JP7568992B2 - Displacement air conditioning system and information processing method - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a replacement air conditioning system and an information processing method.

One type of air conditioning system is the displacement air conditioning system. In a displacement air conditioning system, air with a high concentration of pollutants in the living area of an indoor space is successively replaced with fresh air with a low concentration of pollutants, thereby reducing the concentration of pollutants in the living area and maintaining a good air environment in the indoor space.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioning control system for a large space building that detects the temperature at a preset temperature stratification height in the occupied area and controls the rotation speed of the upward blowing fan based on the detected value.

Patent No. 6414685

However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 detects the temperature value of a preset temperature stratification height, and does not necessarily detect information suitable for understanding the temperature or air component stratification state.

The objective of the present disclosure is to provide a displacement air conditioning system etc. capable of detecting information suitable for understanding the state of temperature or air component stratification.

The replacement air conditioning system according to the first aspect of the present disclosure is configured to supply conditioned air to the lower part of a room and exhaust indoor air from the upper part of the room, thereby forming a stratification of temperature or air components in the room, and includes a detection unit that detects the temperature or air components in the room, and the detection unit detects the temperature or air components at a first height that is set above an assumed boundary height of stratification in the room and at a second height that is set below the assumed boundary height.

The replacement air conditioning system according to the second aspect of the present disclosure is the replacement air conditioning system according to the first aspect, in which the first height is preset to be above the heads of people in the room.

The replacement air conditioning system according to the third aspect of the present disclosure is the replacement air conditioning system according to the first or second aspect, and includes a control unit, and the control unit derives information about the boundary height of stratification in the room based on the temperature or air components at the first height and the second height detected by the detection unit.

The replacement air conditioning system according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure is the replacement air conditioning system according to the third aspect, in which the control unit determines the presence or absence of a stratification boundary between the first height and the second height based on the temperature or air components at the first height and the second height.

A replacement air conditioning system according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure is a replacement air conditioning system according to the third or fourth aspect, in which the control unit determines that the boundary height of stratification in the room is above the assumed boundary height set between the first and second heights when the difference in temperature or air components between the first and second heights is less than a predetermined value and the change in the blown air volume of the conditioned air supplied to the room is on an increasing trend, and that the boundary height of stratification in the room is below the assumed boundary height set between the first and second heights when the difference in temperature or air components between the first and second heights is less than a predetermined value and the change in the blown air volume of the conditioned air supplied to the room is on a decreasing trend.

A replacement air conditioning system according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure is a replacement air conditioning system according to any one of the third to fifth aspects, in which the detection unit detects the temperature or air components at a third height set above the first height, the temperature or air components at the third height including the temperature or air components in the exhaust path of the indoor air, and the control unit derives information regarding the boundary height of stratification in the room based on the temperatures or air components at the first height, the second height, and the third height.

The replacement air conditioning system according to the seventh aspect of the present disclosure is a replacement air conditioning system according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, and adjusts the volume or temperature of the conditioned air supplied to the room so that the stratification boundary height in the room approaches the expected boundary height, according to information related to the stratification boundary height obtained based on the temperature or air components at the first height and the second height.

The replacement air conditioning system according to the eighth aspect of the present disclosure is a replacement air conditioning system according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, and includes a display unit that displays information indicating the stratification boundary height in response to information regarding the stratification boundary height obtained based on the temperature or air components at the first height and the second height.

The replacement air conditioning system according to the ninth aspect of the present disclosure is a replacement air conditioning system according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, and outputs warning information when it is determined that there is no stratification boundary between the first height and the second height based on the temperature or air components at the first height and the second height.

In the information processing method according to the tenth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer executes a process to acquire the temperature or air composition at a first height set above an assumed boundary height of stratification in the room and a second height set below the assumed boundary height, detected by a detection unit included in a replacement air conditioning system configured to form stratification of temperature or air composition in the room by supplying conditioned air to the lower part of the room and discharging indoor air from the upper part of the room, and acquire information regarding the boundary height of stratification in the room based on the acquired temperature or air composition at the first height and the second height.

An information processing method according to an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method in which a computer executes a process to acquire information on the boundary height of stratification in the room based on the acquired temperature or air composition at a first height set above the assumed boundary height of stratification in the room and a second height set below the assumed boundary height, detected by a detection unit included in a replacement air conditioning system configured to form stratification of temperature or air composition in the room by supplying conditioned air to the lower part of the room and discharging indoor air from the upper part of the room.

This disclosure makes it possible to detect information suitable for understanding the state of thermal stratification.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a displacement air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a control device. 13 is a graph showing the results of a simulation of the relationship between indoor height and air temperature for the displacement air conditioning system of the embodiment. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a determination process performed by a control device. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing another configuration of a displacement air conditioning system. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a displacement air conditioning system according to a second embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a determination process performed by a control device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a replacement air conditioning system 100 according to a fourth embodiment. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a determination process performed by a control device according to a fourth embodiment.

This disclosure will be specifically described with reference to drawings showing embodiments thereof.

First Embodiment
1 is a schematic diagram of a replacement air conditioning system 100 of this embodiment. The replacement air conditioning system 100 of this embodiment is a system that performs replacement air conditioning by supplying fresh conditioned air to a room 1 surrounded by a ceiling surface 11, wall surfaces 12, and a floor surface 13, and discharging indoor air with a high concentration of pollutants from the room. The room 1 is an example of a target space for replacement air conditioning by the replacement air conditioning system 100. The target space is, for example, an indoor space in an office building, a house, a hospital, a restaurant, a live music venue, a school, a factory, or a warehouse. In this embodiment, a case in which the replacement air conditioning system 100 is applied to an office building will be described as an example.

