JP7229664B2 - air conditioning system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to air conditioning systems.

In general, in office buildings and other business and commercial buildings, an air-conditioning system is installed to keep the temperature (room temperature) of the air-conditioned space comfortably constant as a health air-conditioning system. are often adopted. Compared to the constant air volume single duct system, the variable air volume single duct air conditioning system has higher room temperature follow-up performance, and the air volume is reduced according to the heat load of the target zone, so it is also advantageous in terms of transport energy.

That is, in the variable air volume single duct type air conditioning system, when the load reset control described later does not work, the supplied air temperature is kept constant, and the thermal load variation in the room is dealt with by varying the supplied air volume. By changing the amount of supplied air for each zone according to the set temperature and heat load in the room, it is possible to cope with fluctuations in the heat load for each zone. Basically, heat quantity treatment can be proportionally controlled by changing only the air volume, so even if different heat treatment is required for each zone, it is excellent in that it can be precisely handled with a simple device configuration.

6 and 7 show an example of a conventional air conditioning system with a general variable air volume single duct system. Conditioned air 3 is guided through the air duct 2 . The air supply duct 2 includes a main duct 4 extending from the air conditioner 1, a branch duct 5 branching from the main duct 4 toward the target area A, and an outlet 6 installed in the target area A from the branch duct 5. It is configured with a branching terminal duct 7 .

A variable air volume unit 8 is installed at a position on the upstream side of the branch point to the terminal duct 7 in the branch duct 5 so that the volume of the conditioned air 3 flowing from the main duct 4 ahead of the branch duct 5 can be adjusted. It has become. Thus, the conditioned air 3 flowing through the main duct 4 is supplied to the outlet 6 at the end of the terminal duct 7 after the air volume is adjusted by the variable air volume unit 8 of the branch duct 5 . The variable air volume unit 8 is a device called VAV (Variable Air Volume) or the like, and is a damper unit having a mechanism for measuring its own air volume with a wind speed sensor.

From the viewpoint of air volume control, the outlets 6 installed in the target area A can be divided into branch ducts 5 or variable air volume units 8 . In the illustrated example, a total of 18 air outlets 6a to 6r are installed in the entire target area A that the air conditioner 1 is in charge of. The variable air volume unit 8a installed in the branch duct 5b changes the air volume of the conditioned air 3 at the outlets 6g to 6l to the branch duct 5c. The variable air volume unit 8c provided controls each. That is, in the target area A, the area where the outlets 6a to 6f are installed is controlled area A1, the area where the outlets 6g to 6l are installed is controlled area A2, and the area where the outlets 6m to 6r are installed is controlled. Assuming that they are referred to as areas A3, the control area A1 is the zone for the branch duct 5a, the control area A2 is the zone for the branch duct 5b, and the control area A3 is the zone for the branch duct 5c. The variable air volume unit 8a controls the air volume in the control area A1, the variable air volume unit 8b controls the air volume in the control area A2, and the variable air volume unit 8c controls the air volume in the control area A3. Normally, the area of the control area handled by one variable air volume unit exceeds 50 m ² , but this figure may fluctuate depending on the performance of the variable air volume unit and other factors.

As shown in FIG. 6, a return air outlet 9 is provided at a lower position (here, under the floor) in the target area A, and the conditioned air 3 supplied from the outlet 6 installed in the ceiling 10 is The air passes through a suction port 12 that is open to the outside, into an underfloor space, and is returned to the air conditioner 1 as return air 14 through a return air port 9 and a return air duct 13 .

Area temperature sensors 15, 16, and 17 are provided at appropriate positions (here, under the floor) in the control areas A1 to A3, respectively, so as to measure the air temperature after processing the indoor heat load at each position. It's becoming Measured values of the temperature sensors 15, 16 and 17 in each region are input to a temperature adjustment circuit (not shown) provided in the controller 18 as temperature signals 15a, 16a and 17a. The temperature control circuit inputs a control signal 8d to each of the variable air volume units 8a, 8b, 8c based on the temperature signals 15a, 16a, 17a. For convenience of illustration, the control signals 8d to the variable air volume units 8a, 8b, and 8c are collectively displayed here. , the control signal 8d is output separately.

