Operation control system, operation control device, and operation control method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional demand response control systems for refrigerant cycle apparatuses do not effectively execute special operations such as oil return and defrosting based on requests for adjusting electric power consumption, leading to decreased efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An operation control system that determines special-operation timings for refrigerant cycle apparatuses based on electric-power supply demand adjustment requests and market prices, including features like a storage unit, determination unit, and prediction units to optimize execution of cooling-time and heating-time oil return operations and defrosting, avoiding or executing these operations during specific time periods to maintain efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If demand response control is performed without considering special operations, then electric power consumption can be adjusted, but the efficiency of demand response control decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of special operation timings by predicting when oil return and defrosting operations will be needed, then schedules these operations to coincide with posiwatt request time periods (when power consumption is encouraged) before they become critical needs, thereby preparing in advance to avoid inefficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the timing parameter of special operations based on electric power information. By adjusting when oil return and defrosting operations occur (shifting the time parameter), the system aligns high-power-consuming special operations with posiwatt periods, resolving the contradiction between power adjustment and operational efficiency
2Loss of energy
If special operations are executed during negawatt request time periods, then electric power consumption is reduced, but system efficiency may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from electric power information (negawatt/posiwatt request time periods) to dynamically adjust special operation timing. The determination unit continuously monitors power consumption trends and adjusts when oil return and defrosting operations occur, creating a feedback loop that balances power reduction with system efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system makes the timing of special operations dynamic rather than fixed. By allowing oil return and defrosting operations to be scheduled flexibly based on real-time electric power information, the system can adapt to changing power consumption patterns while maintaining operational reliability
3Productivity
If special operations are delayed to posiwatt request time periods, then electric power consumption increases, but demand response efficiency improves
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the time parameter of special operations to align with posiwatt request time periods. By deliberately scheduling oil return and defrosting operations during periods when power consumption is encouraged, the system maximizes demand response efficiency while accepting increased power consumption during those specific periods
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is an operation control system capable of suppressing a decrease in the efficiency of demand response control. An operation control system (100) includes a storage unit (71) and a determination unit (72). The storage unit stores electric-power information. On the basis of the electric-power information, the determination unit determines 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 the 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 that is an oil return operation during a cooling operation of the refrigerant cycle apparatus, a heating-time oil return operation that is an 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.