Operation control system, operation control apparatus, and operation control method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing demand response control systems for refrigerant cycle apparatuses, such as air conditioners, face challenges in efficiently managing electric power usage to prevent exceeding predetermined supply limits, especially during special operations like oil return and defrosting, which can impact system capacity and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An operation control system that includes a storage unit for electric-power information and a determination unit to schedule special operations like cooling-time oil return, heating-time oil return, and defrosting based on electric-power supply demand adjustments and market prices, optimizing these operations to avoid peak power consumption periods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If special operations (oil return, defrosting) are executed to maintain system capacity and efficiency, then system reliability is improved, but electric power consumption increases during peak demand periods
Solution Approach 1:
The determination unit predicts future special operation timings and schedules them in advance during periods of lower power demand. By performing preliminary scheduling based on predicted weather conditions and power price information, the system prepares for capacity maintenance needs before peak demand periods occur, thus maintaining reliability while avoiding peak power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the timing of special operations based on real-time power demand conditions, weather forecasts, and market price information. Instead of fixed scheduling, the oil return and defrosting operations are flexibly timed to occur when power demand is lower, allowing the system to adapt to changing conditions and optimize the balance between capacity maintenance and power consumption.
2Use of energy by moving object
If special operations are delayed to avoid peak power consumption periods, then electric power consumption is reduced, but system capacity and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scheduling of special operations during low-demand periods by predicting future weather conditions and power demand patterns. This advance planning ensures that oil return and defrosting operations are completed before capacity degradation occurs, maintaining system reliability while utilizing off-peak power periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The determination unit continuously monitors power consumption patterns, weather conditions, and system state to adjust special operation timing. This feedback mechanism ensures that operations are scheduled at optimal times that balance power consumption reduction with capacity maintenance requirements, preventing both premature operations during peak demand and delayed operations that would compromise system performance.
3Productivity
If demand response control is implemented to suppress power consumption during peak periods, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The determination unit performs preliminary prediction of special operation timings based on weather forecasts and power demand patterns. By calculating and scheduling operations in advance during low-demand periods, the system achieves demand response control objectives without requiring complex real-time control mechanisms during peak periods, thus improving productivity while limiting complexity growth.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system utilizes externally available information (weather forecasts, power market price information) to autonomously determine optimal scheduling without requiring complex centralized coordination. Each refrigerant cycle apparatus independently schedules its special operations based on predicted conditions, enabling demand response control through self-service rather than complex system-wide management.
Data Source
AI summary
An operation control system includes a storage unit that stores electric-power information, and a determination unit. The determination unit determines, based on the electric-power information, a special-operation timing at which a special operation of a refrigerant cycle apparatus installed in at least one property or at least one area is to be executed. The electric-power information includes at least one of electric-power supply demand adjustment request information related to an electric-power supply demand adjustment request from an outside to the property or the area, and electric-power market price information related to an electric-power market price. The special operation includes at least one of a cooling-time oil return operation during a cooling operation of the refrigerant cycle apparatus, a heating-time oil return operation during a heating operation of the refrigerant cycle apparatus, and a defrosting operation during a heating operation of the refrigerant cycle apparatus.