JP7780754B2 - Dehumidification control method, air conditioner, and program - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a dehumidification control method for an air conditioner, an air conditioner, and a program.

As described in Patent Document 1, a conventional air conditioner is known that is composed of an indoor unit placed inside the room to be air-conditioned and an outdoor unit placed outside the room. This air conditioner is configured so that outdoor air can be supplied from the outdoor unit to the indoor unit.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-91000

Conventional air conditioners can supply outdoor air to the indoor unit, but they do not properly utilize the dehumidification function that uses this technology. For example, conventional air conditioners cannot dehumidify efficiently, and may not dehumidify enough or perform inappropriate dehumidification.

The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a dehumidification control method, air conditioner, and program that properly executes the dehumidification function using the ventilation device of an air conditioner.

To solve the above-mentioned problems, the present disclosure provides a dehumidification control method, an air conditioner, and a program.

One aspect of the dehumidification control method disclosed herein is a dehumidification control method for an air conditioner having a ventilation device, and includes the steps of acquiring the indoor humidity and outdoor humidity of a control space that is the target of air conditioning control by the air conditioner, calculating the humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity, and, if it is determined that the humidity difference is equal to or less than a humidity threshold, performing compressor dehumidification and ventilation dehumidification using the ventilation device.

Another aspect of the air conditioner according to the present disclosure includes a ventilation device and an air conditioning control unit. The ventilation device is configured to supply outside air to a controlled space that is the target of air conditioning control by the air conditioner. The air conditioning control unit is configured to acquire the indoor and outdoor humidity of the controlled space, calculate the humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity, and, if it determines that the humidity difference is equal to or less than a humidity threshold, perform compressor dehumidification and ventilation dehumidification using the ventilation device.

Furthermore, another aspect of the program according to the present disclosure causes an air conditioner to execute a dehumidification control method.

The dehumidification control method, air conditioner, and program disclosed herein enable the dehumidification function to be properly performed using the ventilation device of the air conditioner.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment. Schematic diagram of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 Schematic diagram of ventilation system Schematic diagram of ventilation system during dehumidification operation 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a dehumidification control method according to the first embodiment. Schematic diagram of an example of a humidity threshold value according to the first embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a dehumidification control method according to a second embodiment.

First, we will explain various aspects of the dehumidification control method, air conditioner, and program.

A first aspect of the dehumidification control method according to the present disclosure is a dehumidification control method for an air conditioner having a ventilation device, and includes the steps of acquiring the indoor humidity and outdoor humidity of a control space that is the target of air conditioning control by the air conditioner, calculating the humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity, and, if it is determined that the humidity difference is equal to or less than a humidity threshold, performing compressor dehumidification and ventilation dehumidification using the ventilation device.

The dehumidification control method of the second aspect of the present disclosure may further include, in the first aspect, a step of performing compressor dehumidification without performing ventilation dehumidification when it is determined that the humidity difference is greater than the humidity threshold.

In the dehumidification control method of the third aspect of the present disclosure, in the first or second aspect, the indoor humidity may be the indoor absolute humidity, and the outdoor humidity may be the outdoor absolute humidity. Furthermore, the humidity difference may be the difference between the outdoor absolute humidity and the indoor absolute humidity.

In a fourth aspect of the dehumidification control method according to the present disclosure, in the first or second aspect, the indoor humidity may be indoor relative humidity, and the outdoor humidity may be outdoor relative humidity. The step of calculating the humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity may include the steps of acquiring the indoor temperature and outdoor temperature of the controlled space, calculating the absolute value of the temperature difference between the outdoor temperature and the indoor temperature, and, if it is determined that the absolute value of the temperature difference is equal to or less than the temperature threshold, calculating the difference between the outdoor relative humidity and the indoor relative humidity as the humidity difference.

