JP7668902B2 - Air conditioning and air conditioning control systems - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an air conditioning system and an air conditioning management system that condition a space to be air-conditioned.

In recent years, the demand for indoor ventilation has increased. To ventilate a room, it is necessary to let outside air into the room, but if high-temperature, high-humidity outside air flows into the room, condensation can form on the walls or ceiling, which can lead to the proliferation of mold and other microorganisms, deteriorating the hygienic environment.

For example, in an air conditioner with an indoor unit installed in the attic, indoor air drawn in by the indoor unit is cooled through heat exchange in an indoor heat exchanger, and the cooled air is then supplied to the room through an air duct installed in the attic. In such an air conditioner, if the environment in the attic becomes hot and humid, condensation can form on the surface of the air duct through which the cooled air passes. The dew that forms can then fall from the air duct and wet the ceiling, causing stains on the ceiling or leaking into the room.

Recently, various air conditioners have been proposed that can prevent the deterioration of hygienic environments due to the occurrence of condensation. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner that installs a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor in the attic and controls the operating frequency of the compressor according to the temperature and humidity of the air in the attic. When the temperature and humidity detected by the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor are higher than the set values, this air conditioner increases the temperature of the air passing through the ventilation duct, thereby raising the temperature of the outer surface of the ventilation duct. This makes it possible to prevent condensation from occurring on the surface of the ventilation duct, even if the air in the attic is hot and humid.

JP 2006-336888 A

The air conditioner described in Patent Document 1 can suppress condensation that occurs in locations where ventilation ducts are installed, such as above the ceiling. However, with this air conditioner, it is difficult to suppress condensation in localized locations where it is difficult to detect temperature and humidity with temperature and humidity sensors, such as the entire room.

This disclosure has been made in consideration of the problems with the above-mentioned conventional technologies, and aims to provide an air conditioning system and an air conditioning management system that can suppress the occurrence of condensation in the air-conditioned space.

The air conditioning system of the present disclosure comprises one or more air conditioning appliances that are installed in some or all of the multiple compartments into which an air-conditioned space is divided and that blow out conditioned air, a plurality of temperature sensors that are installed in each of the compartments and measure wall temperature, which is the temperature of the wall or ceiling surfaces that form the air-conditioned space, a plurality of temperature and humidity sensors that are installed in each of the compartments and measure the air temperature and air humidity within the compartment, and a control device that controls the air conditioning appliances based on the wall temperature and a dew point temperature corresponding to the air temperature and the air humidity , and the control device determines the condensation state of each of the compartments based on the temperature difference between the wall temperature and the dew point temperature , and if there are multiple compartments where it is determined that condensation will occur, sets priorities for the multiple compartments where it is determined that condensation will occur that are higher the smaller the temperature difference, and performs condensation mitigation control to mitigate condensation by controlling the air conditioning appliances in order of priority, starting with the compartments with the highest priority .

The air conditioning management system of the present disclosure comprises the above-mentioned air conditioning systems installed in each of the multiple air-conditioned spaces, and a centralized management device that centrally manages the multiple air conditioning systems.

According to the present disclosure, the condensation state is determined from the relationship between the wall surface temperature and the dew point temperature in each of the multiple compartments into which the air-conditioned space is divided, and the air conditioning equipment is controlled according to the determination result. This causes the air conditioning equipment to blow air to the compartment where condensation is occurring or where condensation is likely to occur, promoting air circulation in the target compartment. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of condensation in the air-conditioned space, including the compartment where condensation is occurring or where condensation is likely to occur.

1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of installation of an air conditioning system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining an air conditioned space. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control device of FIG. 1 . FIG. 4 is a hardware configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control device of FIG. 3 . 4 is a hardware configuration diagram showing another example of the configuration of the control device of FIG. 3. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioner which is an air conditioning device according to a first embodiment. 11 is a graph for explaining acquisition of a dew-point temperature. 4 is a graph for explaining the relationship between the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a condensation suppression process according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control device according to a second embodiment. 11 is a graph for explaining the rate of occurrence of a region where condensation is likely to occur; FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioning management system according to embodiment 3.

The following describes embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. The present disclosure also includes all combinations of possible configurations among the configurations shown in the following embodiments. In addition, in each figure, items with the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent, and this is common throughout the entire specification.

Embodiment 1.
An explanation will be given of an air conditioning system according to the present embodiment 1. The air conditioning system according to the present embodiment 1 suppresses the occurrence of condensation in a space to be air conditioned.

[Configuration of Air Conditioning System 100]
Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an installation example of an air conditioning system according to the first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining an air-conditioned space. As shown in Fig. 1, an air conditioning system 100 includes one or more air conditioning devices 1, a plurality of temperature sensors 2, a plurality of temperature and humidity sensors 3, and a control device 4. Each device constituting the air conditioning system 100 is installed in an air-conditioned space 50 formed by walls and ceiling surfaces of a store, warehouse, or the like.