That is, each variable air volume unit 8a, 8b, 8c corresponds one-to-one with the zone (control area A1 to A3) assigned to each branch duct 5a, 5b, 5c, and the area temperature sensor 15 installed in each zone , 16 and 17, the air volume is controlled. A set air volume is input to each variable air volume unit 8a, 8b, 8c from the temperature adjustment circuit (not shown) based on the deviation between the set temperature and the measured temperature in each target zone. In this way, fluctuating heat loads are handled for each zone served by each branch duct 5 .

A return air temperature sensor 19 is installed in the middle of the return air duct 13 to measure the temperature of the return air 14 . The detected temperature value is input to an air volume adjustment circuit (not shown) provided in the control device 18 as a temperature signal 19a. The air volume adjustment circuit adjusts the temperature of the air conditioner 1 according to the value indicated by the temperature signal 19a when the damper opening in each of the variable air volume units 8a, 8b, and 8c falls within a specific range under specific conditions. A control signal 1a is input to an air blower (not shown). The air volume of the blower of the air conditioner 1 is changed based on the control signal 1a.

The control device 18 includes as many temperature adjustment circuits (not shown) as the number of branch ducts 5 (three in this case), one air volume adjustment circuit, and a load reset control circuit (not shown). ). In this load reset control circuit, the temperature of the return air 14 is excessively cold or hot even though all of the temperature adjustment circuits are controlling the damper opening of the variable air volume unit 8. This is a circuit for inputting a control signal 1a so as to perform load reset control on the air conditioner 1 in the case of the above. The load reset control is a control that is performed for the purpose of ensuring the minimum required amount of ventilation. When the supply air supplied to the variable air volume unit 8 is too cold, an instruction to raise the set supply air temperature is input, and when it is too hot, an instruction to lower the set supply air temperature is input.

Thus, the heat load and air volume of the air conditioner 1 and the air volume of the conditioned air 3 passing through the variable air volume unit 8 are controlled by the control signals 1 a and 8 d input from the control device 18 .

Prior art documents relating to this type of air conditioning system include, for example, Patent Document 1 below.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-0357356

By the way, in the conventional air conditioning system as described above, the air volume is controlled for each variable air volume unit 8, and the air volume cannot be controlled for each outlet 6 within the control areas A1, A2, A3. Therefore, if there is a high load area in part of the control area A1, as indicated by the dashed lines in FIGS. 6 and 7, there is a possibility that a sufficient air volume cannot be obtained in the high load area. In particular, when the installation position of the area temperature sensor 15 is away from the high-load area as shown in FIG. Since the air volume of the entire 6f is determined, a suitable room temperature cannot be obtained in the high load area. Conversely, although not shown, if the installation position of the area temperature sensor 15 is in the immediate vicinity of the high-load area, the air volume of the entire outlets 6a to 6f is determined according to the required air volume in the high-load area. Therefore, the supply amount of the conditioned air 3 is too large in areas other than the high-load area, and a suitable room temperature cannot be obtained. As described above, in the conventional air conditioning system in which the air volume is determined for each control area, it is difficult to maintain a uniform room temperature as a result of uneven load in the target area.

Further, for example, when there are a plurality of people in the same control area A1, it is assumed that the required air volume varies depending on the physical condition and taste of each person. It was not possible to operate the air volume individually.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioning system capable of locally controlling the volume of conditioned air supplied to a target area.

The present invention provides an air conditioner that delivers conditioned air,
an air supply duct that guides the conditioned air sent out from the air conditioner toward the target area;
a variable air volume unit located in front of the target area of the air supply duct and manipulating the volume of the conditioned air;
an air supply chamber located downstream of the air supply duct in the space above the ceiling of the area of interest;
A ceiling that can be installed so that a grid is formed by ceiling structural materials that constitute a ceiling base as vertical and horizontal joists, and panels and other ceiling equipment are fitted in each grid;
a plurality of air outlets for supplying the conditioned air sent from the air supply duct to the air supply chamber to a target area; and a fan installed above the air outlets for sending the conditioned air in the air supply chamber to the target area. an air outlet unit, each configured to be installable in one of the grids, and capable of supporting the entire ceiling structural member only by hanging fixtures for supporting the ceiling structural material without providing separate hanging fixtures;
a return air duct having one end connected to a return air port provided at a lower position in the target area, the other end connected to the air conditioner, and a return air temperature sensor installed in the middle;
a temperature adjustment circuit for inputting, as a control signal, a set air volume value corresponding to a deviation between a return air set temperature and a return air actual measured value input as a detected value from the return air temperature sensor to the variable air volume unit;
with
An operation device is attached to each fan of the outlet unit and can individually control the operation of the fan,
The operation of the fans is configured to be individually controllable for each fan,
The air volume of the variable air volume unit is determined according to the set air volume value according to the deviation between the return air set temperature and the return air actual measurement value, as well as the total air volume in the downstream outlet unit,
An air conditioning system characterized in that, in order to change the arrangement of the air outlets in order to cope with the load imbalance in the target area, the change in arrangement is completed simply by exchanging the positions of the air outlet unit and the panel. It takes.