A fifth aspect of the dehumidification control method according to the present disclosure may be such that, in the fourth aspect, the step of calculating the humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity further includes the steps of: if it is determined that the absolute value of the temperature difference is greater than the temperature threshold, calculating the indoor absolute humidity based on the indoor relative humidity and the indoor temperature; calculating the outdoor absolute humidity based on the outdoor relative humidity and the outdoor temperature; and calculating the difference between the outdoor absolute humidity and the indoor absolute humidity as the humidity difference.

A sixth aspect of the dehumidification control method according to the present disclosure is any one of the first to fifth aspects, in which the humidity threshold can be set based on the amount of moisture that can be removed by the absorbent material of the ventilation device.

An air conditioner according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure includes a ventilation device and an air conditioning control unit. The ventilation device is configured to supply outside air to a controlled space that is the target of air conditioning control by the air conditioner. The air conditioning control unit is configured to acquire the indoor and outdoor humidity of the controlled space, calculate the humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity, and, if it determines that the humidity difference is equal to or less than a humidity threshold, perform compressor dehumidification and ventilation dehumidification using the ventilation device.

An air conditioner according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure is the seventh aspect, wherein the air conditioning control unit is further configured to perform compressor dehumidification without performing ventilation dehumidification when it is determined that the humidity difference is greater than the humidity threshold.

In the air conditioner of a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, in the seventh or eighth aspect, the indoor humidity may be the indoor absolute humidity, and the outdoor humidity may be the outdoor absolute humidity. Furthermore, the humidity difference may be the difference between the outdoor absolute humidity and the indoor absolute humidity.

In the air conditioner of a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, in the seventh or eighth aspect, the indoor humidity may be indoor relative humidity, and the outdoor humidity may be outdoor relative humidity. When calculating the humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity, the air conditioning control unit may be further configured to acquire the indoor temperature and outdoor temperature of the controlled space, calculate the absolute value of the temperature difference between the outdoor temperature and the indoor temperature, and, if it determines that the absolute value of the temperature difference is equal to or less than the temperature threshold, calculate the difference between the outdoor relative humidity and the indoor relative humidity as the humidity difference.

An air conditioner according to an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure may be further configured in the tenth aspect to, when calculating the humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity, if the air conditioning control unit determines that the absolute value of the temperature difference is greater than the temperature threshold, calculate the indoor absolute humidity based on the indoor relative humidity and the indoor temperature, calculate the outdoor absolute humidity based on the outdoor relative humidity and the outdoor temperature, and calculate the difference between the outdoor absolute humidity and the indoor absolute humidity as the humidity difference.

In the air conditioner of the twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, in the seventh to eleventh aspects, the humidity threshold can be set based on the amount of moisture that can be removed by the absorbent material of the ventilation device.

A program according to a thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure causes an air conditioner to execute a dehumidification control method according to any one of the first to sixth aspects.

《Technical concept》
Before describing specific embodiments of the dehumidification control method, air conditioner, and program according to the present disclosure, the technical concept described in the present disclosure will be explained using an example. In this example, the air conditioner has a ventilation device that is capable of dehumidifying indoor air in a controlled space that is the target of air conditioning control by the air conditioner.

The air conditioner determines whether to perform ventilation dehumidification using the ventilation device based on the outdoor humidity of the controlled space, taking into account the dehumidification capacity of the ventilation device. In this example, the air conditioner performs compressor dehumidification and ventilation dehumidification using the ventilation device only if it determines that the difference in outdoor humidity is below a predetermined humidity threshold. In other words, both compressor dehumidification and ventilation dehumidification are performed only if the outdoor humidity is higher than the indoor humidity by a predetermined range. Compressor dehumidification is also known as compressor dehumidification, refrigeration cycle dehumidification, or weak cooling.

On the other hand, if the humidity difference is determined to be greater than the humidity threshold, the air conditioner will perform compressor dehumidification instead of ventilation dehumidification.

In this way, it is possible to determine whether ventilation dehumidification using the air conditioner's ventilation device is beneficial for the current state of the controlled space, and to carry out ventilation dehumidification appropriately.

