Indoor environment control system

Abstract

An indoor environment control system (10) comprises an air conditioner (20) that blows out a temperature-adjusted first airflow to an indoor space (60), and a transport fan (34) that suctions air through a suction port (31) provided to the ceiling side of the indoor space (60) and blows out the suctioned air through a blowout port (32) provided to the ceiling side of the indoor space (60). The direction of a second airflow produced by the air blown out through the blowout port (32) is determined so that the second airflow is close to the first airflow, and the second airflow attracts and diffuses the first airflow.

Description

Indoor Environmental Control System

[0001] The present invention relates to an indoor climate control system.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioning system including an air conditioner and an exhaust means for exhausting air from an indoor space.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-147563

[0004] The present invention provides an indoor environment control system that can make the airflow blown out by an air conditioner reach a wide range in the indoor space.

[0005] An indoor environment control system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an air conditioner that blows out a temperature-controlled first airflow into an indoor space, and a transport fan that draws in air through an intake port provided on the ceiling side of the indoor space and blows out the drawn-in air from an outlet provided on the ceiling side of the indoor space, wherein the direction of a second airflow produced by the air blown out from the outlet is determined so that the second airflow is close to the first airflow, and the second airflow attracts and diffuses the first airflow.

[0006] An indoor environment control system according to one aspect of the present invention can make the airflow blown out by the air conditioner reach a wide range in the indoor space.

[0007] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of devices installed in an indoor space and provided with an indoor environment control system. Fig. 2 is a first diagram showing the positional relationship between a first airflow and a second airflow. Fig. 3 is a second diagram showing the positional relationship between the first airflow and the second airflow. Fig. 4 is a third diagram showing the positional relationship between the first airflow and the second airflow. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of a blower device in which a suction port and a transport fan are integrated. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of a blower device in which a blower port and a transport fan are integrated.

[0008] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, component placement and connection forms, steps, and step order shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components not recited in independent claims will be described as optional components.

[0009] It should be noted that the drawings are schematic diagrams and are not necessarily strict illustrations. In addition, in the drawings, substantially the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions may be omitted or simplified.

[0010] (Embodiment) [Configuration] First, the configuration of an indoor environment control system according to an embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of devices provided in the indoor environment control system and installed in an indoor space. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an indoor space 60 as viewed from the side.

[0011] The indoor environment control system 10 is a system capable of controlling the environment of an indoor space 60, and more specifically, is a temperature control system capable of controlling the temperature within the indoor space 60. As shown in FIG. 1 , the indoor environment control system 10 includes an air conditioner 20 and a blower 30.

[0012] The air conditioner 20 takes in air from the indoor space 60, adjusts the temperature of the taken-in air, and blows it out into the indoor space 60. The air conditioner 20 is installed on a wall of the indoor space 60. In the following, the air conditioner 20 will be described as performing cooling operation, and the airflow blown out by the air conditioner 20 will also be referred to as a first airflow.

[0013] The blower device 30 sucks air from the indoor space 60 and blows the sucked air into the indoor space 60. Hereinafter, the airflow blown out by the blower device 30 is also referred to as a second airflow. For example, the blower device 30 is installed in the attic space of the indoor space 60, but a part or all of the blower device 30 may be located in the indoor space 60. The blower device 30 may be installed on the ceiling side of the indoor space 60. The blower device 30 includes a suction port 31, a blower port 32, a duct 33, a transport fan 34, and a heat exchanger 35.

[0014] The suction port 31 is a member that forms an opening for sucking in air from the indoor space 60, and the outlet 32 ​​is a member that forms an opening through which the blower device 30 blows air into the indoor space 60. The duct 33 is a cylindrical member that connects the suction port 31 and the outlet 32. The suction port 31, the outlet 32, and the duct 33 may be made of a resin material or a metal material.