In the air conditioning system of the present invention, there are a plurality of target areas for one air conditioner, and conditioned air supplied to each target area is supplied to each target area through each branch duct branching from the main duct of the air supply duct. It can be connected to an air supply chamber .
Further, in the air conditioning system of the present invention, the air outlet unit is provided with openings at the top and bottom of the box-shaped housing, a fan is installed in the upper opening, and an air flow is rectified at the lower opening facing the target area. A blowout part having a function can be provided.

In the air conditioning system of the present invention, it is possible to install other ceiling equipment together with the air outlet unit in one grid.

In the air conditioning system of the present invention, the operation of the fan can be controlled by power line communication.

The air conditioning system of the present invention can include a damper that closes the flow path inside the housing when the fan is turned off.

In the air conditioning system of the present invention, the operation of the damper can be controlled by power line communication.

According to the air-conditioning system of the present invention, it is possible to obtain the excellent effect of being able to locally control the air volume of the conditioned air supplied to the target area.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an air conditioning system in accordance with the practice of the invention; FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing the arrangement of air supply ducts and outlets in the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the ceiling and air outlets in the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a side view showing the form of the outlet in the embodiment of the present invention, corresponding to the view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3; FIG. 4 is a side view showing another example of the form of the outlet unit according to the implementation of the present invention; It is a schematic diagram showing an example of a conventional air-conditioning system. and FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view showing an example of the arrangement of air supply ducts and outlets in a conventional air conditioning system.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 to 4 show an example of the form of the air conditioning system according to the implementation of the present invention, and in the figures, the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 6 and 7 represent the same parts.

The basic configuration of this embodiment is common to the conventional example shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, and as shown in FIGS. It is designed to be guided toward A. However, in the case of this embodiment, only the main duct 4 extending from the air conditioner 1 and the branch duct 5 branching from the main duct 4 toward the target area A are provided as the air supply duct 2, and the A pipe corresponding to the terminal duct 7 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) is not provided. In addition, in the above conventional example, a total of three branch ducts 5 were provided for each of the control areas A1, A2, and A3, but in this embodiment, only one branch duct 5 is installed for the entire target area A. there is

In this embodiment, instead of installing the end duct 7 (see FIGS. 6 and 7), the space above the ceiling 10 on the discharge side of the air supply duct 2 is set as an air supply chamber C, and the air supply chamber C is provided. The conditioned air 3 is supplied from the air chamber C into the target area A through the outlet 20 provided in the ceiling 10 . The space above the ceiling 10 set in the air supply chamber C is designed so that the entire space can withstand the supply pressure. does not leak out of the air supply chamber C. The branch duct 5 is provided with a variable air volume unit 8 at a position in front of the target area A so that the amount of the conditioned air 3 sent into the air supply chamber C through the branch duct 5 can be controlled. .

In addition to the difference in the configuration of the air supply duct 2, in this embodiment, each of the blow-out ports 20 is configured as a blow-out unit having a fan 20b above the blow-out portion 20a. The conditioned air 3 in the air chamber C is sent out to the target area A from the blowout part 20a. Incidentally, the standard air volume sent out by the outlet unit 20 is, for example, about 200 m ^{3 /} h. However, the specification, air volume setting, arrangement number, arrangement density, etc. of the outlet unit 20 can be changed as appropriate.

In the case of this embodiment, the ceiling 10 is configured as a grid-type system ceiling, and as shown in FIG. , panel 10c and other ceiling equipment can be installed by fitting them. The ceiling structural material 10a is a building material sold as a member for system ceilings under the name of, for example, a T-bar, etc., and is suspended from above by a hanger 10d to constitute a ceiling base, and is installed on the grid 10b. The entire ceiling 10 is supported together with the panels 10c and other fixtures. When installing fixtures other than the panel 10c on the grid 10b, if the weight of the fixtures is sufficiently small, the fixtures can be supported together with the ceiling structural member 10a by the hangers 10d. is greater than a certain level, it is necessary to separately provide a sling (not shown) for directly hanging the equipment in order to support the equipment.