In the replacement air conditioning system 100, conditioned air is supplied to the room so that the clean zone (stratified zone) where cleanliness should be ensured is at or above the occupancy zone height. The occupancy zone is the space in the living room 1 where people are often active. The occupancy zone may be a space from the floor surface 13 to the same height as the head height of the person (occupant) in the room or slightly above the head height. The head height of the person in the room varies depending on the main posture of the occupant expected to be, for example, the head when sitting on a chair, the head when standing, or the head when lying on the bed or sitting on the floor. The head height of the person may be set in advance by a command to the control device described later. In this embodiment, since the posture of the occupant in the office building is mainly assumed to be sitting on a chair, for example, the head height of the person may be 1.2 m above the floor, and the occupancy zone may be 1.3 m or less from the floor surface 13. In addition, when a person is standing in a room, for example, the height of the person's head may be 1.7 m above the floor, and the living area may be 1.8 m or less from the floor surface 13. When a person is lying down or sitting in a room, for example, the height of the person's head may be 0.9 m above the floor, and the living area may be 1.0 m or less from the floor surface 13.

The replacement air conditioning system 100 includes an air conditioner 2, an air outlet 3, an air intake 4, a detection device 5, a display device 6, and a control device 7.

The air conditioner 2 includes an outdoor unit (not shown) and an indoor unit 21. The air conditioner 2 performs air conditioning such as heating and cooling indoors using a displacement air conditioning method. The outdoor unit is, for example, configured with a chiller device, and includes a compressor, a heat source side heat exchanger, a user side heat exchanger, etc. The indoor unit 21 includes a casing 22 and a clean temperature adjustment section 23 housed within the casing 22, etc. The indoor unit 21 and the outdoor unit are connected by water piping to form a circulation circuit. In the circulation circuit, water (circulating water) and a refrigerant exchange heat to generate cold water.

The indoor unit 21 is installed indoors and outside the room 1 (outside the wall surface 12). The outdoor air duct 81, the return air duct 82, and the supply air duct 83 are connected to the casing 22, and an air circuit (not shown) is formed inside. The outdoor air duct 81 has an inlet end that opens to the outdoor space and an outlet end that connects to the inlet of the air circuit of the casing 22. The return air duct 82 has an inlet end that connects to the ceiling space and an outlet end that connects to the inlet of the air circuit of the casing 22. The suction port 4 is directly connected to the ceiling space, and the ceiling space functions as a duct for the suction port 4. The supply air duct 83 has an inlet end that connects to the outlet of the air circuit of the casing 22 and an outlet end that connects to the outlet 3. In this way, the indoor unit 21 is directly connected to the suction port 4 via the return air duct 82 and the ceiling space, and is directly connected to the outlet 3 via the supply air duct 83.

The cleaning temperature adjustment unit 23 purifies and adjusts the temperature of the outside air sent from the outside air duct 81 and the indoor air as the indoor circulating air sent from the return air duct 82. The cleaning temperature adjustment unit 23 includes a filter 231, a cooling coil 232, and a fan 233. The outside air and the indoor circulating air sent into the casing 22 pass through the filter 231 and the cooling coil 232 in that order.

The filter 231 collects dust particles in the outside air and the indoor circulating air. The filter 231 realizes the purification function of the purification temperature adjustment unit 23. The cooling coil 232 is a heat exchanger, and realizes the temperature adjustment function of the purification temperature adjustment unit 23. The fan 233 transports the air that has passed through the filter 231 and the cooling coil 232, i.e., the purified temperature-adjusted conditioned air, to the air supply duct 83.

The air purification method is not limited to the filter 231 collection using the filter 231, but may be any method capable of removing or inactivating pollutants in the air. Pollutants include, for example, _CO2 and viruses contained in human breath. The purification temperature adjustment unit 23 may include, for example, an ultraviolet light emitting device, and purify the air by ultraviolet irradiation. The purification temperature adjustment unit 23 may include, for example, a discharge electrode and an opposing electrode, and purify the air by streamer discharge. The purification temperature adjustment unit 23 may include, for example, an electrostatic electric dust collector, and purify the air by electric dust collection.

The indoor unit 21 may be configured to have an outdoor air passage and an indoor circulation air passage, and to separate the outdoor air from the indoor circulation air and adjust the clean temperature. In this case, the outdoor air passage does not need to be provided with a filter 231. The outdoor air and indoor circulation air that have passed through the indoor unit 21 may be mixed and passed through the air supply duct 83, and blown out from each outlet 3. Alternatively, air supply ducts 83 and outlets 3 corresponding to the outdoor air passage and the indoor circulation air passage, respectively, may be provided, and the outdoor air and indoor circulation air may be blown out from each outlet 3 without being mixed.

Multiple air outlets 3 are provided on the ceiling surface 11. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the replacement air conditioning system 100 has three air outlets 3. The air outlets 3 blow out conditioned air conveyed from the indoor unit 21 via the air supply duct 83 toward the room. The number of air outlets 3 may be two or less or four or more.

The air outlet 3 includes a housing 31 having an air inlet (not shown) and an air outlet tube 32 formed on the lower wall of the housing 31. The air outlet tube 32 opens toward the floor surface 13. The lower edge of the air outlet tube 32 is located on a plane perpendicular to the axis of the air outlet tube 32. The air outlet 3 is arranged so that the axis of the air outlet tube 32 is along the vertical direction. The conditioned air flowing horizontally through the air supply duct 83 flows from the air inlet into the housing 31, bends the flow path, and is blown out from the air outlet tube 32. The air outlet 3 blows out the conditioned air in a straight line downward from the ceiling surface 11 toward the floor surface 13. In detail, the air outlet 3 blows out the conditioned air vertically downward. Note that the axial direction of the air outlet tube 32 and the blowing direction of the air outlet 3 are not strictly limited to the vertical direction, and may be approximately vertical, perpendicular to the floor surface 13, or approximately perpendicular to the floor surface 13. Furthermore, the shape of the opening in the air outlet 3 is not limited to a circle, but may be, for example, an ellipse, a polygon, etc.

The air outlet 3 may be provided with a cover that can be opened and closed, and may be configured to be able to control the opening state of the air outlet tube 32. For example, the air outlet tube 32 may be able to be switched between open and closed, or the opening degree in the open state may be adjustable.

The air outlet 3 is preferably installed on the ceiling surface 11 in an area excluding above the area of people in the room. The area of people in the room may be an area where people in the room are likely to stay for a relatively long period of time, which is specified based on the layout and usage of the room. The position of the air outlet 3 may be determined taking into consideration the positions of the wall surface 12, the indoor fixtures, the intake port 4, and other air outlets 3 in the case where multiple air outlets 3 are provided.