[0015] The transport fan 34 is located within the duct 33, draws in air from the indoor space 60 through the suction port 31, and blows the drawn-in air out through the outlet 32. The transport fan 34 is realized by a fan body (blades), a motor, and the like. In the example of FIG. 1 , the transport fan 34 is installed at a midpoint between the suction port 31 and the outlet 32 ​​of the duct 33. This positions the transport fan 34 away from the indoor space 60, thereby achieving the effect of making the operating sound of the transport fan 34 less audible in the indoor space 60 (reducing noise). Although not shown, the on / off operation of the transport fan 34 is controlled by operating an operation panel provided on a wall or the like of the indoor space 60.

[0016] The heat exchanger 35 exchanges heat with the air passing through the duct 33. The heat exchanger 35 is, for example, a plate-type heat exchanger, but the shape is not limited and may be flat, curved, or tubular as long as it is structured to be in contact with the air outside the duct via a heat transfer plate and to exchange heat. The heat transfer plate is formed from a metal material such as iron, aluminum, or an alloy thereof, but may also be formed from resin or paper.

[0017] The blower device 30 mainly draws in the cold air blown out by the air conditioner 20, but the heat exchanger 35 heats this cold air so that a person is less likely to feel cold when the second airflow blown out from the outlet 32 ​​hits the person. The heat exchanger 35 may be omitted if there is no need to heat the air.

[0018] [Arrangement of the Fan Device] In the indoor environment control system 10, the fan device 30 is designed so that the first airflow blown out from the air conditioner 20 and the second airflow blown out from the fan device 30 are close to each other when the airflow direction, air speed, etc. of the air conditioner 20 are set to a predetermined standard state. Figures 2 to 4 are diagrams showing the positional relationship between the first airflow and the second airflow. Figure 2 is a diagram of the indoor space 60 as seen from above, Figure 3 is a diagram of a cross section corresponding to line III-III in Figure 2 as seen from a direction perpendicular to the cross section, and Figure 4 is a diagram of a cross section corresponding to line IV-IV in Figure 2 as seen from a direction perpendicular to the cross section.

[0019] 2 to 4, when the indoor space 60 is viewed from above, the first airflow blown out from the air conditioner 20 is an airflow that flows from the negative side of the X axis and the positive side of the Z axis of the indoor space 60 to the positive side of the X axis and the negative side of the Z axis. The second airflow blown out from the blower device 30 is an airflow that flows from the negative side of the Y axis and the positive side of the Z axis of the indoor space 60 to the positive side of the Y axis and the negative side of the Z axis. The first airflow and the second airflow intersect at an overhead crossing.

[0020] Here, the first airflow is close to the second airflow. In other words, the direction of the second airflow is determined so that the first airflow and the second airflow are close to each other when the air conditioner 20 is set to a predetermined standard state.

[0021] Here, if we define the first airflow as being formed in an area where the wind speed of the air blown out by the air conditioner 20 is 0.2 m / s or more, and define the second airflow as being formed in an area where the wind speed of the air blown out by the air conditioner 20 is 0.2 m / s or more, then the first airflow and the second airflow being close to each other means that the distance between the first airflow and the second airflow is between 0 and 0.3 m.

[0022] The proximity of the first airflow and the second airflow allows the second airflow to attract and diffuse the first airflow. The second airflow is located below the first airflow and is in proximity to the first airflow. Therefore, as shown in Figure 3, the first airflow is attracted and diffused by the second airflow and spreads toward the positive side of the X-axis and the negative side of the Z-axis (downward) of the indoor space 60.

[0023] Furthermore, the proximity of the first airflow and the second airflow allows the first airflow to attract and diffuse the second airflow. The first airflow is located higher than the second airflow and is in proximity to the second airflow. As shown in Fig. 4, the second airflow is attracted and diffused by the first airflow and spreads toward the positive Y-axis and the positive Z-axis (upward) of the indoor space 60.