Each of the embodiments described below represents an example of the present disclosure. The numerical values, shapes, configurations, steps, and step orders shown in each of the following embodiments are merely examples and do not limit the present disclosure. Among the components in the following embodiment 1, those not recited in the independent claims that represent the highest concept are described as optional components.

In each of the embodiments described below, certain elements may be modified, and other elements may be combined with any appropriate configuration, with the combined configuration achieving the respective effects. In the embodiments, the respective modified configurations may be combined with each other to achieve the respective effects of the respective modified configurations.

In the following detailed description, terms such as "first," "second," etc. are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as expressing or implying the relative importance or ranking of technical features. Features qualified as "first" and "second" expressly or imply the inclusion of one or more of those features.

First Embodiment
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a dehumidification control method, an air conditioner, and a program according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings as appropriate.

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the general configuration of an air conditioner in embodiment 1. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram created from the perspective of having the air conditioner execute a dehumidification control method and its program, and from the perspective of the relationship between the air conditioner and other external devices. The air conditioner 10 executes the dehumidification control method and appropriately performs dehumidification operation.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the air conditioner 10 includes an air conditioning memory unit 11, an air conditioning control unit 12, and an air conditioning communication unit 13. The air conditioner 10 may further include at least one of various sensors 14 to perform its functions. The air conditioner 10 may also include a display for displaying visual information to a user.

The air conditioner 10 can be connected to a terminal device 70 and/or a server 80 via the air conditioning communication unit 13. For example, as described below, the air conditioner 10 may be connected to a server 80 related to the air conditioner 10 via the Internet. The air conditioner 10 may be connected to a terminal device 70, which is a smartphone of a user of the air conditioner 10, via the Internet. The air conditioner 10 may be connected to a terminal device 70, which is a remote controller for the air conditioner 10, via infrared rays. The air conditioner 10 may also be connected directly or indirectly to an external information source 90 and obtain some of the information necessary for dehumidification control from the external information source 90.

Below is an overview of each component.

<Air conditioner 10>
The air conditioner 10 has, for example, an interior space of a room in a home or office as a controlled space that is the target of air conditioning control. The air conditioner 10 has an indoor unit 20 installed on a wall or ceiling of the controlled space, and an outdoor unit 30 installed outdoors, in a central air-conditioning room other than the controlled space, etc. The air conditioner 10 has, for example, a cooling function, a heating function, and/or an air cleaning function. The air conditioner 10 also includes a ventilator 50 capable of dehumidifying the indoor air of the controlled space. The ventilator 50 has a ventilation function and a dehumidification function. The ventilator 50 may also have a humidification function. These functions and operating modes can be freely combined (for example, a cooling and dehumidification function, a cooling and ventilation mode, etc.).

<Air Conditioning Memory Unit 11>
The air conditioning storage unit 11 is a recording medium that records various information and control programs, and may be a memory that functions as a work area for the air conditioning control unit 12. The air conditioning storage unit 11 is realized, for example, by a flash memory, a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), other storage devices, or an appropriate combination of these.

The air conditioning memory unit 11 may store criteria and thresholds for dehumidification control, such as a humidity threshold and/or a temperature threshold. The air conditioning memory unit 11 may store information obtained from each sensor 14. Information obtained from an external information source 90 may also be stored in the air conditioning memory unit 11. This information can be read by the air conditioning control unit 12 when the dehumidification control method is performed.

The air conditioning memory unit 11 may also store a program for causing the air conditioner 10 to execute a dehumidification control method.

<Air conditioning control unit 12>
The air conditioning control unit 12 is a controller that controls at least some of the functions of the air conditioner 10. The air conditioning control unit 12 includes a general-purpose processor such as a CPU, MPU, MCU, FPGA, DSP, or ASIC that executes programs to achieve predetermined functions. The air conditioning control unit 12 can implement various controls in the air conditioner 10 by calling and executing control programs stored in the air conditioning storage unit 11. The air conditioning control unit 12 also works in cooperation with the air conditioning storage unit 11 to read and write data stored in the air conditioning storage unit 11. The air conditioning control unit 12 is not limited to a unit that achieves predetermined functions through the cooperation of hardware and software, and may be a hardware circuit designed specifically to achieve the predetermined functions.