Each outlet unit 20 is configured to be installable in one grid 10b, and the entire outlet unit 20 having a fan 20b above the outlet 20a can be supported by the ceiling structural member 10a. ing. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, openings are provided at the top and bottom of a box-shaped housing 20c, a fan 20b is installed in the upper opening, and an airflow The conditioned air 3 (see FIG. 1) in the air supply chamber C is drawn in by a fan 20b from above the housing 20c and sent downward from the blowout portion 20a. there is The blow-out part 20a is an air control opening made up of a member for distributing air having a plurality of blades called, for example, Anemostat (registered trademark) or a diffuser.

In this embodiment, the outlet unit 20 is installed in the grid 10b together with a pair of lighting fixtures 10e, which are other ceiling fixtures. The luminaire 10e has a long side dimension that matches one side of the grid 10b, and a pair of luminaires 10e are arranged along two opposite sides of one grid 10b. Three sides of each lighting fixture 10e other than the side in contact with the outlet unit 20 are supported by the ceiling structural member 10a forming the grid 10b.

On the other hand, the outlet unit 20 is designed so that the dimension of the short side of the lower surface matches the difference between one side of the grid 10b and twice the short side of the lighting fixture 10e, and is supported within one grid 10b. The outlet unit 20 can be arranged between the pair of lighting fixtures 10e. Here, the side of the lighting fixture 10e that is in contact with the outlet unit 20 is provided with a plate-like protrusion 10f that protrudes toward the outlet unit 20 on the lower surface. The protruding portion 10f is arranged along the long side of the outlet unit 20 so as to span between two ceiling structural members 10a perpendicular to the long side. The outlet unit 20 sandwiched between the two lighting fixtures 10e is supported in the grid 10b in such a manner that the two long sides of the lower surface are placed on the projecting portions 10f of the lighting fixtures 10e on both sides.

The dimensions of the blower outlet unit 20 vary depending on the required blowing air volume. In the example shown here, the lower surface of the outlet unit 20 has a longer side dimension smaller than one side of the grid 10b. A gap is generated on both sides of 20 . Such a gap can be filled by fitting an equipment panel 10g as shown in FIG. 3, for example. In addition, in installing the blower outlet unit 20 in the grid 10b, the structure which can be employ|adopted is not limited to the example demonstrated here. For example, depending on the air volume allocated to the outlet unit 20, the lower surface of the outlet unit 20 may be designed so that the dimension of the long side matches one side of the grid 10b. In that case, the equipment panel 10g may be omitted. can be done. Alternatively, the outlet unit 20 may be directly supported by the ceiling structural member 10a without the lighting fixture 10e. Also, another equipment panel may be installed instead of the lighting fixture 10e. As long as the outlet unit 20 can be suitably supported on the grid 10b, the configuration of the outlet unit 20 and its surroundings can be changed as appropriate.

In this embodiment, as described above, the terminal duct 7 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) is eliminated and the conditioned air 3 is supplied from the air supply chamber C through the outlet unit 20. As shown in FIG. Therefore, since piping such as the terminal duct 7 in the conventional example is not connected to the outlet unit 20, the weight of the outlet unit 20 can be kept small. If the housing 20c is made of a lightweight member such as glass wool or rock wool, the blower outlet unit 20 can be sufficiently secured only by the hanger 10d supporting the ceiling structural member 10a without providing a separate hanger or the like for the blower outlet unit 20. can be supported together with the ceiling structural member 10a.

As shown in FIG. 1, a return air outlet 9 is provided at a lower position (here, under the floor) in the target area A, and the conditioned air 3 supplied from the outlet unit 20 installed on the ceiling 10 is supplied to the floor. The air passes through a suction port 12 opened at 11 to an underfloor space, and is returned to the air conditioner 1 as return air 14 through a return air duct 13 from a return air port 9. - 特許庁

A return air temperature sensor 19 is installed in the middle of the return air duct 13, and the temperature of the return air 14 is input to a temperature adjustment circuit (not shown) of the controller 18 as a temperature signal 19a. In the temperature control circuit, the set temperature is set, and the deviation from the measured value of the temperature signal 19a input as the detected value from the return air temperature sensor 19 is calculated. 8d is input to each variable air volume unit 8. The variable air volume unit 8 controls the damper opening in the variable air volume unit 8 according to the difference between the measured air volume which is derived from the measured value of the wind speed sensor provided in the variable air volume unit 8 and the set air volume value. Thus, the air volume in the variable air volume unit 8 is controlled based on the control signal 8d.