As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment 1, the air-conditioned space 50, such as a store or warehouse, is divided into a plurality of sections in the width, height, and depth directions. Figure 1 shows an example in which the air-conditioned space 50 is divided into four sections, namely, air-conditioned spaces 50A, 50B, 50C, and 50D.

Air conditioning equipment 1 is, for example, an air conditioner, a refrigerator, a dehumidifier, or other equipment that blows out conditioned air, and conditions the air in the air-conditioned space 50. Air conditioning equipment 1 is installed in some or all of the divided sections. In the example shown in FIG. 1, two air conditioning equipment 1, 1A and 1B, are installed in the air-conditioned space 50. Air conditioning equipment 1 is, for example, an air conditioner, and is installed in the air-conditioned space 50A. Air conditioning equipment 1B is, for example, a dehumidifier, and is installed in the air-conditioned space 50D.

The air conditioner 1 has an intake port that draws in indoor air and an outlet port that blows out conditioned air. The outlet port is provided with louvers that change the direction in which the conditioned air is blown out in all directions. The operation of the louvers is controlled by the air conditioning control device 10.

Temperature sensor 2 is provided in the location where condensation is most likely to occur in each divided section of air-conditioned space 50. For example, if a showcase is installed in the section, the location where condensation is most likely to occur is a wall surface near the showcase where the temperature is likely to rise locally, or the ceiling surface above the showcase. Temperature sensor 2 is provided on the wall surface or ceiling surface in this manner. Temperature sensor 2 may also be provided on the outer peripheral surface, such as the side surface, of the showcase.

Temperature sensor 2 measures the wall temperature, which is the temperature of the wall or ceiling surface on which it is installed. In the example shown in Figure 1, temperature sensors 2A-2D are provided in each of the divided air-conditioned spaces 50A-50D. Note that if a showcase or the like is not installed within the divided compartment and there are no wall or ceiling surfaces, temperature sensor 2 does not need to be provided in such a compartment.

The temperature and humidity sensors 3 are provided in each of the divided sections of the air-conditioned space 50. The temperature and humidity sensors 3 measure the air temperature, which is the temperature of the space in which they are installed, and the air humidity, which is the humidity of the space. In the example shown in Figure 1, temperature and humidity sensors 3A to 3D are provided in each of the divided air-conditioned spaces 50A to 50D.

The control device 4 controls each device in this air conditioning system 100. In particular, in this embodiment 1, the control device 4 performs a condensation suppression process to suppress the occurrence of condensation in the air-conditioned space 50 based on the wall surface temperature measured by the temperature sensor 2 and the air temperature and air humidity measured by the temperature and humidity sensor 3. The details of the condensation suppression process will be described later.

Figure 3 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control device of Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3, the control device 4 includes an information acquisition unit 41, a calculation unit 42, an area determination unit 43, an air conditioning control unit 44, a counter 45, and a memory unit 46. The control device 4 is configured such that various functions are realized by executing software on a calculation device such as a microcomputer, or is configured with hardware such as circuit devices that realize various functions. Note that here, of the functions possessed by the control device 4, only functions related to the processing characteristic of the present embodiment 1 will be described.

The information acquisition unit 41 acquires the wall surface temperature of each compartment measured by the temperature sensor 2. The information acquisition unit 41 also acquires the air temperature and air humidity of each compartment measured by the temperature and humidity sensor 3.

The calculation unit 42 acquires the dew point temperature based on the air temperature and air humidity acquired by the information acquisition unit 41. Specifically, the calculation unit 42 calculates the average air temperature and average air humidity from the air temperature and air humidity measured at preset time intervals by the temperature and humidity sensor 3 during a preset measurement time. The calculation unit 42 then acquires the dew point temperature based on the calculated average air temperature and average air humidity by referring to the map data stored in the memory unit 46. The map data is data in which the relationship between the air temperature and air humidity and the dew point temperature is mapped.

In the following, for ease of explanation, "obtaining the dew point temperature based on the average air temperature and average air humidity calculated from the air temperature and air humidity measured for a set time at set time intervals" will be simply described as "obtaining the dew point temperature based on the air temperature and air humidity."

The area determination unit 43 determines the condensation state in each section based on the wall surface temperature acquired by the information acquisition unit 41 and the dew point temperature acquired by the calculation unit 42. The condensation state indicates the possibility of condensation in the target section, such as whether condensation has occurred or whether there is a possibility of condensation occurring.

The air conditioning control unit 44 controls the target air conditioning equipment 1 during condensation mitigation control to mitigate condensation within the compartment based on the condensation state determined by the area determination unit 43. For example, the air conditioning control unit 44 controls the air conditioning equipment 1 so that the wind speed of the blower provided in the air conditioning equipment 1 becomes a wind speed suitable for the condensation state.

The counter 45 counts various times. In this embodiment 1, the counter 45 counts so that the condensation mitigation control in the condensation suppression process is performed for a set time.

The memory unit 46 stores various values and the like used in each part of the control device 4. For example, in this embodiment 1, the memory unit 46 pre-stores map data used when the calculation unit 42 acquires the dew point temperature.