The air conditioning control unit 12 can communicate with the server 80 via the air conditioning communication unit 13. Similarly, the air conditioning control unit 12 can receive various user commands and setting values (e.g., a command to start the dehumidification operation of the air conditioner 10, a temperature setting command) from the terminal device 70 via the air conditioning communication unit 13. The air conditioning control unit 12 controls each component of the air conditioner 10 to perform the cooling or heating function of the air conditioner 10 based on these setting values and detected values (e.g., indoor humidity, outdoor humidity) received from the various sensors 14. The air conditioning control unit 12 also controls the dehumidification of the air conditioner 10 based on a dehumidification control method described below.

<Air Conditioning Communication Unit 13>
The air conditioning communication unit 13 can also communicate with the server 80, the user's terminal device 70, etc., and can also send and receive internet packets, for example. As described above, the air conditioning control unit 12 may cooperate with the server 80 and/or the terminal device 70 via the air conditioning communication unit 13. The air conditioning communication unit 13 may communicate and send and receive data between the server 80, the air conditioner 10, and the terminal device 70 in accordance with standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), IEEE 802.2, IEEE 802.3, 3G, and LTE. The air conditioning communication unit 13 may communicate via the internet, an intranet, an extranet, a LAN, ISDN, a VAN, a CATV communication network, a virtual private network, a telephone line network, a mobile communication network, a satellite communication network, infrared rays, or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

<Sensor 14>
The sensor 14 is used to acquire various pieces of information from outside the air conditioner 10 in order to fulfill the functions of the air conditioner 10. In particular, the sensor 14 can acquire information for performing a dehumidifying operation.

For example, the sensor 14 includes an indoor humidity sensor 14a that detects the humidity inside the room, and an outdoor humidity sensor 14b that detects the humidity outside the room. The sensor 14 may further include an indoor temperature sensor 14c that detects the temperature inside the room, and an indoor temperature sensor 14d that detects the temperature outside the room (i.e., the outside air temperature). Information detected by the sensor 14 is input and stored in the air conditioning memory unit 11, and is later used by the air conditioning control unit 12 or transmitted to the terminal device 70 or server 80.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the sensor 14 is mounted on the main body of the air conditioner 10. In another embodiment, the sensor 14 may not be mounted on the main body of the air conditioner 10, but may be mounted on, for example, another home appliance, or any location inside or outside the smart home, or may be an independent sensor device. When executing the dehumidification control method, the air conditioner 10 can obtain information used for control from these sensors 14, regardless of where the sensors 14 are mounted. In addition, the air conditioner 10 may obtain information used for control from sensors other than the sensor 14 via the server 80 or terminal device 70.

<Ventilation device 50>
The ventilation device 50 is a device configured to supply outdoor air into a room, and is preferably installed outdoors together with an outdoor unit. The ventilation device 50 can dehumidify the indoor air in the controlled space by supplying dehumidified outdoor air to the controlled space. The specific structure and operation of the ventilation device 50 will be described later with reference to FIG. 2.

<Terminal Device 70>
The terminal device 70 is a device related to the air conditioner 10. The terminal device 70 may be, for example, a controller for the air conditioner 10, or a controller that can simultaneously manage and control multiple types of home appliances. The terminal device 70 may also be an information terminal that can perform data communication with the air conditioner 10, such as a smartphone, mobile phone, tablet, wearable device, or computer that has a dedicated related application 72 installed.

The server 80 or the air conditioning control unit 12 can acquire settings or commands entered by the user via the terminal device 70. Typically, the terminal device 70 includes a display for displaying a graphical user interface (GUI). However, when interacting with the user via a voice user interface (VUI), the terminal device 70 may include a speaker and microphone instead of or in addition to a display.

<Server 80>
The server 80 may be, for example, a management server of a manufacturer of the air conditioner 10 for managing or collecting data on at least one air conditioner 10. Alternatively, the server 80 may be an application server.

