Multi-Person Thermal Sensation Control in Air-Conditioned Spaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-conditioning technologies struggle to effectively control thermal sensation for multiple individuals in a space, as they do not account for the presence of multiple people, leading to discomfort in air-conditioned environments.
Innovation Solution
An air-conditioning apparatus equipped with an air temperature detection unit, air volume adjustment, air direction adjustment, human body detection, and an estimation unit that calculates thermal sensation for each person, allowing for the correction of air temperature or set temperature based on the thermal sensation of all detected individuals, and controls the refrigeration cycle accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If air-conditioning control is based on single-point temperature measurement or skin temperature estimation, then the control system remains simple, but thermal comfort for multiple persons cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The air-conditioned space is divided into multiple detection zones, and thermal sensation is estimated separately for each person in each zone. The control unit processes thermal sensation data from multiple persons independently and applies appropriate control strategies for each individual, enabling personalized thermal comfort control while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular zone-based segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from single-point temperature measurement to three-dimensional spatial temperature field reconstruction. By arranging temperature sensors at multiple positions and using interpolation algorithms, the system creates a comprehensive thermal map of the entire space, enabling thermal sensation estimation for multiple persons simultaneously without proportionally increasing hardware complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If air-conditioning control considers thermal sensation of all persons, then thermal comfort for all individuals is improved, but control accuracy requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an estimation unit that acts as an intermediary between physical temperature sensors and control decisions. This unit calculates thermal sensation values by combining temperature data with person-specific parameters (clothing insulation, metabolic rate, activity level), thereby translating raw temperature measurements into meaningful thermal comfort indicators without requiring direct measurement of each person's actual thermal sensation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system shifts from controlling based on absolute temperature values to controlling based on thermal sensation indices. By transforming temperature data into thermal sensation equivalents that account for human physiological responses, the system achieves more accurate thermal comfort control while reducing the impact of measurement uncertainties in raw temperature data.
3Adaptability or versatility
If air temperature is corrected based on thermal sensation of all detected persons, then thermal comfort is optimized for the group, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit applies thermal sensation-based correction to air temperature or set temperature only when necessary to achieve comfortable conditions for all persons. The system monitors thermal sensation values and activates correction mechanisms selectively rather than continuously, thereby optimizing thermal comfort for the group while minimizing unnecessary energy consumption from the refrigeration cycle.
Data Source
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AI summary
An air-conditioning apparatus includes: an air temperature detection unit configured to detect air temperature in an air-conditioned space; a human body detection unit configured to detect human bodies in the air-conditioned space; an estimation unit configured to estimate thermal sensation of persons detected by the human body detection unit; and a control unit configured to correct a value of the air temperature or set temperature based on the thermal sensation of all of the detected persons estimated by the estimation unit, and to control a refrigeration cycle by using the corrected value.