Figure 4 is a hardware configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control device in Figure 3. When the various functions of the control device 4 are executed by hardware, the control device 4 in Figure 3 is configured by a processing circuit 21 as shown in Figure 4. Each function of the information acquisition unit 41, calculation unit 42, area determination unit 43, air conditioning control unit 44, counter 45 and memory unit 46 in Figure 3 is realized by the processing circuit 21.

When each function is executed by hardware, the processing circuit 21 corresponds to, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination of these. Each of the functions of the information acquisition unit 41, the calculation unit 42, the area determination unit 43, the air conditioning control unit 44, the counter 45, and the memory unit 46 may be realized by the processing circuit 21, or the functions of each unit may be realized by a single processing circuit 21.

Figure 5 is a hardware configuration diagram showing another example of the configuration of the control device of Figure 3. When the various functions of the control device 4 are executed by software, the control device 4 of Figure 3 is composed of a processor 22 and a memory 23, as shown in Figure 5. The functions of the information acquisition unit 41, the calculation unit 42, the area determination unit 43, the air conditioning control unit 44, the counter 45 and the memory unit 46 are realized by the processor 22 and the memory 23.

When each function is executed by software, the functions of the information acquisition unit 41, calculation unit 42, area determination unit 43, air conditioning control unit 44, counter 45 and memory unit 46 are realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. The software and firmware are written as programs and stored in the memory 23. The processor 22 realizes the function of each unit by reading and executing the programs stored in the memory 23.

As the memory 23, for example, a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a flash memory, an erasable and programmable ROM (EPROM), and an electrically erasable and programmable ROM (EEPROM) may be used. In addition, as the memory 23, for example, a removable recording medium such as a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk (CD), a mini disk (MD), and a digital versatile disk (DVD) may be used.

(Air conditioning equipment 1)
An example of the air conditioning equipment 1 will be described in outline. Here, the configuration will be described by taking an air conditioner, which is the air conditioning equipment 1A, as an example. Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioner, which is the air conditioning equipment according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 6, the air conditioner includes a compressor 11, a condenser 12, an expansion valve 13, an evaporator 14, a first blower 15, a second blower 16, and an air conditioning control device 10. The compressor 11, the condenser 12, the expansion valve 13, and the evaporator 14 are connected by refrigerant piping to form a refrigerant circuit in which the refrigerant circulates.

The compressor 11 draws in low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, compresses it, and discharges high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant. The compressor 11 is, for example, an inverter compressor whose capacity, which is the amount of refrigerant discharged per unit time, is controlled by changing the operating frequency using the air conditioning control device 10.

The condenser 12 exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the air supplied by the first blower 15, and condenses the refrigerant by dissipating heat from the refrigerant to the air. The first blower 15 is driven by a motor (not shown) and supplies air to the condenser 12. The rotation speed of the first blower 15 is controlled by the air conditioning control device 10, thereby adjusting the amount of air sent to the condenser 12.

The expansion valve 13 reduces the pressure of the refrigerant to expand it. The expansion valve 13 is composed of a valve that can control the opening degree, such as an electronic expansion valve. The valve opening degree of the expansion valve 13 is controlled by the air conditioning control device 10.

The evaporator 14 exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the indoor air, which is the air in the conditioned space 50 supplied by the second blower 16, to evaporate the refrigerant and cool the indoor air with the heat of vaporization. The second blower 16 is driven by a motor (not shown) and supplies indoor air to the evaporator 14. The rotation speed of the second blower 16 is controlled by the air conditioning control device 10, thereby adjusting the amount of air sent to the evaporator 14.

The air conditioning control device 10 controls the entire air conditioner based on information detected by various sensors (not shown) and the set indoor temperature set by the user. For example, the air conditioning control device 10 controls the compressor 11, expansion valve 13, first blower 15, and second blower 16 based on information received from the sensors so that the indoor temperature becomes the set indoor temperature. The air conditioning control device 10 realizes various functions by executing software on a calculation device such as a microcomputer, or is composed of hardware such as circuit devices that realize various functions.

[Condensation prevention treatment]
The condensation suppression process will now be described. When the wall surface temperature, which is the temperature of the wall surface or ceiling surface, etc., of the air conditioned space 50, is lower than the dew point temperature of the air inside, condensation occurs. Therefore, the air conditioning system 100 according to the first embodiment performs a condensation suppression process that promotes agitation of the air in the air conditioned space 50 and suppresses condensation.

(Calculation of dew point temperature)
Fig. 7 is a graph for explaining how to obtain the dew point temperature. In Fig. 7, the horizontal axis indicates relative humidity [%], and the vertical axis indicates dew point temperature [°C]. This figure also shows a graph corresponding to air temperature [°C] at set temperature intervals. Here, a case where the set temperature interval is 5°C is shown, but this set temperature interval can be changed arbitrarily.