The ceiling surface 11 is also provided with a plurality of intake ports 4. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the displacement air conditioning system 100 has two intake ports 4. The intake ports 4 draw in indoor air containing pollutants. The number of intake ports 4 may be one or three or more.

The air outlet 3 and the air inlet 4 do not necessarily need to be provided on the ceiling surface 11, but may be provided at the top of the room. The air outlet 3 and the air inlet 4 may be provided, for example, in an air supply duct 83 and a return air duct 82 arranged in the room. The replacement air conditioning system 100 may also include an exhaust port (not shown) that exhausts a portion of the indoor air sucked in through the air inlet 4 to the outside.

The detection device 5 is a sensor that detects the air temperature in the room. The detection device 5 corresponds to the detection unit. For example, a temperature sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, etc. can be used as the detection device 5. The detection device 5 detects the air temperature at a predetermined or appropriate time interval, and outputs data indicating the detected temperature to the control device 7.

The detection device 5 detects a first temperature indicating the air temperature at a first height in the room, and a second temperature indicating the air temperature at a second height vertically below the first height. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the detection device 5 includes a first detection device 51 arranged at the first height at a detection location for the first temperature, and a second detection device 52 arranged at the second height at a detection location for the second temperature. The first detection device 51 detects the air temperature around the installation location of the first detection device 51 as the first temperature. The second detection device 52 detects the air temperature around the installation location of the second detection device 52 as the second temperature.

As will be described in detail later, the control device 7 determines whether or not there is a boundary of temperature stratification between the first height and the second height based on the first temperature and the second temperature detected by the detection device 5. The first height and the second height are set as positions sandwiching the assumed boundary height of temperature stratification in the room. The assumed boundary height of temperature stratification means the height of the boundary surface of temperature stratification assumed in the room. The first height is set above the assumed boundary height of temperature stratification, and the second height is set below the assumed boundary height of the assumed temperature stratification. The first height may be set above the head of a person in the room. Either the first height or the second height may be set to the same height as the assumed boundary height.

The expected boundary height of the temperature stratification, the first height, and the second height vary depending on the expected posture of the person or the height of the person's head according to that posture. The first height and the second height are set in advance, for example, by the user, prior to determining whether or not there is a boundary of the temperature stratification.

When the person in the room is sitting in a chair, for example, the assumed boundary height of the temperature stratification is 1.5 m, the first height is 1.5 m to 1.9 m above the floor, and the second height is 1.0 m to 1.4 m above the floor. When the person in the room is sitting in a chair, the first height is preferably 1.6 m above the floor, and the second height is preferably 1.2 m above the floor.

Or, when the occupant is seated in a chair, for example, the lower limit of the assumed boundary height of temperature stratification is 1.3 m, the first height is 1.3 m to 1.5 m above the floor, and the second height is 0.6 m to 1.2 m above the floor. When the occupant is seated in a chair, preferably the first height is 1.4 m above the floor, and the second height is 1.0 m above the floor.

When the person in the room is standing, for example, the assumed boundary height of the thermal stratification is 1.9 m, the first height is 1.9 m to 2.2 m above the floor, and the second height is 1.5 m to 1.8 m above the floor. When the person in the room is standing, preferably the first height is 2.0 m above the floor, and the second height is 1.6 m above the floor.

When the person in the room is lying down or sitting on the floor, for example, the assumed boundary height of the temperature stratification is 1.1 m, the first height is 1.1 m to 1.6 m above the floor, and the second height is 0.6 m to 1.0 m above the floor. When the person in the room is lying down or sitting on the floor, preferably the first height is 1.2 m above the floor and the second height is 0.7 m above the floor.

It is also preferable that the detection device 5 detects the air temperature outside the passage area through which the airflow caused by the conditioned air from the air outlet 3 passes before reaching the floor surface 13. Specifically, it is preferable that the detection device 5 detects the temperature of the space outside the space directly below the air outlet 3 from the lower end surface of the air outlet 3 toward the floor surface 13, among the living areas in the room. The lower end surface of the air outlet 3 means the surface surrounded by the outer frame of the lower end of the air outlet 3 (in this embodiment, the lower end edge of the air outlet tube 32). The space directly below the lower end surface of the air outlet 3 toward the floor surface 13 corresponds to a three-dimensional area including the range overlapping with the lower end surface from the lower end surface of the air outlet 3 to the floor surface 13 in a vertical view. This makes it possible to preferably detect the air temperature without being affected by temperature changes occurring in the passage area of the conditioned air.

The detection device 5 may be installed in an appropriate position as long as it is capable of detecting the air temperature at the detection location. For example, when an infrared sensor is used as the detection device 5, the infrared sensor may be installed at the first height or the second height, at a position (e.g., wall surface 12, etc.) different from the detection location in the horizontal direction from the detection location of the air temperature. The infrared sensor detects the air temperature at the detection location set at a position away from the installation position of the detection device 5. The detection device 5 is not limited to being installed in multiple units, and for example, the first temperature and the second temperature may be detected by a single infrared camera capable of capturing an image of a wide range in the room.

The display device 6 notifies the user of the indoor air environment, particularly information related to the boundary surface height of temperature stratification. The display device 6 corresponds to the display unit. The display device 6 includes, for example, a display device such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display, an LED lamp, etc. The display device 6 may be interpreted as an output device and may also be a means for notifying the user by other means such as audio. The display device 6 displays various information to be notified to the user according to instructions from the control device 7, which will be described later.

The control device 7 is a computer that controls each device in the replacement air conditioning system 100. The control device 7 controls the operation of the air conditioner 2 and adjusts the volume and temperature of the conditioned air blown from the air outlet 3.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the control device 7. The control device 7 includes a control unit 71, a storage unit 72, a communication unit 73, and an input/output unit 74.

The control unit 71 includes an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The control unit 71 uses built-in memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory), a clock, a counter, etc. to execute various programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 72, and control the operation of each of the above-mentioned hardware components. The storage unit 72 includes a non-volatile storage device such as a hard disk, an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), and a flash memory. The storage unit 72 stores various computer programs and data referenced by the control unit 71. The communication unit 73 includes a communication device that realizes communication via a communication network.