<External information source 90>
The external information source 90 is an information source that provides information about services not directly related to the air conditioner 10, such as weather information or information about the air quality of a specific region. For example, the external information source 90 may be the website of the Japan Meteorological Agency. The server 80 may transfer information obtained from the external information source 90 to the air conditioner 10 or the terminal device 70. The air conditioner 10 may directly connect to the external information source 90 and obtain some of the information necessary for dehumidification control from the external information source 90, or may indirectly connect to the external information source 90 via the server 80 or the terminal device 70 to obtain the necessary information.

The following describes the mechanical configuration of the air conditioner 10, particularly the dehumidification function of the ventilation device 50, with reference to the drawings.

<Dehumidification function of ventilation dehumidification by ventilation device 50>
Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the air conditioner 10 created particularly from the perspective of showing the mechanical configuration for performing the dehumidification function. Hereinafter, the dehumidification operation of the ventilation dehumidification function may be abbreviated as "ventilation dehumidification operation."

As shown in FIG. 2, the air conditioner 10 according to this embodiment has an indoor unit 20 arranged in the room Rin to be air-conditioned, and an outdoor unit 30 arranged in the outdoor Rout.

The indoor unit 20 is equipped with an indoor heat exchanger 22 that exchanges heat with the indoor air A1, and a fan 24 that draws the indoor air A1 into the indoor unit 20 and blows the indoor air A1 into the room Rin after heat exchange with the indoor heat exchanger 22.

The outdoor unit 30 is equipped with an outdoor heat exchanger 32 that exchanges heat with outdoor air A2, and a fan 34 that draws the outdoor air A2 into the outdoor unit 30 and blows the outdoor air A2 out to the outdoor Rout after heat exchange with the outdoor heat exchanger 32. The outdoor unit 30 also is equipped with a compressor 36, expansion valve 38, and four-way valve 40 that operate a refrigeration cycle with the indoor heat exchanger 22 and the outdoor heat exchanger 32.

The indoor heat exchanger 22, outdoor heat exchanger 32, compressor 36, expansion valve 38, and four-way valve 40 are each connected by refrigerant piping through which refrigerant flows. During cooling operation and compressor dehumidification operation, the air conditioner 10 executes a refrigeration cycle in which refrigerant flows from the compressor 36 through the four-way valve 40, outdoor heat exchanger 32, expansion valve 38, and indoor heat exchanger 22 in that order, before returning to the compressor 36. During heating operation, the air conditioner 10 executes a refrigeration cycle in which refrigerant flows from the compressor 36 through the four-way valve 40, indoor heat exchanger 22, expansion valve 38, and outdoor heat exchanger 32 in that order, before returning to the compressor 36.

In addition to air conditioning operation using a refrigeration cycle, the air conditioner 10 also performs air conditioning operation that introduces outdoor air A3 into the room Rin. To achieve this, the air conditioner 10 has a ventilation device 50. The ventilation device 50 is provided in the outdoor unit 30.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the ventilation device 50.

As shown in Figure 3, the ventilation device 50 has an absorbent material 52 inside through which outdoor air A3 and A4 pass.

The absorbent material 52 is a member through which air can pass and which collects moisture from the air passing through it or adds moisture to the air passing through it. In this embodiment, the absorbent material 52 is disk-shaped and rotates around a rotation center line C1 that passes through its center. The absorbent material 52 is rotationally driven by a motor 54.

The absorbent material 52 is preferably a polymeric adsorbent that adsorbs moisture from the air. Polymeric adsorbents are composed, for example, of cross-linked sodium polyacrylate. Compared to adsorbents such as silica gel and zeolite, polymeric adsorbents absorb a greater amount of moisture per volume, can desorb moisture at low heating temperatures, and can retain moisture for long periods of time.

The ventilation device 50 includes a first flow path P1 and a second flow path P2 through which outdoor air A3 and A4 flow, respectively, passing through the absorbent material 52. The first flow path P1 and the second flow path P2 pass through the absorbent material 52 at different positions.

