Air conditioner control device, air conditioner control method, and program
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioner control methods struggle to maintain comfort while reducing power consumption in large inhabited spaces, as fixed energy-saving control times can lead to discomfort due to varying temperature changes based on the number of occupants.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner control device that adjusts the energy-saving control time for each air conditioner based on the calculated number of occupants, using presence/absence sensors to manage and correlate data, allowing for dynamic control time adjustments to maintain comfort and reduce power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If fixed energy-saving control time is applied to all air conditioners, then power consumption is reduced uniformly, but comfort deteriorates in spaces with varying numbers of occupants
Solution Approach 1:
The control time for energy-saving operation is made dynamic rather than fixed. The control device calculates the number of occupants in each air-conditioned space and adjusts the energy-saving control time accordingly. Spaces with more occupants (generating more heat) receive shorter energy-saving control times, while spaces with fewer occupants receive longer control times, thereby maintaining comfort while achieving energy savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the control time parameter based on the number of occupants. By detecting occupancy levels and adjusting the duration of energy-saving control accordingly, the system optimizes the balance between energy consumption and thermal comfort in different spaces.
2Loss of energy
If energy-saving control is executed for long periods, then power consumption is reduced, but temperature fluctuations increase causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The control device adjusts the control time parameter based on occupancy levels. By shortening the energy-saving control time in spaces with more occupants (who generate more body heat), the system prevents excessive temperature rises while still achieving energy savings across the building portfolio.
3Device complexity
If uniform control strategy is applied to all air conditioners, then system complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different occupancy conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control device implements local quality control by treating each air-conditioned space individually based on its specific occupancy conditions. Each space receives a customized energy-saving control time calculated according to the number of occupants present, rather than applying a uniform control strategy across all spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from occupancy detection to dynamically adjust control strategies. The control device receives information about the number of occupants in each space and uses this feedback to calculate and apply appropriate energy-saving control times, creating a closed-loop adaptive control system.
Data Source
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AI summary
An air conditioner control device (7) controls a plurality of air conditioners installed at different positions in a predetermined living room space. A memory unit (50) manages presence and absence data (53) on people who are in a room air-conditioned by each of the air conditioners. Based on the managed presence and absence data (53), a number-of-people-in-the-room calculation unit (61) calculates, on a per-air-conditioner basis, the number of people who are in the room air-conditioned by each of the air conditioners. A control time determination unit (62) increases or decreases the control time during which an energy saving control of each of the air conditioners is executed, depending on the calculated number of people in the room. A control execution unit (63) repeatedly executes the energy saving control of each of the air conditioners, according to the determined control time.