[0024] In this way, the indoor environment control system 10 includes not only the air conditioner 20 but also the blower device 30, and the direction of the second airflow caused by the air blown out from the outlet 32 ​​of the blower device 30 is determined so that the second airflow is close to the first airflow blown out by the air conditioner 20. As a result, the second airflow attracts and diffuses the first airflow, and the first airflow attracts and diffuses the second airflow.

[0025] The first airflow and the second airflow are induced and diffused, which has the effect of transporting the cooled air to places where the cooled air cannot reach with only the first airflow of the air conditioner 20.

[0026] Furthermore, with the indoor environment control system 10, airflow with a certain degree of wind speed reaches a relatively wide area of ​​the indoor space 60, so the wind speed can lower the perceived temperature of people in the indoor space 60, so that people in the indoor space 60 will feel cooler even if the set temperature of the air conditioner 20 is set high. Setting the set temperature high can reduce the power consumption of the air conditioner 20.

[0027] Note that the first airflow and the second airflow may be positioned such that the first airflow is lower than the second airflow, but as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the indoor environment control system 10 is designed so that the first airflow is positioned higher than the second airflow. This has the effect of making it easier for the first airflow to reach locations far from the air conditioner 20. If the first airflow reaches locations far from the air conditioner 20, the cooling efficiency of the indoor space 60 is improved, and the airflow with a certain wind speed reaches a relatively wide area of ​​the indoor space 60. If the airflow with a certain wind speed reaches a relatively wide area of ​​the indoor space 60, it has the effect of expanding the areas where the effect of reducing the sensible temperature can be obtained.

[0028] 2, the suction port 31 of the blower device 30 is provided at a position overlapping with the first airflow in a plan view. In other words, the suction port 31 is provided directly above the first airflow.

[0029] This allows the blower device 30 (transport fan 34) to efficiently suck in the air-conditioned air blown out by the air conditioner 20 and transport it to the indoor space 60. By efficiently sucking in the air-conditioned air blown out by the air conditioner 20 and transporting it to the indoor space 60, the blower device 30 can effectively lower the temperature of the location reached by the second airflow blown out from the blower device 30, and can quickly stabilize the temperature of the indoor space 60.

[0030] Incidentally, if it is desired to adjust (raise) the temperature of the second airflow blown out from the outlet 32 ​​of the blower device 30, a heat exchanger 35 can be provided in the duct 33. If the first airflow blown out from the air conditioner 20 directly hits a person, the person may feel uncomfortable due to a cold draft. If the heat exchanger 35 reduces the coldness of the second airflow, the person will be prevented from feeling uncomfortable due to a cold draft even if the second airflow directly hits the person.

[0031] [Wind Speed ​​of Second Airflow] A further explanation will be given regarding the wind speed of the second airflow blown out by the blower device 30. The wind speed of the second airflow is set so that the wind speed in the indoor space 60 where people are staying falls within a predetermined range. In other words, the design value (fixed value) of the rotation speed of the transport fan 34 is set so that the wind speed in the indoor space 60 where people are staying falls within a predetermined range.

[0032] The place where people stay is, for example, an area of ​​the indoor space 60 that is 2 m or less in height, and the predetermined range is, for example, a range of 0.2 m / s or more and 0.3 m / s or less.

[0033] This allows the indoor environment control system 10 to direct airflow at an appropriate speed to people located in the indoor space 60.

[0034] The wind speed of the second airflow may be controlled by a control device (not shown) that controls the rotation speed of the transport fan 34. For example, the control device may control the wind speed of the second airflow (the rotation speed of the transport fan 34) so ​​that the temperature detected by a temperature sensor (not shown) provided in the air outlet 32 ​​becomes a constant value. The control device can decrease the temperature of the second airflow by increasing the wind speed, and can increase the temperature of the second airflow by decreasing the wind speed.

[0035] [Modification of the placement of the transport fan] In the blower device 30, the transport fan 34 is installed at an intermediate position between the suction port 31 and the blower port 32 of the duct 33. Here, the transport fan 34 may be integrated with the suction port 31. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the blower device 30 in which the suction port 31 and the transport fan 34 are integrated. Furthermore, the transport fan 34 may be integrated with the blower port 32. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of the blower device 30 in which the blower port 32 and the transport fan 34 are integrated.

