JP3933372B2 - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an air conditioner (unit group) including a plurality of outdoor units and indoor units, which are connected to the same refrigerant system, and an air conditioner including a plurality of unit groups.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally called double multi-system, 2 to 3 outdoor units are connected to one refrigerant system, and multiple outdoor units and multiple indoor units can be constructed by piping of one refrigerant system. There is known a system that aims to reduce this. In this kind of thing, for a large-scale property such as an air conditioner in a building, a plurality of such double multi-systems are provided. For example, 10 double refrigerant systems may be installed in the double multi-system.
[0003]
Conventionally, in the double multi-system, an electric motor is used as a driving source for the compressor, but a gas engine is used as a driving source for the compressor. In a double multi system (hereinafter referred to as a double multi GHP) using this gas engine as a drive source for a compressor, periodic maintenance such as engine oil replacement is required.
[0004]
In the conventional double multi system, control for adjusting the operation time so that the operation time of the outdoor unit in one refrigerant system is the same (hereinafter referred to as automatic alternating operation control) is performed. The same control is carried out in the double multi GHP, and the purpose of the double multi GHP performing the automatic alternating operation control is to maintain the outdoor unit in one refrigerant system at a time, and a service person asks for maintenance. This is to reduce the number of business trips.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional automatic alternating operation control is an effective method for reducing the number of times a service person asks for maintenance when there are few double multi GHPs installed such as one refrigerant system. In this case, since the operation time is different for each refrigerant system, there is a problem that it is not possible to reduce the number of times the maintenance is requested. Further, in the conventional configuration, when the maintenance of the outdoor unit is performed, all the outdoor units are performed at the same time. Therefore, there is a problem that the air conditioner cannot be operated during the maintenance.
[0006]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner that eliminates the problems of the conventional techniques described above, can maintain an outdoor unit without stopping the air conditioner, and can reduce the number of maintenance operations. There is to do.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a unit group is configured by connecting a plurality of outdoor units and a plurality of indoor units to the same refrigerant system , and each unit group is provided with an air conditioner including a plurality of the unit groups. The outdoor unit having the highest operation order in each unit group is configured so that the operation time of each outdoor unit differs according to the operation order and the operation time of the outdoor units having the highest operation order in each unit group is made equal. It is characterized by comprising an adjusting means for adjusting the operation time by varying the operation rate of the outdoor unit, and the outdoor units having the highest operation order in each unit group can be maintained at the same time .
[0009]
The invention according to claim 2 is the one according to claim 1, wherein in each unit group, a difference in operation time between at least two outdoor units of the outdoor unit having the highest operation order and the second highest outdoor unit is set in advance. It is defined to be
[0010]
In the said invention, since the difference arises in the driving | running time of an outdoor unit, a maintenance can be performed sequentially from the thing with long driving | running time.
[0011]
In an air conditioner equipped with multiple units of unit groups, there is a difference in the operation time of the outdoor unit in each unit group, and the operation time of all the outdoor units in all unit groups with the same operation order in the unit group. Since it is made equal, the outdoor unit with a long operation time of each unit group can be maintained at the same time, and the number of visits to maintenance can be reduced.
[0012]
The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that, in the apparatus described in claim 1 or 2 , the compressor of each outdoor unit is of an engine drive type, and the number of starts and stops of each outdoor unit is equal. Is.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0014]
FIG. 1 illustrates an air conditioner configured by connecting two outdoor units 1 and two indoor units 3 to one refrigerant system.
[0015]
1a and 1b indicate outdoor units, and 3a and 3b indicate indoor units. The outdoor unit 1a includes an accumulator 10a, a compressor 11a driven by a gas engine, an oil separator 12a, a four-way valve 13a, an outdoor heat exchanger 14a, and an outdoor electric expansion valve 15a. Reference numeral 17a denotes a fan of the outdoor heat exchanger 14a. Since the outdoor unit 1b is the same as the outdoor unit 1a including the following configuration, the description thereof is omitted.
[0016]
The indoor unit 3a includes an indoor heat exchanger 34a and an indoor electric expansion valve 35a (hereinafter referred to as “indoor mechanical valve 35a”). Since the indoor unit 3b is the same as the indoor unit 3a including the following configuration, the description thereof is omitted. From the indoor units 3a and 3b, an inter-unit pipe consisting of a gas pipe 5 and a liquid pipe 7 extends, and the outdoor units 1a and 1b are connected in parallel to the inter-unit pipe. 105a and 105b are maintenance on-off valves configured to be able to separate the outdoor units 1a and 1b from the refrigerant system.