In each graph, the air temperature when the air humidity is 100% coincides with the dew point temperature. In other words, when the air humidity is 100%, the air temperature is the dew point temperature as is. As the air humidity decreases from 100%, the dew point temperature also decreases. Specifically, for example, when the air temperature is 25°C and the air humidity is 70%, the dew point temperature is approximately 19°C according to the graph. Also, for example, when the air temperature is 25°C and the air humidity is 40%, the dew point temperature is approximately 10°C according to the graph.

Map data corresponding to such a graph is pre-stored in the memory 46 of the control device 4. The calculation unit 42 calculates the dew point temperature by referring to the map data stored in the memory 46 based on the air temperature and air humidity measured by the temperature and humidity sensor 3. Note that the method of deriving the dew point temperature is not limited to this example, and the dew point temperature may be calculated based on the air temperature and air humidity measured by the temperature and humidity sensor 3, for example, using a known approximation formula.

(Determination of condensation state)
The following describes how to determine the condensation state in each section of the air-conditioned space 50. The condensation state in each section can be determined from the relationship between the dew point temperature of the air in the section and the wall surface temperature of the wall or ceiling surface of the section. In the first embodiment, the condensation state of the target section is classified into a plurality of categories based on the relationship between the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature.

Figure 8 is a graph to explain the relationship between dew point temperature and wall surface temperature. The horizontal axis of Figure 8 indicates the dew point temperature [°C], and the vertical axis indicates the wall surface temperature [°C]. This graph shows an area that represents the condensation state of the air-conditioned space 50 according to the relationship between the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature.

In Fig. 8, boundary line X is a straight line connecting points where the wall surface temperature is equal to the dew point temperature. When the relationship between the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature is included in the area below boundary line X, condensation occurs in the target section. When the area where condensation occurs is called the "condensation occurrence area," the condensation occurrence area is expressed by the following formula (1).
Condensation occurrence region: Wall surface temperature ≦ dew point temperature ... (1)

Boundary line Y is a straight line connecting points where the wall surface temperature is α [°C] higher than the dew point temperature. α is a first classification value for classifying the condensation state, and is a value that can be set arbitrarily. The first classification value α is stored in advance in the memory unit 46 of the control device 4. If the relationship between the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature is included in the area surrounded by boundary line X and boundary line Y, there is a high possibility of condensation occurring in the target section. If this area where condensation is likely to occur is referred to as the "first condensation possibility area," the first condensation possibility area is expressed by the following formula (2).
First condensation possibility region: dew point temperature < wall surface temperature ≦ dew point temperature + α ... (2)

Boundary line Z is a straight line connecting points where the wall surface temperature is α+β [°C] higher than the dew point temperature. β is a second classification value for classifying the condensation state, and is a value that can be set arbitrarily. The second classification value β is pre-stored in the memory unit 46 of the control device 4. If the relationship between the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature is included in the area surrounded by boundary line Y and boundary line Z, there is a slight possibility that condensation will occur in the target section. If this area where there is a slight possibility of condensation occurring is referred to as the "second condensation possibility area," the second condensation possibility area is expressed by the following formula (3).
Second condensation possibility region: Dew point temperature + α < Wall surface temperature ≦ Dew point temperature + α + β
...(3)

Moreover, the possibility of condensation occurring is low when the relationship between the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature is included in the region above the boundary line Z. When this region where the possibility of condensation occurring is low is referred to as the "third condensation possibility region," the third condensation possibility region is expressed by the following formula (4).
Third condensation possibility area: wall temperature > dew point temperature + α + β ... (4)

In the condensation suppression process according to the first embodiment, the dew point temperature and wall surface temperature are derived for each section, and the condensation state for each section is determined based on which of the above categories the relationship between the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature falls into. Then, condensation mitigation control is performed to suppress the occurrence of condensation according to the condensation state.

Specifically, when the relationship between the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature in each compartment is within the condensation occurrence region, the first condensation possibility region, and the second condensation possibility region, condensation mitigation control is performed to suppress the occurrence of condensation in that compartment. More specifically, when the relationship between the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature is within the condensation occurrence region or the first condensation possibility region, the control device 4 performs first condensation mitigation control for that compartment. In the first condensation mitigation control, the blower installed inside the room of the air conditioner 1 is controlled to operate at full speed, for example.

Furthermore, when the relationship between the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature is within the second condensation possibility region, the control device 4 performs second condensation mitigation control for the section. In the second condensation mitigation control, the blower installed inside the air conditioner 1 is controlled to operate at a speed slower than full speed, for example 80% of full speed. Note that, when the relationship between the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature is within the third condensation possibility region, the control device 4 controls the air conditioner 1 to maintain its current operation. In other words, the control device 4 maintains the current wind speed of the blower in the air conditioner 1.

When the first condensation mitigation control or the second condensation mitigation control is performed, the control device 4 checks the positional relationship between the section for which condensation mitigation control is to be performed and each air conditioner 1 installed in the air conditioned space 50. The air conditioning control unit 44 of the control device 4 then finds the air conditioner 1 closest to the section for which condensation mitigation control is to be performed, and controls the louvers of the air outlet so that air is blown from that air conditioner 1 towards the target section, thereby controlling the direction of the conditioned air. The air conditioning control unit 44 also increases the air volume of the blower of that air conditioner 1.