The input/output unit 74 includes an input/output device for connecting an external device. The air conditioner 2, the air outlet 3, the detector 5, the display device 6, and the like are connected to the input/output unit 74 by wire or wirelessly. The control unit 71 outputs control signals to the air conditioner 2, the air outlet 3, and the display device 6 via the input/output unit 74, and receives detection values output from the detector 5.

In the replacement air conditioning system 100 configured as described above, fresh outdoor air, which is fresh air introduced from outside the building, and indoor air containing pollutants drawn from inside the room through the air intake 4 are transported to the air conditioner 2. The outdoor air and indoor air transported to the air conditioner 2 are purified by the filter 231, and cooled or heated to a predetermined temperature using the cooling coil 232, and then sent out at a predetermined air volume by the fan 233 as conditioned air.

The conditioned air sent out from the air conditioner 2 is blown out from the air outlet 3 in a straight line vertically downward into the room. The air outlet 3 blows out the conditioned air so that the air from the air outlet 3 on the ceiling surface 11 forms a one-way flow vertically downward from the air outlet 3 and reaches the floor surface 13 directly. The conditioned air blown out from the air outlet 3 reaches the vicinity of the floor surface 13. In addition, the warm indoor air heated by people as heating elements naturally rises on the rising air current. The indoor air contains pollutants. A portion of the warm indoor air that naturally rises is sucked into the air inlet 4 and transported to the air conditioner 2.

In the replacement air conditioning system 100, it is preferable to set the wind speed at the air outlet 3 relatively slow, since this suppresses turbulence in the airflow of the conditioned air from the air outlet 3 while reducing the entrainment of indoor air in the airflow caused by the conditioned air, and allows for good temperature stratification. The average wind speed of the conditioned air at the air outlet 3 can be set appropriately taking into account the size, shape, etc. of the room 1. The average wind speed at the air outlet 3 can be set to, for example, 1.2 m/s or less.

In this way, temperature and air composition stratification is formed inside the room. As shown in Figure 1, the lower part of the room, i.e., the clean area (stratified area) including the occupied area, is filled with low-temperature, clean air. In the upper part of the room, i.e., the mixed area above the clean area, a layer of air that is hot and contains pollutants is formed. The interface between the clean area and the mixed area becomes the boundary of stratification (temperature stratification). The boundary of temperature stratification usually appears at the height where the flow rate of rising air in the room is equal to the amount of intake air (amount of air-conditioned air) supplied to the room.

In the replacement air conditioning system 100, the detection device 5 detects the first temperature and the second temperature at a predetermined or appropriate time interval. The control device 7 executes a determination process regarding the boundary height of temperature stratification in the room based on the detected first temperature and second temperature. The control device 7 adjusts the target blown air volume and the target blown temperature at the air outlet 3 according to the determination result. In this embodiment, the information regarding the boundary height of temperature stratification obtained by the control device 7 includes the presence or absence of a stratification boundary between the first height and the second height, and the vertical relationship between the expected boundary height and the boundary height of stratification in the room.

The method for determining the boundary height of temperature stratification executed by the control device 7 of this embodiment will be described. First, the relationship between the boundary height of temperature stratification and the air temperature will be described.

Figure 3 is a graph showing the results of a simulation of the relationship between indoor height and air temperature for the displacement air conditioning system 100 of an embodiment. Each of the following simulations is based on a CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation. Figure 3A shows the relationship between indoor height and air temperature when the indoor heat generation amount is large. Figure 3B shows the relationship between indoor height and air temperature when the indoor heat generation amount is small. The vertical axis of the graphs shown in Figures 3A and 3B is indoor height (unit: m), and the horizontal axis is air temperature (unit: °C). Both Figures 3A and 3B show an example where the assumed boundary height of temperature stratification is 1.8 m.

In Figure 3A, the solid line indicates the change in air temperature when the blown air volume is appropriate, and the dashed line indicates the change in air temperature when the blown air volume is excessive. As shown in Figure 3A, the air temperature at an indoor height of 1.8 m is approximately 26.0°C in both cases when the blown air volume is appropriate and when the blown air volume is excessive. On the other hand, Figure 3A shows that the boundary of temperature stratification appears at the expected distance of approximately 1.8 m when the blown air volume is appropriate, but appears at approximately 2.6 m when the blown air volume is excessive.

In Figure 3B, the solid line indicates the change in air temperature when the blown air volume is appropriate, and the dashed line indicates the change in air temperature when the blown air volume is insufficient. As shown in Figure 3B, the air temperature at an indoor height of 1.8 m is approximately 26.0°C in both cases when the blown air volume is appropriate and when the blown air volume is insufficient. On the other hand, Figure 3B shows that the boundary of temperature stratification appears at the expected distance of approximately 1.8 m when the blown air volume is appropriate, but appears at approximately 1.4 m when the blown air volume is insufficient.

3A and 3B show that even if the air temperature at the boundary height of the assumed temperature stratification is the same, the actual boundary height of the temperature stratification is different. In other words, even if the air temperature at the boundary height of the assumed temperature stratification is a predetermined value, the boundary of the temperature stratification may not be at the assumed height position. Therefore, simply measuring the air temperature at the boundary height of the assumed temperature stratification and performing control such as adjusting the blowing volume of the air-conditioned air based on the height of the obtained measurement value does not necessarily take into account the actual state of the temperature stratification. In the displacement air conditioning method, the state of the temperature stratification changes depending on the amount of heat generated in the room and the position of the heating element, so it is important to understand the state of the actual boundary of the temperature stratification in order to appropriately adjust the air environment in the room.

In this embodiment, the air temperature at two vertical locations is detected to determine whether or not there is a temperature stratification boundary between the two locations. In other words, based on the air temperatures at two vertical locations, it is determined whether or not there is an actual temperature stratification boundary near a preset assumed value for the temperature stratification boundary height (assumed boundary height). Furthermore, by adjusting the blowing capacity at the air outlet 3 according to the result of the determination of whether or not there is a boundary, effective replacement air conditioning is achieved.