Furthermore, in the case of this embodiment, the fan 20b of the outlet unit 20 can individually control the operation such as air volume and on/off from the target area A side of the room. That is, the operation of the fan 20b is individually controlled by control signals 20d input from the control device 18, and the control signals 20d are arranged in the target area A. Based on the operation signal 21a input to the control device 18 from the operating device 21, the operation signal 21a is input to the fan 20b. At this time, the operation of the fan 20b can be controlled by, for example, linking one operation device 21 to each fan 20b and operating the operation of the fan 20b in a specific outlet unit 20 with a specific operation device 21. Alternatively, for example, one operation device 21 may be used to operate the fan 20b in a plurality of or all the outlet units 20 in the target area A. Moreover, the fan 20b of the same outlet unit 20 may be operated by a plurality of operating devices 21. FIG.

Alternatively, each operating device 21 may incorporate a temperature sensor and a temperature setting device, and the fan 20b may be provided with a variable air volume mechanism. In this case, the detected value of the temperature sensor provided in each operating device 21 and the set value of the temperature setter are input to an individual air volume control circuit (not shown) in the control device 18 . In the individual air volume control circuit, the target air volume of the fan 20b of each outlet unit 20 is calculated based on the temperature deviation between the set temperature signal and the measurement signal of the temperature sensor, and the control signal 20d is input to the air volume variable mechanism of the fan 20b. and control the air volume. Such a method is particularly effective when a large number of operating devices 21 are installed in the target area A.
As the operation device 21, a controller such as that used for a general air conditioner may be provided, or, for example, information terminal devices such as PCs, smartphones, and tablets assigned to people in the target area A may be used. You can also use it.

Here, FIG. 1 shows one block as the control device 18, but in an actual air conditioning system, the control device 18 is, for example, a control device for controlling the air conditioner 1 and a control device for controlling the fan 20. It may be provided separately from the device. Further, when an information terminal device is used as the operation device 21, the operation signal may be input via a network.

The input of the control signal 20d to the outlet unit 20 may be performed using either a wireless or wired method, and various methods may be employed. This can be performed by power line communication via a power supply line (not shown). Power line communication is a technique of superimposing a signal on an alternating current power supply such as AC 100V supplied to the fan 20b of the outlet unit 20, and as a device, the fan controller unit controls and operates the fan motor, and the signal is processed. It is equipped with devices such as a power line communication unit that communicates with the power line, a blocking filter that isolates communication data (installed so as not to affect other devices connected to the same power supply system), and a power line communication interface. By using a low frequency band (about 100 to 400 kHz) for the signal to be superimposed, the transmission speed can be increased to some extent, the influence of radio waves leaking from other electronic precision equipment is small, and the power waveform can be superimposed well. It is also easy to separate the signal (control signal 20d).
In this way, there is no need to separately provide a device for wireless communication in the outlet unit 20, and there is no need to install communication wiring or the like in addition to the power supply line. The wiring configuration between the outlet unit 20 and the control device 18 can be made simple, and as will be described later, the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the outlet unit 20 can be ensured.

Thus, the control device 18 can operate the fan 20b of the outlet unit 20 according to the operation signal 21a input from the operation device 21. FIG.
In addition, the amount of air blown and the amount of heat treatment in the air conditioner 1 are controlled according to the total amount of air supplied from all outlet units 20 installed in the target area A, the set temperature in the target area A, and the temperature of the return air 14. . That is, the return air 14 is conditioned air after heat is recovered in the target area A, and the deviation between the set temperature of this return air 14 and the measured temperature obtained as the temperature signal 19a from the return air temperature sensor 19 , the amount of heat supplied in the air conditioner 1 is controlled. The air volume of the air blower of the air conditioner 1 is determined by conditions such as the number of operating fans 20b in the outlet unit 20 provided in the target area A or the total air volume. The control device 18 inputs a control signal 1a to an air volume variable device (inverter or the like) provided in the blower fan of the air conditioner 1 according to these values. In addition, the air volume of the variable air volume unit 8 is controlled based on the deviation between the set air volume calculated from the detected value of the temperature signal 19a and the measured air volume in the temperature adjustment circuit (not shown) of the control device 18 as described above. , is determined based on the total air volume at the downstream outlet unit 20 .