The first flow path P1 is a flow path through which outdoor air A3 flows toward the indoor unit 20. The outdoor air A3 flowing through the first flow path P1 is supplied to the indoor unit 20 via the ventilation duct 56.

In this embodiment, the first flow path P1 includes multiple tributary flow paths P1a and P1b upstream of the absorbent material 52. Note that in this specification, "upstream" and "downstream" are used with respect to the air flow.

The multiple tributary channels P1a and P2a converge upstream of the absorbent material 52. Each of the multiple tributary channels P1a and P1b is provided with a first and second heater 58 and 60 that heats the outdoor air A3.

The first and second heaters 58, 60 may have the same heating capacity, or may have different heating capacities. Furthermore, the first and second heaters 58, 60 are preferably PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heaters, which increase electrical resistance as current flows and the temperature rises, thereby preventing excessive increases in heating temperature. With heaters that use nichrome wire or carbon fiber, the heating temperature (surface temperature) continues to rise as current continues to flow, making it necessary to monitor that temperature. With PTC heaters, the heater itself adjusts the heating temperature within a certain temperature range, eliminating the need to monitor the heating temperature.

A first fan 62 is provided in the first flow path P1 to generate a flow of outdoor air A3 toward the indoor unit 20. In this embodiment, the first fan 62 is positioned downstream of the absorbent material 52. When the first fan 62 is activated, outdoor air A3 flows from the outdoor air Rout into the first flow path P1 and passes through the absorbent material 52.

Furthermore, the first flow path P1 is provided with a damper device 64 that distributes the outdoor air A3 flowing through the first flow path P1 to the room Rin (i.e., the indoor unit 20) or the outdoor Rout. In this embodiment, the damper device 64 is located downstream of the first fan 62. The outdoor air A3 distributed to the indoor unit 20 by the damper device 64 enters the indoor unit 20 via the ventilation duct 56 and is blown out into the room Rin by the fan 24.

The second flow path P2 is a flow path through which outdoor air A4 flows. Unlike the outdoor air A3 flowing through the first flow path P1, the outdoor air A4 flowing through the second flow path P2 does not head toward the indoor unit 20. After passing through the absorbent material 52, the outdoor air A4 flowing through the second flow path P2 flows out to the outdoor area Rout.

A second fan 66 is provided in the first flow path P1 to generate a flow of outdoor air A4. In this embodiment, the second fan 66 is located downstream of the absorbent material 52. When the second fan 66 is activated, outdoor air A4 flows from the outdoor Rout into the second flow path P2, passes through the absorbent material 52, and then flows out to the outdoor Rout.

The ventilation device 50 selectively performs ventilation/dehumidification operation or other operation by selectively using the absorbent material 52, motor 54, first heater 58, second heater 60, first fan 62, damper device 64, and second fan 66.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the ventilation device 50 during dehumidification operation of ventilation dehumidification.

The dehumidification operation of ventilation dehumidification is an air conditioning operation that dehumidifies outdoor air A3 and supplies the dehumidified outdoor air A3 to the room Rin (i.e., the indoor unit 20). As shown in Figure 4, during ventilation dehumidification operation, adsorption operation and regeneration operation are performed alternately.

Adsorption operation is an operation in which moisture contained in outdoor air A3 is adsorbed onto the absorbent material 52, thereby ventilating and dehumidifying the outdoor air A3. As shown in Figure 4, during adsorption operation, the motor 54 continues to rotate the absorbent material 52. The first heater 58 and second heater 60 are OFF and do not heat the outdoor air A3. The first fan 62 is ON, causing outdoor air A3 to flow through the first flow path P1. The damper device 64 distributes the outdoor air A3 in the first flow path P1 to the indoor unit 20. The second fan 66 is OFF, causing no flow of outdoor air A4 to occur through the second flow path P2.

