the ultraviolet lamp 34b on or off based on the power supplied via the power input unit 61 and the signals (information) received by the control input unit 62, and turns the ultraviolet lamp 34b on or off via the ultraviolet lamp control energizing unit 64. As a result, the ultraviolet lamp 34b determines the lighting time and the off time based on the airflow information obtained from the indoor unit control board 20, and controls the on / off operation.

[0034] Furthermore, if a malfunction occurs, such as the inability to supply power due to a failure of the ultraviolet lamp 34b, the ultraviolet lamp control power supply unit 64 detects the abnormality and sends a signal from the ultraviolet lamp control unit 63 to the abnormality signal receiving unit 54 via the abnormality output unit 65. The abnormality signal receiving unit 54 then sends a signal to the indoor control unit 51.

[0035] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the on-time of the ultraviolet lamp and the airflow rate during operation of a blower according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 3, the ultraviolet lamp control unit 63 determines the on-time and off-time of the ultraviolet lamp 34b such that the on-time of the ultraviolet lamp 34b becomes shorter as the airflow rate of the blower 9 increases. Figure 4 is a timing chart showing the on / off operation of the ultraviolet lamp 34b. Here, the on time of the ultraviolet lamp 34b when the blower 9 is running is t1a to t1c, and the off time is t2a to t2c. Also, when the blower 9 is stopped, the on time of the ultraviolet lamp 34b is t3a to t3c, and the off time is t4a to t4c. At this time, the airflow of the blower 9 is airflow A > airflow B > airflow C.

[0036] As shown in Figure 4, the ultraviolet lamp 34b turns on for time t1 and then turns off for time t2. The ultraviolet lamp 34b repeats this operation while the blower 9 is running. The air purification unit control board 30 controls the ultraviolet lamp 34b so that the on time t1 is shorter when the airflow of the blower 9 is greater than when it is smaller.

[0037] In other words, the lighting time t1a when the blower 9 is operating at airflow A is shorter than the lighting time t1b when the blower 9 is operating at airflow B and the lighting time t1c when the blower 9 is operating at airflow C. The lighting time t1b when the blower 9 is operating at airflow B is longer than the lighting time t1a when the blower 9 is operating at airflow A and shorter than the lighting time t1c when the blower 9 is operating at airflow C. The lighting time t1c when the blower 9 is operating at airflow C is longer than the lighting time t1a when the blower 9 is operating at airflow A and the lighting time t1b when the blower 9 is operating at airflow B. To put it another way, the lighting time t1 of the ultraviolet lamp 34b is shortest when the blower 9 is operating at airflow A and longest when the blower 9 is operating at airflow C.

[0038] Furthermore, the lighting time t3a when the blower 9 is operated at airflow A and then stopped is longer than the lighting time t3b when the blower 9 is operated at airflow B and then stopped, and longer than the lighting time t3c when the blower 9 is operated at airflow C and then stopped. The lighting time t3b when the blower 9 is operated at airflow B and then stopped is shorter than the lighting time t3a when the blower 9 is operated at airflow A and then stopped, and longer than the lighting time t3c when the blower 9 is operated at airflow C and then stopped. The lighting time t3c when the blower 9 is operated at airflow C and then stopped is shorter than the lighting time t3a when the blower 9 is operated at airflow A and then stopped, and longer than the lighting time t3b when the blower 9 is operated at airflow B and then stopped. In other words, the lighting time t3 of the ultraviolet lamp 34b is longest when the blower 9 is operated at airflow A and then stopped, and shortest when the blower 9 is operated at airflow C and then stopped. The lighting time t3 may be determined by the airflow rate immediately before the blower 9 stops operating, or by the longest operating airflow rate during the cumulative time from the start of operation to immediately before the stop of operation of the blower 9, or it may be determined based on the airflow rate closest to the average value of the airflow rate from the start of operation to the stop of operation.

[0039] Here, the ultraviolet lamp 34b can be any type, such as a fluorescent lamp or one using a light-emitting diode (LED), and the time and frequency of turning it on and off may be changed as appropriate, taking into consideration the degradation of the ultraviolet lamp 34b.

[0040] When the airflow of the blower 9 is high, the amount of air blown into the room and the amount of air blown out from the room to the outside are both large, allowing the indoor air to circulate easily in a short time. Since air contaminated with bacteria and dust is less likely to linger in the room, even if the illumination time t1 of the ultraviolet lamp 34b during the operation of the blower 9 is short, sufficient spatial sterilization performance can be achieved in the room.

[0041] On the other hand, when the airflow of the fan 9 is low, the amount of air that the fan 9 blows into the room and the amount of air that blows out from the room to the outside are small, and it takes time for the air in the room to circulate. Since air contaminated with bacteria and dust tends to linger in the room, the lighting time t1 of the ultraviolet lamp 34b when the fan 9 is operating needs to be longer than when the airflow is high.

[0042] Furthermore, after the blower 9 is stopped, bacteria and dust tend to adhere to the second dust collection filter 35. To prevent bacterial growth and the attachment of residual bacteria to workers during maintenance of the air purification unit 3, it is necessary to disinfect the second dust collection filter.

[0043] When the airflow from the blower 9 is high, a large amount of air passes through the second dust collection filter 35, resulting in a large amount of bacteria and dust adhering to the second dust collection filter 35. Therefore, after the blower 9 is stopped, it is necessary to extend the lighting time t3 of the ultraviolet lamp 34b.