The control device 18 also includes a load reset control circuit (not shown) in addition to the temperature adjustment circuit (not shown) and the individual air volume adjustment circuit (not shown). In the load reset circuit, for the purpose of ensuring the minimum required ventilation volume, etc., the control valves that control the flow rate of the heat medium of the cold water coil and the heating coil cool the supply air supplied to each variable air volume unit 8. If it is too hot, the set supply air temperature is raised, and if it is too hot, the set supply air temperature is lowered.

Here, for convenience of explanation, one target area A, branch duct 5, and variable air volume unit 8 are illustrated, but the target area A, branch duct 5, and variable air volume unit 8 related to one air conditioner 1 are illustrated. It goes without saying that the number of such as may be larger than this. Also, the number of branch ducts 5, variable air volume units 8, outlet units 20, and the like per target area A can be appropriately changed according to the size of the target area A, required air conditioning performance, and other conditions.

In the air-conditioning system of this embodiment having the above-described configuration, it is possible to cope with load imbalance in the target area A by individually controlling the air volume of the fan 20b of the outlet unit 20. FIG. As described above, in the conventional air conditioning system, a plurality of air outlets 6 are assigned to each control area corresponding to the variable air volume unit 8, and the air volume in each control area is controlled as a whole (see FIGS. 6 and 7). It was difficult to maintain a uniform indoor temperature when there was a local load imbalance within the target area A. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, since the air volume can be individually controlled for each outlet unit 20, for example, a high load area such as a part of the target area A is equipped with a device that emits a large amount of heat. If there is, the air volume is increased only for the outlet unit 20 located near the high load area, and the air volume for the other outlet units 20 is decreased or turned off, so that the high load area and , and other areas, the conditioned air 3 can be supplied at a suitable air volume, and the room temperature can be made uniform.

Also, when there are people in the target area A, each person can use the operation device 21 to operate the air volume of the nearby outlet unit 20 to obtain a comfortable room temperature for each person. Thus, in the air conditioning system of this embodiment, it is possible to locally operate the air volume according to the conditions within the target area A. FIG.

Furthermore, by switching on and off of each fan 20b, energy saving can be achieved for each air outlet unit 20 regarding the air conditioning of the target area A. For example, when there are people only in a part of the target area A, it is not necessary to supply the conditioned air 3 to the entire target area A, and it is sufficient to supply it only to the area where people are present. However, according to this embodiment, the fan 20b can be turned on and off individually, so that the conditioned air 3 is supplied only to the required area, and the supply to the unnecessary area is stopped. Such waste of energy can be prevented.

As a specific measure for realizing such an energy-saving effect, for example, it is possible to automatically switch on and off the fan 20b in the outlet unit 20 according to the presence or absence of people in the vicinity. For example, human sensors may be installed at various locations in the target area A, and when a person leaves the seat, the fan 20b of the nearby outlet unit 20 may be stopped. A timer function may be provided to stop the fan 20b of the outlet unit 20 when a certain period of time has elapsed since the unit 20 was last operated. In the case of adopting the latter, if there is a person in the target area A when the fan 20b is stopped, the user notices the fan 20b is stopped and operates the fan 20b from the operation device 21, so no particular problem occurs. Alternatively, the on/off of each fan 20b may be controlled by a schedule function that operates the fan 20b only from a certain time to a certain time.

When it is assumed that a person from the target area A uses the operating device 21 to control the air volume in the air outlet unit 20, the area temperature sensors 15, 16, 17 (Fig. 6, 7) is not necessarily required. This is because, instead of monitoring the conditions within the target area A using the area temperature sensor, a person can monitor the area and directly determine the required air volume of each outlet unit 20 . However, even in the air conditioning system of the present embodiment, in addition to the operation by the operating device 21, an area temperature sensor may be separately provided.

The outlet unit 20 may be provided with a damper 20e on the lower surface of the fan 20b, for example, as indicated by a dashed line in FIG. In this way, when the fan 20b is turned off, the upper opening of the outlet unit 20 is closed, preventing the conditioned air 3 in the target area A from leaking into the air supply chamber C through the housing 20c. can be prevented. Therefore, it is effective when the target area A is a place where leakage of air is particularly disliked. The opening/closing operation of the damper 20e may be controlled by a control signal from the control device 18, similarly to the fan 20b. At this time, the input of the control signal to the damper 20e can be performed by power line communication. Here, the case where the damper 20e is attached at a position where the upper opening can be closed is illustrated, but the attachment position of the damper 20e is not limited to this. It may be installed in the position directly above. In addition, the mounting position of the damper 20e may be anywhere as long as the flow path in the housing 20c can be blocked when the fan 20b is turned off.