During this adsorption operation, outdoor air A3 flows into the first flow path P1 and passes through the absorbent material 52 without being heated by the first and second heaters 58, 60. At this time, the moisture carried in the outdoor air A3 is adsorbed by the absorbent material 52. This reduces the amount of moisture carried by the outdoor air A3, i.e., the outdoor air A3 is dried. After passing through the absorbent material 52, the outdoor air A3 is distributed to the indoor unit 20 by the damper device 64. After passing through the damper device 64 and reaching the indoor unit 20 via the ventilation duct 56, the outdoor air A3 is blown into the room Rin by the fan 24. Through this adsorption operation, the dried outdoor air A3 is supplied to the room Rin, dehumidifying the room Rin.

As the adsorption operation continues, the amount of water retained by the absorbent material 52 continues to increase, resulting in a decrease in the absorbent material's 52 adsorption capacity for the moisture contained in the outdoor air A3. A regeneration operation is performed to regenerate the absorbent material 52 in order to restore its adsorption capacity.

During regeneration operation, the motor 54 continues to rotate the absorbent material 52. The first heater 58 and second heater 60 are ON and heat the outdoor air A3. The first fan 62 is ON, causing the outdoor air A3 to flow through the first flow path P1. The damper device 64 distributes the outdoor air A3 in the first flow path P1 to the outdoor Rout rather than to the indoor unit 20. The second fan 66 is OFF, causing no flow of outdoor air A4 to occur in the second flow path P2.

During this regeneration operation, outdoor air A3 flows into the first flow path P1, is heated by the first and second heaters 58, 60, and passes through the absorbent 52. At this time, the heated outdoor air A3 removes a large amount of moisture from the absorbent 52. As a result, the outdoor air A3 carries a large amount of moisture. At the same time, the moisture retention capacity of the absorbent 52 decreases, i.e., the absorbent 52 dries and its adsorption capacity is regenerated. The outdoor air A3 that passes through the absorbent 52 and carries a large amount of moisture is diverted by the damper device 64 to the outdoor Rout and discharged to the outdoor Rout. As a result, during regeneration operation in ventilation/dehumidification mode, outdoor air A3 carrying a large amount of moisture due to the regeneration of the absorbent 52 is not supplied to the room Rin.

By alternating between adsorption and regeneration operations in this manner, the adsorption capacity of the absorbent material 52 is maintained, allowing ventilation and dehumidification operation to be carried out continuously.

The ventilation device 50 can also perform ventilation operation, in which the outdoor air A3 is supplied directly to the room Rin (i.e., the indoor unit 20) via the ventilation duct 56, or humidification operation, in which the outdoor air A3 is humidified before being supplied to the room Rin.

The air conditioning operations using the refrigeration cycle (cooling operation, compressor dehumidification operation, heating operation) and the air conditioning operations using the ventilation device 50 (ventilation operation, humidification operation, dehumidification operation) described above can be performed separately or simultaneously. For example, by simultaneously performing dehumidification operation using the refrigeration cycle and dehumidification operation using the ventilation device 50, it is possible to dehumidify the room Rin while maintaining a constant room temperature.

The air conditioning operation to be performed by the air conditioner 10 is selected by the user. For example, when the user performs a selection operation on the terminal device 70, which is a remote controller shown in Figure 2, the air conditioner 10 performs the air conditioning operation corresponding to that operation.

In this disclosure, "ventilation" refers to mechanical ventilation, which exchanges indoor air with outside air by supplying outdoor air to the room (controlled space) and/or discharging indoor air to the outside. The air conditioner 10 of the present disclosure may perform intake ventilation independently using a ventilation device 50, or may perform both intake ventilation and exhaust ventilation in cooperation with another ventilation device that can exhaust indoor air to the outside. Furthermore, if the ventilation device 50 has an exhaust fan that exhausts indoor air to the outside, the air conditioner 10 may perform exhaust ventilation, or may perform both intake ventilation and exhaust ventilation independently. In this disclosure, the technical features of the present disclosure will be explained using an embodiment in which the ventilation device 50 performs intake ventilation, but this is not limited to this.

Up to this point, we have provided an overview of the configuration and operation of the air conditioner 10 according to this embodiment. From here, we will explain the features of the dehumidification control method, air conditioner, and program using the air conditioner 10 according to this embodiment.