In this way, the operation of the blower in the air conditioner 1 is controlled by the condensation mitigation control, which promotes the circulation of air within the compartment. Therefore, even in an environment where the wall surface temperature of the air-conditioned space 50 is below the dew point temperature of the air, condensation can be suppressed.

The first classification value α and the second classification value β can be set to any value by the user, but may be set, for example, according to the performance that is emphasized. For example, when emphasis is placed on suppression of condensation, it is preferable to set the first classification value α and the second classification value β so that the second classification value β is greater than the first classification value α (β>α). Also, for example, when emphasis is placed on comfort or energy saving, it is preferable to set the first classification value α and the second classification value β so that the first classification value α is greater than the second classification value β (α>β).

Moreover, the first classification value α and the second classification value β may be variable depending on the temperature state within the section.
For example, a reference value is set in advance for each of the first classification value α and the second classification value β, and when the temperature change within the compartment is stable and falls within a set range, the control device 4 sets at least one of the first classification value α and the second classification value β to be smaller than the reference value. Also, when the temperature change within the compartment is unstable, for example, exceeding the set range, the control device 4 sets at least one of the first classification value α and the second classification value β to be larger than the reference value. This is because condensation does not progress rapidly when the temperature change within the compartment is stable.

Specifically, when the air-conditioned space 50 is a space within a store, and the store is open, particularly during times when there is a lot of coming and going or movement of customers or goods, the temperature change within the air-conditioned space 50 becomes unstable. Therefore, in such a case, the control device 4 sets at least one of the first classification value α and the second classification value β to a value greater than the reference value.

On the other hand, even if the store is open, the temperature change in the air-conditioned space 50 (section) is stable at night or during times when there is little coming in, going out, or movement. Therefore, in such cases, the control device 4 sets at least one of the first classification value α and the second classification value β to a value smaller than the reference value.

Figure 9 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow of the condensation suppression process according to the first embodiment. First, in step S10, the information acquisition unit 41 of the control device 4 acquires the wall surface temperature of each divided section measured by the temperature sensor 2. The information acquisition unit 41 also acquires the air temperature and air humidity of each section measured by the temperature and humidity sensor 3.

In step S11, the calculation unit 42 acquires the dew point temperature by referring to the map data stored in the memory unit 46 based on the air temperature and air humidity acquired by the information acquisition unit 41. In step S12, the area determination unit 43 judges the condensation state in each section based on the acquired wall surface temperature and dew point temperature.

In step S13, the area determination unit 43 determines whether or not there is a section that is equal to or larger than the second condensation possibility area. If the determination results in a section that is equal to or larger than the second condensation possibility area, i.e., a section that is a condensation occurrence area, a first condensation possibility area, or a second condensation possibility area (step S13: YES), the process proceeds to step S14. On the other hand, if there is no section that is equal to or larger than the second condensation possibility area, i.e., all sections are in the third condensation possibility area (step S13: NO), the process ends.

In step S14, the area determination unit 43 determines whether or not there is a section that is equal to or larger than the first condensation possibility area for the sections extracted in step S12. If the determination result indicates that there is a section that is equal to or larger than the first condensation possibility area, i.e., if there is a section that is a condensation occurrence area or the first condensation possibility area (step S14: YES), the process proceeds to step S15. In step S15, the control device 4 performs the first condensation mitigation control. That is, the air conditioning control unit 44 controls the air conditioner 1 so that the blower operates at full speed, for example, and blows conditioned air toward the target section.

On the other hand, in step S14, if there is no section above the first condensation possibility region, i.e., all sections above the second condensation possibility region are in the second condensation possibility region (step S14: NO), the process proceeds to step S16. In step S16, the control device 4 performs second condensation mitigation control. That is, the air conditioning control unit 44 controls the air conditioner 1 so that the blower operates at a speed slower than full speed, for example 80% of full speed, and blows conditioned air toward the target section.

Next, in step S17, the control device 4 waits until a set time has elapsed based on the count by the counter 45. In step S18, the area determination unit 43 determines whether the section extracted in step S11 is a third condensation possibility area.

If the result of the judgment is that all of the sections extracted in step S13 are in the third condensation possibility area (step S18: YES), the area judgment unit 43 judges that the possibility of condensation occurring is low. Then, the series of processes ends. On the other hand, if all of the sections extracted in step S13 are not in the third condensation possibility area, that is, if at least one section is in the second condensation possibility area or larger (step S18: NO), the process returns to step S13.

Note that even if the air conditioner 1 blows air to a section where condensation has occurred or is likely to occur due to condensation mitigation control, there may be cases where conditioned air cannot be sufficiently supplied to the section and condensation cannot be suppressed. In such cases, the processes of steps S12 to S17 in the flowchart shown in Figure 9 will be repeated cyclically. Therefore, in such cases, the control device 4 may carry out a different process to agitate the air in the target section.