[0017]
The oil separator 12a separates the lubricating oil in the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11a, and the separated lubricating oil is always returned to the compressor 11a through the oil return pipe 21a and the forced oil return pipe 22a. It is. The oil return pipe 21a is always provided with a capillary tube 24a, and flow resistance is applied to the oil returned to the compressor 11a by the capillary tube 24a. This constant oil return pipe 21a is connected to the middle of the oil separator 12a. As long as the oil level of the oil in the oil separator 12a exceeds the position where the oil separator 12a is connected, the oil always flows through the constant oil return pipe 21a. Returned to the suction pipe. The forced oil return pipe 22a is provided with opening / closing valves 23a and 25a.
[0018]
The forced oil return pipe 22a is connected to the bottom of the oil separator 12a, and the oil in the oil separator 12a is forcibly returned to the suction pipe of the compressor 11a by opening the on-off valves 23a and 25a.
[0019]
The forced oil return pipes 22 a and 22 b of the outdoor units 1 a and 1 b are connected by a balance pipe 51. The balance pipe 51 is connected between the oil separator 12a and the check valve 18a through the third auxiliary pipe 53a, and the third auxiliary pipe 53a is provided with a third on-off valve 55a.
[0020]
When the third on-off valve 55a is opened and the four-way valve 13a is switched to the position shown in the drawing, the balance pipe 51 communicates with the outdoor heat exchanger 14a.
[0021]
In the present embodiment, the compressors 11a and 11b are driven by the gas engines 100a and 100b, respectively. The shafts 101a and 101b are led out from the main bodies of the compressors 11a and 11b, pulleys (not shown) are connected to the shafts 101a and 101b, and the outputs of the gas engines 100a and 100b via the pulley V belts 102a and 102b. The shafts are connected.
[0022]
During the cooling operation, the refrigerant from the compressors 11a and 11b is supplied with oil separators 12a and 12b, four-way valves 13a and 13b, outdoor heat exchangers 14a and 14b, and an outdoor electric expansion valve 15a as indicated by solid arrows in FIG. , 15b, flows into the liquid pipe 7, enters the respective indoor units 3a, 3b, flows in the order of the indoor electric expansion valves 35a, 35b, and the indoor heat exchangers 34a, 34b, and flows out to the gas pipe 5, and is a four-way valve. 13a and 13b and accumulators 10a and 10b are returned to the compressors 11a and 11b.
[0023]
During the heating operation, the refrigerant from the compressors 11a and 11b flows out to the gas pipe 5 through the oil separators 12a and 12b and the four-way valves 13a and 13b as shown by the dotted arrows in FIG. 1, and enters the indoor units 3a and 3b. Enter, the indoor heat exchangers 34a and 34b, the indoor electric expansion valves 35a and 35b in this order, and flow out into the liquid pipe 7. The outdoor electric expansion valves 15a and 15b, the outdoor heat exchangers 14a and 14b, the four-way valve 13a, 13b and accumulators 10a and 10b, and then returned to the compressors 11a and 11b.
[0024]
FIG. 2 shows an air conditioning system according to this embodiment.
[0025]
This air conditioning system is an air conditioning system in which the air conditioner having three outdoor units 1 and four indoor units 3 is provided as one unit group, for example, in 10 systems in the same building.
[0026]
In this embodiment, the controller (adjustment means) 200 collectively controls the outdoor units 201 to 209 and the indoor units 301 to 309 in each unit group.
[0027]
{Circle around (1)} In the first control example unit group, operation orders are assigned to the outdoor units 201 to 209. For example, the first unit (outdoor units 201a to 209a), the second unit (outdoor units 201b to 209b), and the third unit (outdoor units 201c to 209c) are arranged in descending order of operation order. And according to the driving | operation order, the operating time of each outdoor unit is varied.
[0028]
Next, the operation times of the outdoor units of all unit groups having the same operation order in the unit group are made equal.
[0029]
For example, if the target is the outdoor unit 201a of the first unit group, when the operation time of the outdoor unit 202a of another second unit group is shorter than the operation time of the outdoor unit 201a, in the second unit group, The operating rate of the outdoor unit 202a is increased, and the operating time of the outdoor unit 202a and the outdoor unit 201a is made equal.
[0030]
Further, when the operation time of the outdoor unit 203a of another third unit group is longer than the operation time of the outdoor unit 201a, the operation rate of the outdoor unit 203a is decreased in the other third unit group, The operation time of the outdoor unit 203a and the target outdoor unit 201a are made equal.
[0031]
By performing this operation over all unit groups, the operation time management across the systems is executed.
