Information processing device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for estimating energy saving effects in air-conditioning systems fail to account for variations in power consumption under the same conditions and do not reflect loads that vary independently of outside air temperature, leading to degraded accuracy in power consumption estimation.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus that calculates an energy saving effect by considering a load that varies independently of outside air temperature, using a configuration that includes an actual load factor calculation unit, a parameter estimation unit, a load factor estimation unit, a power consumption estimation unit, and an effect calculation unit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a multiple regression formula or average measured value is used to estimate reference power consumption, then the estimation method is simple, but variations in power consumption under the same condition are not taken into consideration, degrading estimation accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of estimation methodVSAvoidaccuracy of power consumption estimation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The heat load is segmented into two distinct components: a first heat load that varies according to outside air temperature and a second heat load that varies independently of outside air temperature. This segmentation allows the estimation model to account for both temperature-dependent and temperature-independent variations in power consumption, thereby improving accuracy while maintaining model simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a new parameter (second heat load) that varies independently of outside air temperature to the existing estimation model. By changing the parameters considered in the regression formula to include both temperature-dependent and temperature-independent components, the model achieves higher accuracy without becoming overly complex.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If a simple relation formula P = a × T + b is used between outside air temperature and power consumption, then the calculation is straightforward, but loads that vary independently of outside air temperature are not reflected, degrading estimation accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestraightforwardness of calculationVSAvoidaccuracy of power consumption estimation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The heat load is segmented into two distinct components: a first heat load that varies according to outside air temperature and a second heat load that varies independently of outside air temperature. This segmentation allows the estimation model to account for both temperature-dependent and temperature-independent variations in power consumption, thereby improving accuracy while maintaining model simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention adds another dimension to the estimation model by introducing a parameter (second heat load) that operates independently of the outside air temperature dimension. This dimensional expansion allows the model to capture variations in power consumption that occur regardless of temperature changes, improving accuracy while keeping the calculation framework straightforward.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4019856B1Information processing device
Publication Date: 2025.04.02 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP4019856B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4019856B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4019856B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An information processing apparatus includes a storage device configured to store equipment information, an equipment characteristics table, and an energy saving control menu, an input device configured to receive energy saving control for which calculation is to be performed and a condition and acquire operation data and measurement data from a controller of equipment, an arithmetic device, and an output device configured to output a calculated energy saving effect. The arithmetic device includes an actual load factor calculation unit configured to obtain an actual load factor based on the operation data and the measurement data, a parameter estimation unit configured to obtain a control characteristics correction parameter associated with control characteristics of the equipment, a load factor estimation unit configured to estimate a load factor distribution for an estimation target period in accordance with the actual load factor, a power consumption estimation unit configured to correct the control characteristics in accordance with the control characteristics correction parameter and calculate, in accordance with the load factor distribution and the corrected control characteristics, a power consumption of the equipment for each of a case where the energy saving control is performed and a case where the energy saving control is not performed, and an effect calculation unit calculate the energy saving effect in accordance with a result of the calculation.