Specifically, the control device 4 counts the number of times the condensation mitigation control or the process is repeated. If the number of processes exceeds a preset number, but the condensation state of the target section does not fall into the third condensation possibility region, the control device 4 changes the settings, such as by increasing the set temperature of the air conditioning device 1, and agitates the air in the section.

For example, when a setting change is made in summer, such as raising the set temperature or switching to heating operation, while suppressing condensation is prioritized, there is a possibility that comfort is compromised. Therefore, when making a setting change such as changing the set temperature in a section, it is preferable to notify the user whether or not the setting can be changed. In this case, for example, the air conditioning system 100 is provided with a notification means, such as a display device, for notifying the user of the condition in the section, and this notification means notifies the user whether or not to change the setting. Then, when the setting change is approved by the user, the control device 4 makes a setting change for the section, such as changing the set temperature or switching the operation mode.

Furthermore, if the occurrence of condensation cannot be suppressed even if the setting is changed, or if the setting change is not approved by the user, the control device 4 may further notify the user that the occurrence of condensation cannot be suppressed. Here, the occurrence of condensation cannot be suppressed if the target section is included in the first condensation possibility area or the second condensation possibility area even if the setting is changed. In this case, for example, the control device 4 notifies the user that the occurrence of condensation cannot be suppressed by the notification means. At that time, it is preferable that the control device 4 display information indicating the section or the position of the sensor in which the occurrence of condensation cannot be suppressed, or suggest, for example, adding a blower or installing a moisture absorbent.

Here, the flowchart in Figure 9 explains the flow of processing that is performed in a specific section among the multiple sections, but this processing is performed in each section. Therefore, if a condensation state that is equal to or greater than the second condensation possibility region exists simultaneously in multiple sections, condensation mitigation control is usually performed simultaneously on the target sections.

However, if air conditioners 1 are installed in only some of the compartments, it may become necessary to blow air from one air conditioner 1 to multiple compartments, which may result in failure to adequately suppress the occurrence of condensation. In such a case, the control device 4 may set priorities for the multiple compartments that are determined to be in a condensation state equal to or greater than the second condensation probability region, and perform condensation mitigation control in order of priority for the compartments with the highest priority.

The priority is set, for example, so that the smaller the temperature difference between the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature, the higher the priority. Also, for example, a table in which temperature differences correspond to priority ranks may be prepared in advance, and the priority may be determined based on this table. Also, the priority is set higher, for example, as the relationship between the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature shown in the graph of Figure 8 approaches the lower right. In other words, the priority of the section in the first condensation probability area is set higher than the priority of the section in the second condensation probability area.

In addition, when there are multiple sections with the same priority, for example, the control device 4 may preferentially blow air to one section using the air conditioning equipment 1, and when the priority drops due to an increase in temperature difference, the control device 4 may then blow air to the other section using the air conditioning equipment 1.

As described above, in the air conditioning system 100 according to the first embodiment, the condensation state is determined from the relationship between the wall surface temperature and the dew point temperature in each of the multiple compartments into which the air-conditioned space 50 is divided, and the air conditioning equipment 1 is controlled according to the determination result. As a result, air is sent from the air conditioning equipment 1 to the compartment where condensation is occurring or where condensation is likely to occur, and air circulation in the target compartment is promoted, thereby suppressing the occurrence of condensation in the compartment.

Embodiment 2.
The second embodiment will now be described. The air conditioning system 100 according to the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the timing and target section for performing the condensation suppression process are learned. In the second embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for the parts common to the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The configuration of the air conditioning system 100 according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1. Note that in the second embodiment, some of the functions of the control device 4 are different from those in the first embodiment.

Figure 10 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control device according to the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 10, the control device 4 includes an information acquisition unit 41, a calculation unit 42, an area determination unit 43, an air conditioning control unit 44, a counter 45 and a memory unit 46, similar to the first embodiment. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the control device 4 further includes an analysis unit 47.

In the second embodiment, the calculation unit 42 calculates the rate of occurrence of the condensation potential area in a unit period for all sections based on the judgment result of the area judgment unit 43. The rate of occurrence of the condensation potential area indicates the rate at which the condensation state occurs in the condensation occurrence area, the first condensation potential area, and the second condensation potential area per unit period. The unit of the period is, for example, hourly or monthly.

The memory unit 46 stores the judgment results of the area judgment unit 43 for all sections in association with the date and time. The memory unit 46 also stores the condensation potential area occurrence rate calculated by the calculation unit 42 in association with the date and time. The analysis unit 47 learns the condensation potential area occurrence rate for a unit period based on the condensation potential area occurrence rate stored in the memory unit 46.

The control device 4 performs condensation suppression processing based on the learning results obtained by the analysis unit 47. At this time, the control device 4 sets a threshold value TH for the condensation potential area occurrence rate, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, and performs condensation suppression processing on the target section on the date and time when the condensation potential area occurrence rate is equal to or greater than the threshold value TH.