[0032]
According to this, it reaches the maintenance time defined in advance in the order of all the first units (outdoor units 201a to 209a), second unit (outdoor units 201b to 209b), third unit (outdoor units 201c to 209c) across the system. Therefore, since it is only necessary to perform these maintenances in three steps, the number of maintenance visits to the building where the present system is installed can be reduced.
[0033]
In the maintenance, the air-conditioning system is operated without being stopped, and the corresponding on-off valves 105a and 105b are closed and the outdoor unit is disconnected as described with reference to FIG.
[0034]
{Circle around (2)} In the second control example unit group, operation orders are assigned to the outdoor units 201 to 209. For example, the first unit (outdoor units 201a to 209a), the second unit (outdoor units 201b to 209b), and the third unit (outdoor units 201c to 209c) are arranged in descending order of operation order. And the difference in the operation time of each outdoor unit is prescribed | regulated previously within a unit group.
[0035]
For example, the operation time difference between the outdoor unit 201a and the outdoor unit 201b is set to 2000 hours in advance in the first unit group.
[0036]
In this case, the outdoor unit 201a is preferentially operated until 2000 hours are reached, and the other outdoor unit 201b and the outdoor unit 201c are alternately controlled. Specifically, since the operation order of the outdoor unit 201b is higher than the operation order of the outdoor unit 201c, the operation time of the outdoor unit 201b is controlled to be longer than the operation time of the outdoor unit 201c. The operation time difference between the machine 201a and the outdoor unit 201b is controlled to be 2000 hours.
[0037]
According to this, when the maintenance of the outdoor unit 201a is completed, the maintenance of the outdoor unit 201b is performed after 2000 hours.
[0038]
(3) Third Control Example In the second control example described above, the operation times of the outdoor units of all unit groups having the same operation order within the unit group are made equal.
[0039]
For example, if the target is the outdoor unit 201a of the first unit group, when the operation time of the outdoor unit 202a of another second unit group is shorter than the operation time of the outdoor unit 201a, in the second unit group, The operating rate of the outdoor unit 202a is increased, and the operating time of the outdoor unit 202a and the outdoor unit 201a is made equal.
[0040]
Further, when the operation time of the outdoor unit 203a of another third unit group is longer than the operation time of the outdoor unit 201a, the operation rate of the outdoor unit 203a is decreased in the other third unit group, The operation time of the outdoor unit 203a and the target outdoor unit 201a are made equal.
[0041]
By performing this operation over all unit groups, the operation time management across the systems is executed.
[0042]
According to this, after 2000 hours have passed after the maintenance of all the first units (outdoor units 201a to 209a) across the system is completed, the second unit (outdoor units 201b to 209b) is maintained.
[0043]
Needless to say, the maintenance time and the like are all examples and are not limited thereto.
[0044]
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the compressor 11a is driven by the gas engine 100a. Therefore, it has a starter motor used for starting the engine as a consumable machine part. When this starter motor fails, the air conditioner cannot be operated.
[0045]
(4) Fourth control example In the case of the engine drive type, even if the operation time is short, the number of engine start / stop times may be large. For example, when the indoor load is small, start / stop is frequently repeated.
[0046]
In the present embodiment, for example, the number of start / stops of the outdoor units 201a to 201c is integrated in the one refrigerant system, and control is performed so that the number of start / stops is equal for all the outdoor units 201a to 201c. This control is governed by the controller 200.
[0047]
By doing so, the life of the starter motor used for starting the engine is equalized, and its consumption is prevented.
[0048]
As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated based on embodiment, this invention is not limited to this.
[0049]
【The invention's effect】
In the present invention, maintenance of the outdoor unit can be performed at different times without completely stopping the air conditioning system.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of an air conditioner having 10 systems.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Outdoor unit 3 Indoor unit 200 Controller (Adjustment means)

Claims (3)

In an air conditioner comprising a plurality of outdoor units and a plurality of indoor units connected to the same refrigerant system to form a unit group, and the unit group having a plurality of systems,
In each unit group, the operation time of each outdoor unit varies according to the operation order,
Adjusting means for adjusting the operation time by varying the operation rate of the outdoor unit having the highest operation order in each unit group so that the operation times of the outdoor units having the highest operation order in each unit group are equal,
An air conditioner configured to be capable of simultaneously maintaining outdoor units having the highest operation order in each unit group . In the air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1,
  In each unit group, the air conditioning is characterized in that the operating time difference between at least two outdoor units of the outdoor unit having the highest operation order and the second highest outdoor unit is a predetermined time difference. apparatus. The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the compressor of each outdoor unit is an engine drive type, and the operation of each outdoor unit is controlled so that the number of start / stop times of each outdoor unit becomes equal. Air conditioner.

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