[0044] On the other hand, when the airflow of the blower 9 is low, the amount of air passing through the second dust collection filter 35 is small, and therefore the amount of bacteria and dust adhering to the second dust collection filter 35 is also small. For this reason, even if the lighting time t3 of the ultraviolet lamp 34b after the blower 9 is stopped is shorter than when the airflow of the blower 9 is high, the second dust collection filter 35 can be sufficiently disinfected.

[0045] According to the embodiment described above, the lighting time of the ultraviolet lamp 34b is controlled based on the airflow setting of the blower 9.

[0046] When the fan 9 is in operation, the indoor air circulates more easily when the airflow is higher than when it is lower. Therefore, when the airflow is high, the indoor air can be sufficiently disinfected even if the illumination time t1 of the ultraviolet lamp 34b is short.

[0047] After the blower 9 stops operating, bacteria and dust are less likely to adhere to the second dust collection filter 35 when the airflow is low than when it is high. Therefore, when the airflow is low, the second dust collection filter 35 can be sufficiently disinfected even if the illumination time t3 of the ultraviolet lamp 34b is short.

[0048] By controlling the lighting times t1 and t3 of the ultraviolet lamp 34b according to the degree of indoor air contamination and the degree of contamination of the second dust collection filter 35, which change depending on the airflow setting of the blower 9, it is possible to reduce unnecessary power consumption of the ultraviolet lamp 34b and extend the lifespan of the ultraviolet lamp 34b.

[0049] In Figure 4, when the airflow rate is A, the lighting time t3a is longer than the lighting time t1a, but there is no correlation between the lighting time t1a during operation of the blower 9 and the lighting time t3a after operation has stopped. Here, the lighting time after operation has stopped may be appropriately changed according to the lighting time during operation of the blower 9. This is also true for airflow rates B and C. Furthermore, there is no correlation between the time the lights are off while the blower 9 is in operation and the time the lights are off after it stops operating. The time the lights are off after it stops operating may be appropriately changed according to the time the lights are off while the blower 9 is in operation.

[0050] In the embodiment described above, the indoor unit control board 20 and the air purification unit control board 30 are each provided with their respective control functions. However, the control functions may be consolidated into a single control board, or distributed across three or more control boards.

[0051] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0052] 1…Air conditioner 2…Indoor unit 2a…Bottom plate 2b... Tabletop 2c…Side plate 2d…Side plate 2e…Wind shield plate 3…Air purifying unit 4…Blower room 5…Heat exchange room 6… Partition plate 7…Air outlet 8... Air intake 8a... Air intake 8b... Air intake 9... Blower 10...Heat exchanger 11... Drain pan 11a... Drain pan receiving section 12... First Electrical Parts Box 13…Fan motor 14…Fan casing 15... Inlet 16... Spray nozzle 17…Heat exchange component 17a... Aluminum fins 17b… Heat transfer tube 18...Ventilation duct 20...Indoor unit control board 30…Air purification unit control board 31... Air intake 32…First dust collection filter 33... Light-blocking grille 34… UV module 34a...frame body 34b…Ultraviolet lamp 35...Second dust collection filter 36... Second electrical parts box 51...Indoor Control Unit 52...Power output section 53...Control output section 54… Abnormal signal receiving unit 61...Power input section 62...Control Input Section 63…Ultraviolet lamp control unit 64…Ultraviolet lamp control power supply section 65... Abnormal output section

Claims

1. In an air conditioner in which a blower and a heat exchanger are arranged in a passage that connects an air intake and an air outlet, The system comprises an air purification unit having a light-shielding grille, a germicidal lamp, and an air filter arranged on the aforementioned ventilation path, and a control unit that controls the turning on and off of the germicidal lamp, The germicidal lamp is controlled to turn on or off at predetermined time intervals when the blower is in operation. The illumination time of the aforementioned germicidal lamp is changed based on the airflow setting of the aforementioned blower. The air conditioner is characterized in that the germicidal lamp is controlled such that, when the blower is in operation, the lighting time is shorter and the off time is longer when the airflow of the blower is greater than when the airflow is smaller.

2. In an air conditioner in which a blower and a heat exchanger are arranged in a passage that connects an air intake and an air outlet, The system comprises an air purification unit having a light-shielding grille, a germicidal lamp, and an air filter arranged on the aforementioned ventilation path, and a control unit that controls the turning on and off of the germicidal lamp, The germicidal lamp is controlled to turn on or off at predetermined time intervals when the blower is in operation. The illumination time of the aforementioned germicidal lamp is changed based on the airflow setting of the aforementioned blower. The air conditioner is characterized in that the germicidal lamp is controlled to turn on or off at predetermined time intervals when the blower is stopped.

3. In an air conditioner in which a blower and a heat exchanger are arranged in a passage that connects an air intake and an air outlet, The system comprises an air purification unit having a light-shielding grille, a germicidal lamp, and an air filter arranged on the aforementioned ventilation path, and a control unit that controls the turning on and off of the germicidal lamp, The germicidal lamp is controlled to turn on or off at predetermined time intervals when the blower is in operation. The illumination time of the aforementioned germicidal lamp is changed based on the airflow setting of the aforementioned blower. The germicidal lamp is controlled to turn on or off at predetermined time intervals when the blower is stopped. An air conditioner characterized in that the lighting time of the germicidal lamp is changed based on the airflow setting when the blower is in operation.

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