Figure 11 is a graph to explain the rate of occurrence of areas where condensation is possible. The upper graph in Figure 11 is an example of the rate of occurrence of areas where condensation is possible on an hourly basis, with the horizontal axis showing time and the vertical axis showing the rate of occurrence of areas where condensation is possible. In this graph, TH1 is a first threshold value for the rate of occurrence of areas where condensation is possible on an hourly basis.

The lower graph in Figure 11 is an example of the condensation potential area occurrence rate by hour, where the horizontal axis indicates the month and the vertical axis indicates the condensation potential area occurrence rate. In this graph, TH2 is the second threshold value for the condensation potential area occurrence rate by month.

In the example shown in Fig. 11, the control device 4 performs condensation suppression processing at a time when the condensation probability region occurrence rate is equal to or greater than the first threshold value TH1 in a month in which the condensation probability region occurrence rate is equal to or greater than the second threshold value TH2 based on the learning result. This makes it possible to prevent condensation from occurring in each section in advance.

As described above, in the air conditioning system 100 according to the second embodiment, the rate of occurrence of areas where condensation is possible in a unit period in each section is calculated and stored in the memory unit 46, and the rate of occurrence of areas where condensation is possible in a unit period is learned based on the stored rate of occurrence of areas where condensation is possible. This makes it possible to estimate sections and periods in which condensation will occur or is likely to occur, and by performing a condensation suppression process based on the estimation result, it is possible to prevent condensation from occurring in each section in advance.

Embodiment 3.
A description will now be given of the present embodiment 3. In this embodiment 3, a description will be given of an air conditioning management system that manages the suppression of condensation generation in air conditioned spaces 50 such as a plurality of stores or warehouses each equipped with an air conditioning system 100. In this embodiment 3, the same reference numerals are used for parts common to the embodiments 1 and 2, and detailed description will be omitted.

[Configuration of Air Conditioning Management System 200]
Fig. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioning management system according to the present embodiment 3. As shown in Fig. 12, the air conditioning management system 200 is configured by connecting a centralized management device 201 and air conditioning systems 100 provided in each of a plurality of air conditioned spaces 50 such as stores or warehouses via a cloud 202 on a network.

The configuration of the air conditioning system 100 according to the third embodiment is the same as that of the first or second embodiment. In the third embodiment, the control device 4 of the air conditioning system 100 is configured to transmit the determination result of the condensation state, including the acquired dew point temperature and wall surface temperature, and the learned analysis information such as the condensation possibility area occurrence rate, to the centralized management device 201. The control device 4 also transmits management information, which is information about the air-conditioned space 50, such as a store or warehouse, in which the air conditioning system 100 is installed, to the centralized management device 201. The management information is, for example, information about the contents displayed in the store or stored in the warehouse, the store's business type, and operating hours.

The centralized management device 201 manages multiple air conditioning systems 100 connected via the cloud 202. The centralized management device 201 analyzes the analysis information and management information received from the multiple air conditioning systems 100, and extracts conditions such as sections and times where condensation is likely to occur. The centralized management device 201 then feeds back the analysis results to each air conditioning system 100, and causes them to carry out condensation suppression processing based on the analysis results.

In this manner, in the third embodiment, the centralized management device 201 feeds back to each air conditioning system 100 the analysis results based on the analysis information and management information received from the multiple air conditioning systems 100. Therefore, each air conditioning system 100 can more appropriately carry out the condensation suppression process by referring to the condensation occurrence conditions, etc. in the different air conditioning systems 100.

Although the present embodiments 1 to 3 have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments 1 to 3, and various modifications and applications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure. For example, in the present embodiments 2 and 3, the analysis unit 47 of the control device 4 learns the rate of occurrence of areas where condensation is possible, but this is not limited thereto, and for example, the analysis unit 47 may learn the wind speed control of the blower according to the dew point temperature and wall surface temperature for each section.

In this case, the analysis unit 47 uses the dew point temperature and wall surface temperature as input data, and the state of suppression of condensation occurrence when condensation mitigation control that changes the wind speed of the blower is performed as teacher data, and learns the optimal wind speed control for condensation mitigation control for each section. By performing condensation mitigation control based on the results of this learning, the optimal wind speed of the blower is set according to the dew point temperature and wall surface temperature, so that condensation occurrence can be appropriately suppressed. Furthermore, even if it becomes necessary to perform condensation mitigation control in multiple sections, the priority of condensation mitigation control for each section can be appropriately set.

1, 1A, 1B Air conditioning equipment, 2, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D Temperature sensor, 3, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D Temperature and humidity sensor, 4 Control device, 10 Air conditioning control device, 11 Compressor, 12 Condenser, 13 Expansion valve, 14 Evaporator, 15 First blower, 16 Second blower, 21 Processing circuit, 22 Processor, 23 Memory, 41 Information acquisition unit, 42 Calculation unit, 43 Area determination unit, 44 Air conditioning control unit, 45 Counter, 46 Memory unit, 47 Analysis unit, 50, 50A, 50B, 50C, 50D Air conditioned space, 100 Air conditioning system, 200 Air conditioning control system, 201 Centralized management device, 202 Cloud.

