Control device for air conditioning system, air conditioning system, and method for determining anomaly of air conditioning system

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air conditioning systems face challenges in accurately determining the operating state and identifying anomalies, especially when the outdoor and indoor units are controlled by different devices and manufactured by different makers, and when the external network environment is insufficient, leading to high installation costs and unclear anomaly causes.

Innovation Solution

A control device that includes outdoor-unit and indoor-unit control parts capable of communication, storage means for storing operating states, and anomaly determination means to compare present and past operating states, allowing for accurate anomaly detection without the need for a remote monitoring server, enabling simplified configuration and easy replacement of units.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a remote monitoring server is installed to accurately determine operating state and detect anomalies, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity and installation cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperating state determination accuracyVSAvoidsystem configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the anomaly detection function from a centralized remote monitoring server and implements it locally within the air conditioning system itself. The determination device is integrated into the existing control structure, eliminating the need for external server infrastructure while maintaining accurate operating state monitoring and anomaly detection capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If different control devices are used for outdoor and indoor units, then adaptability and ease of repair are improved, but measurement precision and anomaly identification accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveunit compatibilityVSAvoidoperating state ascertainment accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The determination device is designed with universal functionality that can operate with different control devices in outdoor and indoor units. It collects and analyzes operating data from multiple sources regardless of manufacturer, using a standardized approach to determine overall system operating state and identify anomalies, thus maintaining measurement precision while supporting unit compatibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The determination device implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors operating data from both outdoor and indoor units, compares actual performance with expected performance, and identifies anomalies by detecting deviations. This feedback loop enables accurate anomaly identification even when different control devices are used, as it focuses on performance outcomes rather than control device specifics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3196563B1Control device for air conditioning system, air conditioning system, and method for determining anomaly of air conditioning system
Publication Date: 2020.12.09 MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND LTD
  • EP3196563B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3196563B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3196563B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A control device (3) for an air conditioning system (1) is provided with: an outdoor-unit control part (43) capable of communication with an outdoor unit (B) through a communication medium, the outdoor-unit control part (43) acquiring, through the communication medium, information about machinery installed in the outdoor unit (B) and outputting control commands to the machinery installed in the outdoor unit (B); and an indoor-unit control part (41) capable of communication with an indoor unit (A) through a communication medium, the indoor-unit control part (41) acquiring, through the communication medium, information about the machinery installed in the indoor unit (A) and outputting control commands to the machinery installed in the indoor unit (A). The control device (3) stores an operating state of the air conditioning system (1) for each load state of the air conditioning system (1) and determines the presence or absence of an anomaly in the machinery by comparing the present operating state and a past operating state associated with an equivalent load state. The control device (3) for the air conditioning system (1) can thereby ascertain the operating state of the air conditioning system (1) more simply and accurately.