Figure 4 is a flowchart explaining the judgment process by the control device 7. When executing the judgment process, the control device 7 stores the expected boundary height of the temperature stratification in advance in the memory unit 72. The control device 7 repeatedly executes the following process at predetermined or appropriate time intervals, for example, when the air conditioner 2 is operating.

The control unit 71 of the control device 7 acquires a first temperature indicating the air temperature at the first height and a second temperature indicating the air temperature at the second height detected by the detection device 5 (step S11).

The control unit 71 determines whether or not there is a temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height based on a comparison between the acquired first temperature and the second temperature (step S12). The control unit 71 determines whether or not there is a temperature stratification boundary by, for example, determining whether or not the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is equal to or greater than a preset temperature threshold. If the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is less than the preset threshold, it can be determined that there is no temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height. If the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is equal to or greater than a preset threshold, it can be determined that there is a temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height.

If it is determined that there is no temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height (step S12: NO), the control unit 71 determines the vertical relationship between a preset assumed boundary height and the current temperature stratification boundary height (step S13). In step S13, the control unit 71 determines the vertical relationship based on the determination result that there is no temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height and the blown air volume at the air outlet 3.

Specifically, the control unit 71 determines whether the change in the blown air volume is tending to increase or decrease based on the time series data of the blown air volume within the most recent specified time. If there is no temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height and the blown air volume is tending to increase, the control unit 71 determines that the current temperature stratification boundary is above the preset assumed boundary height. If there is no temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height and the blown air volume is tending to decrease, the control unit 71 determines that the current temperature stratification boundary is below the preset assumed boundary height.

Assume that the number of heat generating objects (e.g., people, electronic devices, etc.) in the room, whose number may vary, does not change, and the amount of heat generated in the room increases due to an increase in the amount of heat entering from a heat generating object (e.g., a window, etc.) whose number does not vary but whose heat level may vary. In this case, the heat generating area in the room does not change, so the volume of the ascending air current increases only slightly. If the volume of air blown into the room is increased, the supply volume of the conditioned air becomes excessive relative to the volume of the ascending air current, so it is considered that the boundary of the temperature stratification will be above the expected height. Therefore, if the change in the volume of air blown of the conditioned air supplied to the room is on an increasing trend, it can be determined that the current boundary of the temperature stratification is above the expected boundary height. If the change in the volume of air blown of the conditioned air supplied to the room is on a decreasing trend, it can be determined that the boundary of the current temperature stratification is below the expected boundary height. The change in the volume of air blown of the conditioned air can be identified, for example, by analyzing the volume of air blown within a recent specified time. The volume of air blown means the amount of conditioned air blown out from the air outlet 3.

In step S13, if the blown air volume is constant, the control unit 71 may determine whether the current blown air volume is equal to or greater than a preset air volume threshold. If there is no temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height and the constant blown air volume is equal to or greater than the air volume threshold, the control unit 71 determines that the current temperature stratification boundary is above the preset assumed boundary height. If there is no temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height and the constant blown air volume is less than the air volume threshold, the control unit 71 determines that the current temperature stratification boundary is below the preset assumed boundary height.

The control unit 71 generates warning information regarding the boundary height of the temperature stratification based on the result of the determination of the presence or absence of a boundary and the hierarchical relationship, and displays the generated warning information on the display device 6 (step S14). The warning information includes, for example, information notifying that the current boundary height of the temperature stratification is outside the expected boundary height. The control unit 71 may store in advance in the storage unit 72 the correspondence information between the result of the hierarchical relationship determination and the warning information to be output. For example, if it is determined that the current boundary of the temperature stratification is below the expected boundary height, the control unit 71 may output a warning information of a room entry restriction for a predetermined time. The control unit 71 may output the warning information to a device other than the display device 6. The control unit 71 may transmit the warning information to, for example, the manager of the room 1. The control unit 71 proceeds to the process at step S16.

When it is determined that there is a temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height (step S12: YES), the control unit 71 causes the display device 6 to display information indicating the boundary height of the temperature stratification (step S15). For example, the control unit 71 may cause the display device 6 to display an assumed boundary height set between the first height and the second height as the current temperature stratification height. In step S15, the control unit 71 may cause information indicating the presence or absence of a boundary height of the temperature stratification. The control unit 71 may notify the presence of a temperature stratification boundary near the assumed boundary height by, for example, turning on an LED lamp of the display device 6. The control unit 71 advances the process to step S16.

The control unit 71 adjusts the target blowing temperature and the target blowing air volume at the blowing port 3 based on the judgment result of the presence or absence of a boundary or the judgment result of the presence or absence of a boundary and the vertical relationship (step S16). When there is a temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height, the control unit 71, for example, maintains the target blowing temperature and the target blowing air volume without changing them. When there is no temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height, the control unit 71, for example, adjusts the target blowing air volume depending on whether the current temperature stratification boundary height is above or below. When the current temperature stratification boundary height is above the assumed boundary height, it is considered that the supply of conditioned air is excessive, so that the target blowing air volume can be reduced to suppress excess energy consumption. When the current temperature stratification boundary height is below the assumed boundary height, it is considered that the supply of conditioned air is insufficient, so that the target blowing air volume can be increased to improve the cleanliness of the occupied area. The control unit 71 may adjust the target blowing temperature depending on whether the current temperature stratification boundary height is above or below.

The control unit 71 transmits a control signal to the air conditioner 2 to control the operation of the air conditioner 2 so that the blowing temperature and blowing air volume of the conditioned air from the air outlet 3 become the derived target blowing temperature and target blowing air volume (step S17).

The blown air volume is adjusted, for example, by varying the frequency of the fan 233. The blown air volume can be adjusted depending on whether the frequency is increased or decreased. The blown temperature is adjusted, for example, by varying the water delivery capacity of the cold water pump that supplies (circulates) cold water, i.e., the displacement of the pump. This makes it possible to vary the amount of water (mass flow rate) supplied by the cold water pump per unit time, and the blown temperature can be adjusted depending on whether the amount of water is increased or decreased. Alternatively, the blown temperature may be adjusted by adjusting the temperature of the cold water (water temperature) supplied to the conditioned space by adjusting the evaporation temperature of a heat exchanger that cools the cold water in a chiller device or the like that serves as the cold heat source for the cold water. The blown temperature can be adjusted depending on the temperature of the cold water.