Claims (13)

One or more air conditioning devices that are installed in some or all of the multiple sections into which the air-conditioned space is divided and that blow out conditioned air;
A plurality of temperature sensors are installed in each of the sections and measure wall temperatures, which are temperatures of wall surfaces or ceiling surfaces that form the air-conditioned space;
A plurality of temperature and humidity sensors are installed in each of the compartments to measure air temperature and air humidity within the compartments;
a control device that controls the air conditioner based on the wall surface temperature and a dew point temperature corresponding to the air temperature and the air humidity;
The control device includes:
determining a condensation state of each of the compartments based on a temperature difference between the wall surface temperature and the dew point temperature;
When there are a plurality of sections in which it is determined that condensation will occur, a higher priority is set for the plurality of sections in which it is determined that condensation will occur as the temperature difference therebetween becomes smaller;
The air conditioner is controlled in order from the section with the highest priority to perform condensation mitigation control to mitigate condensation.
Air conditioning system. The control device includes:
A calculation unit that acquires the dew point temperature based on the air temperature and the air humidity;
an area determination unit that determines the condensation state of each of the sections based on the wall surface temperature and the dew point temperature;
The air conditioning system according to claim 1 , further comprising an air conditioning control unit that performs the condensation mitigation control based on the condensation state. The area determination unit is
If the wall surface temperature is equal to or lower than the dew point temperature, the target section is determined to be included in a condensation occurrence area;
When the wall surface temperature is higher than the dew point temperature and is equal to or lower than a temperature obtained by adding a first classification value to the dew point temperature, the target section is determined to be included in a first condensation probability region;
When the wall surface temperature is higher than a temperature obtained by adding the first classification value to the dew point temperature and is equal to or lower than a temperature obtained by adding the first classification value to the dew point temperature and the second classification value, the target section is determined to be included in a second condensation probability region;
The air conditioning control unit is
When the condensation occurrence region, the first condensation possibility region, or the second condensation possibility region is included,
The air conditioning system according to claim 2 , wherein the condensation mitigation control is performed by blowing the conditioned air from the air conditioner toward the target section. The air conditioning control unit is
When the target section is included in the condensation occurrence area or the first condensation possibility area, a first condensation mitigation control is performed in which the conditioned air is blown out from the air conditioner at full speed;
The air conditioning system according to claim 3 , wherein, when the target section is the second condensation probability region, a second condensation mitigation control is performed in which the conditioned air is blown out from the air conditioner at a speed slower than full speed. The air conditioning control unit is
At least one of the first classification value and the second classification value is changed depending on whether the temperature change in the target compartment is stable or not.
5. An air conditioning system according to claim 3 or 4. The air conditioning control unit is
When the temperature change in the target compartment is within a set range, at least one of the first classification value and the second classification value is set to be smaller than a reference value.
6. An air conditioning system according to claim 5. The air conditioning control unit is
If the temperature change in the target compartment exceeds a set range, at least one of the first classification value and the second classification value is increased above a reference value.
7. An air conditioning system according to claim 5 or 6. The area determination unit is
When the wall surface temperature is higher than a temperature obtained by adding the first classification value and the second classification value to the dew point temperature, the target section is determined to be included in a third condensation probability area;
The air conditioning control unit is
The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 2 to 7 , wherein when the target section is included in the third condensation probability region, the wind speed of the conditioned air blown out from the air conditioner is maintained. Further comprising a notification means for notifying a state within the section,
The control device includes:
The condensation mitigation control is repeatedly performed until the target section is no longer included in the first condensation possibility region or the second condensation possibility region;
An air conditioning system as described in any one of claims 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, or claim 8 dependent on claim 3 , 4, 5, 6, or 7 , wherein when the number of times the condensation mitigation control is performed exceeds a set number, the notification means notifies whether or not the set temperature in the section can be changed. The control device includes:
The air conditioning system according to claim 9, wherein the notification means notifies the user that condensation cannot be suppressed when the target section is included in the first condensation likelihood area or the second condensation likelihood area even if the set temperature is changed. The calculation unit is
Calculating a dew condensation potential area occurrence rate in each of the sections in a unit period based on the judgment result by the area judgment unit;
The control device includes:
The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 2 to 10 , further comprising an analysis unit configured to learn the occurrence rate of a region where condensation is likely to occur in the unit period in each of the sections based on the calculated occurrence rate of a region where condensation is likely to occur. The calculation unit is
The air conditioning system according to claim 11, wherein the dew point temperature and the wall surface temperature are used as input data, and the state of suppression of condensation occurrence when the condensation mitigation control is performed is used as teacher data to learn the wind speed of the conditioned air blown out from the air conditioning equipment for each of the sections. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 12 , which is provided in each of the plurality of air-conditioned spaces;
and a centralized management device that centrally manages the plurality of air conditioning systems.

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