The control device 18 determines the amount of conditioned air 3 to be sent out from the air conditioner 1 based on the number of operating fans 20b or the total air volume when the air volume or on/off of each outlet unit 20 is changed. Also, the air volume in the variable air volume unit 8 is made equal to the total air volume of the downstream fan 20b, the air supply chamber C is filled with the conditioned air 3, and smooth air conditioning in the target area A is ensured.

In this example, the operation signal 21a is input from the operation device 21 to the control device 18, and the control signal 20d is input to the outlet unit 20 based on the operation signal 21a. Alternatively, for example, it is possible to configure such that a control signal is directly input from the operation device 21 to the outlet unit 20 . Any configuration may be used as long as the air volume in the outlet unit 20 can be controlled by an operation input to the operation device 21 .

Further, in this embodiment, as described above, the method of supplying the conditioned air 3 from the air supply chamber C is adopted, and the outlet unit 20 is arranged in the grid 10b of the ceiling 10 configured as a grid-type system ceiling. are doing. As a result, the terminal duct 7 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) as in the conventional example is eliminated to reduce the material costs and work involved in installing the pipes, and a high degree of freedom is realized with respect to the arrangement of the outlet unit 20. are doing.

That is, in the conventional method (see FIGS. 6 and 7) of leading the conditioned air 3 to the outlet 6 through the terminal duct 7, if the arrangement of the outlet 6 is to be changed, the arrangement of the terminal duct 7 must also be changed. Inevitably, however, in this embodiment, it is only necessary to move the position of the outlet unit 20 on the ceiling 10, and there is no need to modify the piping. Moreover, if the blower outlet unit 20 is sufficiently lightweight as described above, it is not necessary to use a separate hanger or the like to support the blower outlet unit 20 other than the hanger 10d (see FIG. 3). The arrangement change is completed only by exchanging the positions of the outlet unit 20 and the panel 10b.

For this reason, if there is a high-load area such as a concentration of equipment that emits a particularly large amount of heat in the target area A, in addition to changing the air volume of the outlet unit 20 in the surrounding area as described above, the above-mentioned It is also possible to easily arrange the outlet units 20 densely in the vicinity of the high-load area. Further, if the position of a partition (not shown) or the like in the target area A or the distribution of the load changes later, the arrangement of the outlet units 20 can be easily changed accordingly.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, for example, when there is a location in the room where a large amount of airflow of the conditioned air 3 is required, the grid 10b of the ceiling 10 in the vicinity of the location is selected and the outlet unit 20 is mounted. The airflow of the conditioned air 3 can be guided by placing it. Even after the air conditioning system of this embodiment is once installed in the target area A and started to be used, the panel 10c installed on the grid 10b can be removed as appropriate and blown instead according to the unevenness or increase of the heat load. It is possible to flexibly respond by installing the outlet unit 20 to extend the outlet unit 20 or changing the position of the existing outlet unit 20 .

Further, if the power line communication is adopted for inputting the control signal 20d to the outlet unit 20 as described above, the only wiring associated with the outlet unit 20 is the power cable. Restrictions due to wiring can be reduced in changing the position. That is, when designing or changing the layout of the outlet unit 20, there is no need for complicated wiring, and the work is minimized. In this way, the degree of freedom regarding the position of the air outlet is ensured, and it is possible to easily cope with the uneven heat load in the room.

Further, when the method of supplying the conditioned air 3 from the air supply chamber C is adopted as in this embodiment, the terminal duct 7 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) can be omitted as described above, and the main duct 4 and The required length of the branch duct 5 is also shortened. As a result, the overall length of the air supply duct 2 is shortened, the pressure loss in the air supply duct 2 is reduced, and the pressure loss at the outlet 20 is also reduced. An energy-saving effect can also be expected in that the power consumption of the motor is reduced.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the air conditioner 1 that sends out the conditioned air 3, the air supply duct 2 that guides the conditioned air 3 sent out from the air conditioner 1 toward the target area A, and the air supply an air supply chamber C installed on the downstream side of the duct 2; a plurality of outlets 20 for supplying the conditioned air 3 sent from the air supply duct 2 to the air supply chamber C to the target area A; Equipped with a fan 20b that is installed and sends the conditioned air 3 to the target area A, and the operation of the fan 20b is configured to be individually controllable for each fan 20b. Air volume control is possible. In addition, it is possible to reduce the material cost and the labor involved in installing the pipes, and to ensure a high degree of freedom regarding the arrangement of the outlets 20 .