[0036] 5 and 6, if the transport fan 34 is integrated with the suction port 31 or the blowing port 32, the number of parts of the blower device 30 can be reduced, thereby simplifying the configuration of the blower device 30. In addition, the installation of the blower device 30 becomes easier.

[0037] [Other Modifications] In the above embodiment, it has been explained that in the indoor environment control system 10, the blower device 30 is designed so that the first airflow blown out from the air conditioner 20 and the second airflow blown out from the blower device 30 are close to each other when the airflow direction, airflow speed, etc. of the air conditioner 20 are set to a predetermined standard state. Here, the airflow direction and airflow speed of the air conditioner 20 may be changed to a state other than the standard state by a user's operation of the remote controller of the air conditioner 20.

[0038] Therefore, the indoor environment control system 10 is equipped with a control device (not shown) that acquires the current settings of the air conditioner 20 by communicating with the air conditioner 20, and the control device may control the blower device 30 (conveying fan 34) in accordance with the current settings of the air conditioner 20 so that the first airflow and the second airflow are close to each other even if the settings of the air conditioner 20 are changed.

[0039] In this case, the blower device 30 is provided with a mechanism for changing the direction of the second airflow sent out from the outlet 32, and the memory unit of the control device stores table information indicating the correspondence between the settings of the air conditioner 20 and the control content of the blower device 30, for example, for bringing the first airflow and the second airflow closer together. The control device executes the control content of the blower device 30 identified by comparing the acquired current settings of the air conditioner 20 with the table information, thereby creating a state in which the first airflow and the second airflow are close together even if the settings of the air conditioner 20 are changed.

[0040] In the above embodiment, the air conditioner 20 performs cooling operation, assuming use in a warm region such as Southeast Asia. However, the air conditioner 20 may also perform heating operation.

[0041] [Effects, etc.] Inventions derived from the disclosure of this specification are, for example, the following inventions. Hereinafter, the inventions derived from the disclosure of this specification will be described together with the effects, etc. obtained by the inventions.

[0042] Invention 1 is an indoor environment control system 10 comprising an air conditioner 20 that blows out a temperature-controlled first airflow into an indoor space 60, and a transport fan 34 that draws in air through an intake port 31 provided on the ceiling side of the indoor space 60 and blows out the drawn-in air from an outlet 32 ​​provided on the ceiling side of the indoor space 60, wherein the direction of the second airflow caused by the air blown out from the outlet 32 ​​is determined so that the second airflow is close to the first airflow, and the second airflow attracts and diffuses the first airflow.

[0043] The indoor environment control system 10 as described above can induce and diffuse the first airflow blown out by the air conditioner 20, thereby allowing the first airflow to reach a wide range in the indoor space 60.

[0044] A second aspect of the present invention is the indoor environment control system 10 of the first aspect, wherein the direction of the second airflow is determined so that the second airflow intersects with the first airflow.

[0045] In this indoor environment control system 10, the first airflow and the second airflow have different directions, so that the temperature-adjusted air can reach a wide area of ​​the indoor space 60.

[0046] A third aspect of the present invention is the indoor environment control system 10 of the first or second aspect, wherein the direction of the second airflow is determined so that the second airflow is positioned above the first airflow.

[0047] The indoor environment control system 10 as described above can make the first airflow blown out by the air conditioner 20 reach a location far from the air conditioner 20 .

[0048] Invention 4 is the indoor environment control system 10 of any one of Inventions 1 to 3, wherein the wind speed of the second airflow is determined so that the wind speed in a place where people are staying in the indoor space 60 is within a predetermined range.

[0049] Such an indoor environment control system 10 can provide airflow at an appropriate speed to people located in the indoor space 60 .