The control device 7 may transmit a control signal to the air outlet 3 for controlling the opening and closing of the air outlet 3 so that the volume of conditioned air blown from the air outlet 3 becomes the derived target volume of air. For example, the control device 7 transmits a control signal to the air outlet 3 for controlling the opening degree of the air outlet 3 so that the volume of air blown at the air outlet 3 becomes the derived target volume of air.

The control device 7 may determine the number of air outlets 3 from which the conditioned air is blown out based on a target air volume as the total required air volume derived according to the target value of the indoor temperature and the air volume at each air outlet 3. The control device 7 may determine the number of air outlets 3 so that the air volume at each air outlet 3 is equal to or less than a predetermined value. The control device 7 selects the air outlet 3 from which the conditioned air is blown out based on, for example, the determined number of air outlets 3 and the arrangement positions of the air outlets 3. The control device 7 transmits a control signal to each air outlet 3 so as to open only the selected air outlet 3. The control unit 71 ends the series of processes.

This displacement air conditioning system and information processing method can also be applied to displacement ventilation air conditioning, in which the air outlet is installed at the bottom of the room, such as under the floor or at the bottom of the wall, and conditioned air is directly supplied to the lower part of the room.

The replacement air conditioning system 100 according to this embodiment can provide replacement ventilation air conditioning, which supplies conditioned air directly from above the room to the floor surface. By installing the air outlet 3 at the top of the room, it is less dependent on architecture and easier to install than when the air outlet 3 is installed under the floor.

By analyzing the air temperatures above and below the assumed boundary height of thermal stratification detected by the detector 5, it is possible to easily and accurately determine whether or not there is an actual boundary of thermal stratification near the assumed boundary height. By adjusting the blowing capacity of the air outlet 3 according to the determination result, it becomes possible to perform air conditioning that is suited to the actual formation of thermal stratification.

In addition to determining whether there is a boundary near the expected boundary height, by determining the up-down relationship between the expected boundary height and the current boundary height, it is possible to identify the rise and fall of the boundary height, and to grasp the indoor air environment more accurately. Depending on the identified rise and fall of the boundary height, the blowing capacity of the air outlet can be appropriately controlled and the boundary height of temperature stratification can be controlled to the desired height, thereby improving the cleanliness of the replacement air conditioning system 100 and saving energy.

By presenting warning information according to various judgment results, the user can recognize the warning information at an early stage, improving convenience. By displaying the boundary height of the temperature stratification on the display device 6, people in the room can understand the state of the temperature stratification at a glance, improving convenience.

By appropriately setting the expected boundary height, the first height, and the second height according to the expected manner of use of the living room 1, it is possible to control the boundary height of temperature stratification in accordance with the manner of use of the living room 1. By setting the expected boundary height near the lower limit, it is possible to detect a lowering of the boundary surface.

(Modification)
Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing another configuration of the replacement air conditioning system 100. In the replacement air conditioning system 100, an indoor unit 21 is installed above the air outlet 3. In the example shown in Fig. 5, a plurality of indoor units 21 are provided so as to correspond to the plurality of air outlets 3, respectively. The indoor units 21 may be integrated with the air outlet 3, for example, and disposed on the ceiling surface 11. The indoor units 21 are connected to an outdoor unit (not shown) via water piping 9. The replacement air conditioning system 100 may not include the outdoor air duct 81, the return air duct 82, and the supply air duct 83. In Fig. 5, the control device 7 is not shown for ease of explanation, but each indoor unit 21 is connected to the control device 7 by wire or wirelessly.

The indoor unit 21 has an intake port 4 formed on its lower side. An air supply port 24 is provided on its upper side. The indoor unit 21 draws in indoor air as indoor circulating air drawn in from the intake port 4 and outside air introduced from the intake port 24. The internal configuration of the indoor unit 21 is the same as that of the first embodiment, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The indoor unit 21 sends conditioned air whose temperature has been adjusted by the clean temperature adjustment unit 23 directly to the air outlet 3 below. The intake port 4 is not limited to being provided on the indoor unit 21, and may be provided on the ceiling surface. Indoor circulating air and outside air flow into the indoor unit 21 through the intake port 24. The indoor unit 21 may draw in indoor circulating air through the return air duct 82.

The above configuration eliminates the need for various ducts, including the air supply duct 83, simplifying the configuration of the replacement air conditioning system 100 and making it easier to install.

Second Embodiment
In the second embodiment, a configuration for varying the first height and the second height will be described. In the following embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the same reference numerals will be used to designate the same components as in the first embodiment, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a replacement air conditioning system 100 of the second embodiment. The replacement air conditioning system 100 of the second embodiment includes, as the detection device 5, a first detection device 51 and a second detection device 52 that are installed at different heights on a wall surface 12 inside a room. The first detection device 51 is provided above the second detection device 52. The first detection device 51 and the second detection device 52 are, for example, infrared sensors.

The first detection device 51 and the second detection device 52 are both fixed to the wall surface 12 in an angle-adjustable state, allowing the detection height and detection position of the air temperature to be changed.

In the replacement air conditioning system 100 of the second embodiment, multiple assumed boundary heights of temperature stratification are prepared, and a first height and a second height corresponding to each assumed boundary height are set in advance. The detection device 5 is configured to be able to detect the air temperature at the first height and the second height corresponding to each assumed boundary height. For example, the first detection device 51 can detect the air temperature at the first detection location at the first height corresponding to the first assumed boundary height and the second detection location at the first height corresponding to the second assumed boundary height by switching the detection direction. The second detection device 52 can detect the air temperature at the third detection location at the second height corresponding to the first assumed boundary height and the fourth detection location at the second height corresponding to the second assumed boundary height by switching the detection direction.

The first detection device 51 and the second detection device 52 may each detect air temperatures at height positions corresponding to three or more assumed boundary heights. The configuration of the detection device 5 is not limited to the above example, and may be any configuration capable of detecting air temperatures at multiple first heights and multiple second heights.

The memory unit 72 of the control device 7 stores a table (not shown) that associates the expected boundary height with the first height and the second height.

Figure 7 is a flowchart explaining the determination process by the control device 7 of the second embodiment.