In this embodiment, the air supply chamber C is a space located above the ceiling 10 of the target area A, and the ceiling 10 forms a grid 10b with ceiling structural materials 10a that constitute the ceiling base as vertical and horizontal joists. The outlet 20 is configured as an outlet unit having a fan 20b above the outlet 20a facing the target area A, and each outlet unit 20 is configured to be installed in one grid 10b. Therefore, it is possible to secure a higher degree of freedom regarding the arrangement of the outlets 20 .

Moreover, in this embodiment, other ceiling equipment 10e can be installed together with the outlet unit 20a in one grid 10b.

Further, in this embodiment, it is possible to provide an operation device 21 that is tied to each fan 20b of the outlet unit 20 and that can individually control the operation of the fan 20b.

In addition, in this embodiment, the operation of the fan 20b can be controlled by power line communication, and in this way, when designing or changing the arrangement of the blower outlets 20, the labor involved in wiring can be reduced.

Further, in this embodiment, a damper 20e can be provided to block the flow path in the housing 20c when the fan 20b is turned off. Air leakage through the interior to the air supply chamber C can be prevented.

Also, in this embodiment, the operation of the damper 20e can be controlled by power line communication.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the volume of conditioned air supplied to the target area can be locally controlled.

It should be noted that the air conditioning system of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 air conditioner 2 supply air duct 3 conditioned air 8 variable air volume unit 8d control signal 9 return air port 10 ceiling 10a ceiling structural material 10b grid
10c panel
10e Ceiling equipment (lighting equipment)
10d hanger
13 return air duct 19 return air temperature sensor 20 outlet (outlet unit)
20a Blowout part 20b Fan 20e Damper 21 Operating device A Target area C Air supply chamber

Claims (7)

an air conditioner that delivers conditioned air;
an air supply duct that guides the conditioned air sent out from the air conditioner toward the target area;
a variable air volume unit located in front of the target area of the air supply duct and manipulating the volume of the conditioned air;
an air supply chamber located downstream of the air supply duct in the space above the ceiling of the area of interest;
A ceiling that can be installed so that a grid is formed by ceiling structural materials that constitute a ceiling base as vertical and horizontal joists, and panels and other ceiling equipment are fitted in each grid;
a plurality of air outlets for supplying the conditioned air sent from the air supply duct to the air supply chamber to a target area; and a fan installed above the air outlets for sending the conditioned air in the air supply chamber to the target area. an air outlet unit, each configured to be installable in one of the grids, and capable of supporting the entire ceiling structural member only by hanging fixtures for supporting the ceiling structural material without providing separate hanging fixtures;
a return air duct having one end connected to a return air port provided at a lower position in the target area, the other end connected to the air conditioner, and a return air temperature sensor installed in the middle;
a temperature adjustment circuit for inputting, as a control signal, a set air volume value corresponding to a deviation between a return air set temperature and a return air actual measured value input as a detected value from the return air temperature sensor to the variable air volume unit;
with
An operation device is attached to each fan of the outlet unit and can individually control the operation of the fan,
The operation of the fans is configured to be individually controllable for each fan,
The air volume of the variable air volume unit is determined according to the set air volume value according to the deviation between the return air set temperature and the return air actual measurement value, as well as the total air volume in the downstream outlet unit,
An air-conditioning system, wherein, in order to change the arrangement of outlets in order to cope with load imbalance in the target area, the change in arrangement is completed simply by exchanging the positions of the outlet unit and the panel. 2. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1 , wherein the air outlet unit and other ceiling equipment can be installed in one grid. There are a plurality of target areas for one air conditioner, and the conditioned air supplied to each target area is connected to the air supply chamber of each target area by each branch duct branching from the main duct of the air supply duct. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by : The air outlet unit is provided with openings at the top and bottom of the box-shaped housing, a fan is installed in the upper opening, and a blowout part having an airflow rectifying function is provided in the lower opening facing the target area. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that : The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the operation of said fan is controlled by power line communication. 5. The air conditioning system according to claim 4, further comprising a damper that closes the flow path in the housing when the fan is turned off. 7. The air conditioning system according to claim 6 , wherein operation of said damper is controlled by power line communication.

Images