Management device for plurality of air conditioning devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing management systems for air conditioning apparatuses face challenges in stably acceding to power consumption amount adjustment requests, especially when consumers cannot adhere to predetermined power reduction schedules, leading to instability in power consumption management, particularly with air conditioning units that have fluctuating power consumption based on load changes.

Innovation Solution

A management apparatus that calculates the probability of air conditioning units canceling power consumption adjustments based on current state information, including temperature data, and reallocates reduction loads to ensure stable compliance with power consumption adjustment requests by identifying units with higher cancellation probabilities and reallocating loads to more reliable units.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If predetermined power reduction schedules are imposed on air conditioning apparatuses, then power consumption adjustment requests can be acceded, but consumers may be unable to carry out the reduction as planned due to fluctuating load conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of power consumption adjustment complianceVSAvoidflexibility to handle load fluctuations
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic allocation of power reduction loads by continuously calculating cancellation probabilities based on current state information (temperature, humidity, outdoor conditions) and reallocating reduction targets to apparatuses with lower cancellation probabilities. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to changing load conditions while maintaining overall compliance with power consumption adjustment requests.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms by monitoring current state information from each air conditioning apparatus and using this information to calculate cancellation probabilities. The allocation plan is updated based on this feedback, creating a closed-loop control system that continuously optimizes power reduction allocation to maintain reliability despite individual apparatus fluctuations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of energy

If error adjustment instructions are generated after consumers fail to meet reduction targets, then power consumption can be further reduced, but the reduction occurs after the adverse state has already happened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumption reduction amountVSAvoidtiming of power reduction implementation
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent calculates cancellation probabilities and updates the allocation plan in advance before the power consumption adjustment request is actually executed. By predicting which apparatuses are likely to cancel and pre-reallocating their reduction targets to more reliable apparatuses, the system ensures that the full reduction target is met without needing corrective error adjustments after the fact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If more consumers are managed to handle large adjustment requests, then power consumption adjustment can be acceded, but the complexity of managing and monitoring multiple consumers increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to meet large power consumption adjustment requestsVSAvoidcomplexity of management apparatus
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The management apparatus leverages the self-service capability of air conditioning apparatuses by using their own current state information (temperature, humidity, operational parameters) to calculate cancellation probabilities. Each apparatus essentially provides its own diagnostic data, reducing the need for complex external monitoring infrastructure while enabling sophisticated allocation decisions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3299739B1Management device for plurality of air conditioning devices
Publication Date: 2020.04.15 DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP3299739B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3299739B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3299739B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a management apparatus for a plurality of air conditioning apparatuses with which it is possible to more stably accede a power consumption amount adjustment request. When there exists an air conditioning apparatus (5) of a consumer that has a high cancelation probability or the like for the power consumption amount adjustment request at a time point after an allocation plan for a reduction load has been tentatively determined, a control unit (31) of an aggregator (3) reduces a distribution priority order of the consumer with the high cancelation probability, and distributes the reduction load to another consumer, to thereby redistribute the allocation plan for the reduction load.