The control unit 71 of the control device 7 acquires the assumed boundary height of the temperature stratification (step S21). The control unit 71 may acquire the assumed boundary height, for example, by receiving a specification of the assumed boundary height transmitted from an external device. The control unit 71 may recognize the posture of the occupants from the output of a human detection sensor (not shown), and acquire the assumed boundary height corresponding to the recognized posture based on the correspondence between the posture of the person and the assumed boundary height stored in advance.

Based on the information stored in the table of the memory unit 72, the control unit 71 acquires the first height and the second height corresponding to the acquired assumed boundary height, and outputs the acquired first height and the second height to the detection device 5 (step S22). The detection device 5 detects a first temperature indicating the air temperature at the first height corresponding to the assumed boundary height, and a second temperature indicating the air temperature at the second height corresponding to the assumed boundary height, for example by switching the detection direction according to the first height and the second height received from the control device 7.

Then, the control unit 71 executes the process of the flowchart shown in Figure 4 to determine whether or not there is a temperature stratification boundary near the acquired assumed boundary height.

According to this embodiment, the suitability of the current state of temperature stratification can be determined for multiple assumed boundary heights. The replacement air conditioning system 100 can be applied to a variety of indoor usage environments, increasing the utility of the replacement air conditioning system 100.

Third Embodiment
In the third embodiment, a configuration for detecting information suitable for grasping the stratification state of air components will be described.

The detection device 5 of the third embodiment is a sensor that detects indoor air components. For example, an air component sensor can be used as the detection device 5. Air component sensors include, for example, carbon dioxide sensors, odor sensors, air particle sensors, biosensors, etc. The detection device 5 may include two or more of the above-mentioned sensors. Air components detected by the detection device 5 include, for example, carbon dioxide, odorous substances, droplet nuclei, viruses, or combinations thereof.

The detection device 5 detects a first concentration indicating the concentration of an air component at a first height in the room, and a second concentration indicating the concentration of an air component at a second height.

The replacement air conditioning system 100 may be configured to detect both the temperature and the air components using the detection device 5, thereby detecting the stratification of the temperature and the air components.

In a ceiling-discharge type displacement air conditioning system 100 in which the air outlet 3 is installed on the ceiling, the conditioned air blown out from the air outlet 3 is supplied to the lower part of the room while drawing in hot air containing pollutants from the upper part of the room. This reduces the temperature gradient in the room, and in some cases the stratification height can be more appropriately detected using the concentration distribution of air components rather than the temperature distribution in the vertical direction. The control device 7 of the third embodiment obtains information regarding the boundary height of stratification of air components in the room by comparing the first concentration and the second concentration detected by the detection device 5.

By replacing the first temperature and second temperature of the first embodiment with the first concentration and second concentration and executing the same process as the first embodiment, the control device 7 determines the boundary height of the stratification of the air components based on the first concentration and the second concentration (determines whether or not there is a boundary of the stratification of the air components between the first height and the second height). The control device 7 also executes various control processes and output processes according to the obtained determination result of the boundary height of the stratification of the air components.

According to this embodiment, the presence or absence of an actual stratification boundary near the expected boundary height can be easily and accurately determined by taking into account the air components. Even if the temperature gradient is small, the stratification boundary height can be determined based on the concentration gradient of the air components. By taking into account both the temperature and air components in the room using a detection device, the accuracy of determining the stratification boundary height can be improved.

Fourth Embodiment
In the fourth embodiment, a configuration will be described in which the temperature or air components at a third height are further detected.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a replacement air conditioning system 100 of the fourth embodiment. The replacement air conditioning system 100 of the fourth embodiment further includes a third detection device 53 as the detection device 5 in addition to the first detection device 51 and the second detection device 52. The first detection device 51 detects a first temperature indicating the air temperature at a first height set above the assumed boundary height. The second detection device 52 detects a second temperature indicating the air temperature at a second height set below the assumed boundary height. The third detection device 53 detects a third temperature indicating the air temperature at a third height set above the first height.

The third temperature at the third height may be the temperature in the exhaust path (return air path). In this system, the intake port 4, the ceiling space, and the return air duct 82 constitute the exhaust path of the indoor air. The exhaust path may be provided with a heat insulating material. The indoor air is sucked in from the intake port 4, flows through the exhaust path, and is sent to the clean temperature control unit 23. It is assumed that the temperature and the state of the air components in the indoor air hardly change in the exhaust path. Therefore, if the third height is the height of the intake port 4 located above the room and above the first height, the temperature and the concentration of the air components at the third height and the temperature and the concentration of the air components in the exhaust path are almost the same value. For this reason, the third detection device 53 may be placed at an appropriate position in the exhaust path, and the temperature or the concentration of the air components in the exhaust path may be obtained by detecting the temperature or the concentration of the air components in the exhaust path by the third detection device 53. The third detection device 53 arranged in the discharge path may be provided below the first height.

The control device 7 determines the height of the boundary of temperature stratification in the room by comparing the acquired first temperature, second temperature, and third temperature. Figure 9 is a flowchart explaining the determination process by the control device 7 of the fourth embodiment.

The control unit 71 of the control device 7 acquires a first temperature indicating the air temperature at the first height, a second temperature indicating the air temperature at the second height, and a third temperature indicating the air temperature at the third height, all detected by the detection device 5 (step S31).

Based on the acquired first temperature, second temperature, and third temperature, the control unit 71 determines whether or not there is a temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height, and between the third height and the first height (step S32). In step S32, the control unit 71 determines whether or not there is a temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height based on a comparison between the first temperature and the second temperature, and determines whether or not there is a temperature stratification boundary between the third height and the first height based on a comparison between the third temperature and the first temperature. The determination of the presence or absence of a temperature stratification boundary between two height positions is performed by determining whether or not the temperature difference (absolute value of the difference) between the two height positions is less than a preset threshold value, as in the first embodiment.

Based on each determination result, the control unit 71 identifies the height of the temperature stratification boundary in the room and determines the relative positional relationship between the preset assumed boundary height and the current temperature stratification boundary height (step S33). The relative positional relationship corresponds to information about the stratification boundary height.