[0050] Invention 5 is the indoor environment control system 10 of any of Inventions 1 to 3, in which the suction port 31 and the blowout port 32 are connected by a duct 33, the transport fan 34 is located within the duct 33, a heat exchanger 35 is provided within the duct 33 for exchanging heat with the air passing through the duct 33, and the wind speed of the second airflow is controlled so that the temperature of the air blown out from the blowout port 32 is constant.

[0051] The indoor environment control system 10 can control the wind speed of the second airflow, thereby blowing out air (second airflow) at a constant temperature from the outlet 32.

[0052] A sixth aspect of the present invention is the indoor environment control system 10 of any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the suction port 31 is provided at a position overlapping with the first airflow in plan view.

[0053] The indoor environment control system 10 as described above can efficiently suck in the refrigerated air blown out by the air conditioner 20 through the suction port 31 and blow it out through the outlet port 32, thereby transporting it to the indoor space 60.

[0054] (Other Embodiments) Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0055] For example, in the above embodiment, the indoor environment control system is realized by a plurality of devices. When the indoor environment control system is realized by a plurality of devices in this way, the components (especially functional components) of the indoor environment control system may be distributed among the plurality of devices in any manner.

[0056] The indoor climate control system may also be realized as a single device. For example, the indoor climate control system may be realized as a single device corresponding to a blower.

[0057] Furthermore, the method of communication between the devices in the above-described embodiment is not particularly limited. Furthermore, a relay device (such as a broadband router, not shown) may be involved in the communication between the devices.

[0058] In the above-described embodiment, the processing performed by a specific processing unit may be performed by another processing unit. The order of multiple processing operations may be changed, or multiple processing operations may be performed in parallel.

[0059] In the above-described embodiments, each component may be realized by executing a software program suitable for that component, or by a program execution unit such as a CPU or processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory.

[0060] Furthermore, each component may be realized by hardware. For example, each component may be a circuit (or integrated circuit). These circuits may form a single circuit as a whole, or each may be a separate circuit. Furthermore, each of these circuits may be a general-purpose circuit or a dedicated circuit.

[0061] Furthermore, the general or specific aspects of the present invention may be realized as a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, or as any combination of a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, and a recording medium.

[0062] For example, the present invention may be realized as the air blower of the above embodiment, as an indoor environment control method executed by a computer such as the indoor environment control system of the above embodiment, or as a program for causing a computer to execute the indoor environment control method (in other words, a computer program product).The present invention may also be realized as a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium on which such a program is recorded.

[0063] In addition, the present invention also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to each embodiment that a person skilled in the art would think of, or forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each embodiment within the scope of the present invention.

[0064] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Indoor environment control system 20 Air conditioner 30 Blower 31 Intake port 32 Outlet port 33 Duct 34 Transport fan 35 Heat exchanger 60 Indoor space

Claims

1. An indoor environment control system comprising: an air conditioner that blows out a temperature-controlled first airflow into an indoor space; and a transport fan that draws in air through an intake port provided on the ceiling side of the indoor space and blows the drawn-in air out through an exhaust port provided on the ceiling side of the indoor space, wherein the direction of a second airflow produced by the air blown out from the exhaust port is determined so that the second airflow is close to the first airflow, and the second airflow attracts and diffuses the first airflow.

2. The indoor environment control system according to claim 1, wherein the direction of the second airflow is determined so that the second airflow intersects with the first airflow.

3. The indoor environment control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the direction of the second airflow is determined so that the second airflow is positioned above the first airflow.

4. An indoor environment control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the wind speed of the second airflow is set so that the wind speed in a place where people are staying in the indoor space is within a predetermined range.

5. An indoor environment control system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the suction port and the outlet port are connected by a duct, the transport fan is located within the duct, a heat exchanger is provided within the duct for exchanging heat with the air passing through the duct, and the wind speed of the second airflow is controlled so that the temperature of the air blown out from the outlet port is constant.

6. The indoor environment control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the suction port is provided at a position overlapping with the first air flow in a plan view.

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