When it is determined that there is a temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height, the control unit 71 determines that the height of the temperature stratification boundary is between the first height and the second height, and that the current temperature stratification boundary height is near the assumed boundary height. When it is determined that there is a temperature stratification boundary between the third height and the first height, the control unit 71 determines that the height of the temperature stratification boundary is between the third height and the first height, and that the current temperature stratification boundary height is above the assumed boundary height. If the third height is set to a sufficiently high position in the room, it is considered that there is a low possibility that the temperature stratification boundary exists above the third height. Therefore, when it is determined that there is no temperature stratification boundary between both the first height and the second height and between the third height and the first height, the control unit 71 may determine that the current temperature stratification boundary height is below the second height, and that the current temperature stratification boundary height is below the assumed boundary height. For example, by setting the third height above the boundary height corresponding to the highest temperature stratification that can be formed when the replacement air conditioning system 100 is used at the normally expected set temperature and set air volume, the possibility of a temperature stratification boundary existing above the third height can be reduced.

Then, the control unit 71 executes the same processes as steps S15 to S17 shown in FIG. 4 to display the identified boundary height and adjust the temperature or air volume according to the boundary height based on the result of identifying the boundary height of the temperature stratification. The control unit 71 may also display warning information as necessary.

In the above process, the control unit 71 may determine whether or not there is a temperature stratification boundary between the third height and the first height only when it determines that there is no temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height. If there is no temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height and there is a temperature stratification boundary between the third height and the first height, it can be determined that the current temperature stratification boundary height is above the expected boundary height. If there is no temperature stratification boundary between the first height and the second height and there is no temperature stratification boundary between the third height and the first height, it can be determined that the current temperature stratification boundary height is below the expected boundary height.

The height of the boundary of temperature stratification is not limited to being determined based on a comparison of the temperature difference between the first height and the second height, and the temperature difference between the third height and the first height. The height of the boundary of temperature stratification may be determined based on the temperature difference between two different combinations of the first height, the second height, and the third height. For example, the height of the boundary of temperature stratification may be determined based on the temperature difference between the first height and the second height, and the temperature difference between the third height and the second height, or the temperature difference between the first height and the third height, and the temperature difference between the third height and the second height.

In the above, an example was described in which the detection device 5 is a temperature sensor, but the value detected by the detection device 5 may be the concentration of an air component.

According to this embodiment, by detecting temperatures or air components at three different heights in a room, the current state of thermal stratification can be determined more efficiently.

The present invention is not limited to these examples, but is intended to include all modifications within the scope of the claims and their equivalent meanings. In addition, at least a portion of each of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined.
The sequences shown in each embodiment are not limited, and the order of each process may be changed and multiple processes may be executed in parallel, as long as there is no contradiction. The subject of each process is not limited, and the process of each device may be executed by another device, as long as there is no contradiction.

The matters described in each embodiment can be combined with each other. In addition, the independent claims and dependent claims described in the claims can be combined with each other in any and all combinations regardless of the citation format. Furthermore, the claims use a format in which a claim cites two or more other claims (multi-claim format), but this is not limited to this. They may also be written in a format in which multiple claims cite at least one other claim (multi-multi-claim).

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Displacement air conditioning system 1 Living room 11 Ceiling surface 12 Wall surface 13 Floor surface 2 Air conditioner 21 Indoor unit 22 Casing 23 Clean temperature adjustment section 231 Filter 232 Cooling coil 233 Fan 3 Air outlet 31 Housing 32 Air outlet tube 33 Lower end surface 4 Intake port 5 Detection device 6 Display device 7 Control device 71 Control section

Claims (9)

The air conditioner is configured to supply conditioned air to the lower part of a room and exhaust indoor air from the upper part of the room, thereby forming a stratification of temperature or air components in the room,
A detection unit that detects the temperature or air components in the room and a control unit are provided,
The detection unit detects a temperature or an air component at a first height set above an assumed boundary height of stratification in the room and a second height set below the assumed boundary height ,
The control unit derives information regarding a boundary height of stratification in the room based on the temperature or the air component at the first height and the second height detected by the detection unit.
Displacement air conditioning system. The displacement air conditioning system according to claim 1 , wherein the first height is preset to be above a head of a person in the room. The control unit, based on the temperature or the air component at the first height and the second height,
The replacement air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: determining whether or not a stratification boundary exists between the first height and the second height. The control unit is
When a difference in temperature or air component between the first height and the second height is less than a predetermined value and a change in the blown air volume of the conditioned air supplied to the room is tending to increase, a boundary height of stratification in the room is above the assumed boundary height set between the first height and the second height,
3. The replacement air-conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, when a difference in temperature or air components at the first height and the second height is less than a predetermined value and a change in the blown airflow rate of the conditioned air supplied to the room is tending to decrease, it is determined that a boundary height of stratification in the room is below the assumed boundary height that is set between the first height and the second height . The detection unit detects a temperature or an air component at a third height that is set above the first height,
The temperature or air component at the third height includes the temperature or air component at a discharge path of the indoor air,
3. The replacement air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit derives information about a boundary height of stratification in the room based on temperatures or air components at the first height, the second height, and the third height. 3. The replacement air conditioning system according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising: adjusting a volume or a temperature of the conditioned air supplied into the room so that the stratification boundary height in the room approaches the assumed boundary height, in accordance with information on the stratification boundary height obtained based on the temperature or air components at the first height and the second height. 3. The replacement air-conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a display unit that displays information indicating a stratification boundary height in response to information about the stratification boundary height obtained based on temperatures or air components at the first height and the second height. 3. The replacement air conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising: a controller configured to output warning information when it is determined that there is no stratification boundary between the first level and the second level based on temperatures or air components at the first level and the second level. a displacement air-conditioning system configured to supply conditioned air to the lower part of a room and exhaust indoor air from the upper part of the room, thereby obtaining temperatures or air components at a first height set above an assumed boundary height of stratification in the room and a second height set below the assumed boundary height, the temperatures or air components being detected by a detection unit included in the displacement air-conditioning system;
An information processing method, comprising: a computer executing a process for acquiring information regarding a boundary height of stratification in the room based on the acquired temperatures or air components at the first height and the second height.

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