<Dehumidification control method>
The air conditioner 10 executes a dehumidification control method. More specifically, the air conditioning control unit 12 of the air conditioner 10 executes the dehumidification control method in cooperation with the air conditioning storage unit 11 and the sensor 14. According to this dehumidification control method, the dehumidification operation of the ventilation device 50 of the air conditioner 10 can be more appropriately controlled.

Figure 5 is a flowchart of the dehumidification control method in embodiment 1, which includes steps S100 to S500.

In one embodiment, the air conditioning control unit 12 may perform the dehumidification function by executing steps S100 to S500 after the air conditioner 10 enters the dehumidification mode in response to a user command. In another embodiment, the air conditioning control unit 12 may automatically enter the dehumidification mode and execute steps S100 to S500 when, for example, in automatic operation mode, it determines based on information that there is a need for dehumidification.

In the dehumidification control method, first, the air conditioning control unit 12 acquires the indoor humidity and outdoor humidity of the controlled space that is the target of air conditioning control by the air conditioner 10 (step S100). For example, the air conditioning control unit 12 may acquire the indoor humidity and outdoor humidity directly from the indoor humidity sensor 14a and the outdoor humidity sensor 14b, or may read the most recently written indoor humidity and outdoor humidity from the air conditioning memory unit 11.

In this disclosure, "humidity" refers to relative humidity or absolute humidity, and may be interchanged with either relative humidity or absolute humidity. In one embodiment, the indoor humidity sensor 14a and the outdoor humidity sensor 14b are absolute humidity sensors, and the indoor absolute humidity and the outdoor absolute humidity can be obtained directly from the indoor humidity sensor 14a and the outdoor humidity sensor 14b. In one embodiment, the indoor humidity sensor 14a and the outdoor humidity sensor 14b are relative humidity sensors, and the indoor absolute humidity and the outdoor absolute humidity are obtained from the indoor humidity sensor 14a and the outdoor humidity sensor 14b. In one embodiment, the air conditioning control unit 12 can calculate the absolute humidity based on the relative humidity obtained from the indoor humidity sensor 14a and the outdoor humidity sensor 14b, as in step S250 (FIG. 7) described below.

Next, the air conditioning control unit 12 calculates the humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity (step S200). More specifically, this humidity difference is obtained by subtracting the indoor humidity from the outdoor humidity. For example, in step S100, the air conditioning control unit 12 may calculate the humidity difference by subtracting the indoor absolute humidity from the acquired outdoor absolute humidity.

The air conditioning control unit 12 determines whether the humidity difference calculated in step S200 is equal to or less than a predetermined humidity threshold (step S300). That is, the air conditioning control unit 12 determines whether the outdoor humidity is higher than the indoor humidity within a predetermined range. The humidity threshold can be set based on the amount of moisture that can be removed by the absorbent material 52 of the ventilation device 50, and is a numerical value that corresponds to the dehumidification capacity of the ventilation device 50.

The amount of moisture that can be removed by the absorbent material 52 can vary depending on the performance of the absorbent material 52 and the outdoor temperature and/or humidity. However, the dehumidification control method may use a fixed humidity threshold determined by the performance of the absorbent material 52. For example, if the humidity difference is an absolute humidity difference, the humidity threshold may be 2 g/kg (DA), 6 g/kg (DA), or 11 g/kg (DA). If the humidity difference is a relative humidity difference, the humidity threshold may be 10%, 30%, or 50%.

If it is determined that the humidity difference is equal to or less than the humidity threshold, the air conditioning control unit 12 performs compressor dehumidification and ventilation dehumidification using the ventilation device 50 (step S400). That is, if the outdoor humidity is higher than the indoor humidity within a predetermined range, i.e., if the humidity difference between the outdoors and the indoors does not exceed the dehumidification capacity of the ventilation device 50, the air conditioning control unit 12 performs ventilation dehumidification.

Compressor dehumidification is a dehumidification technology that removes moisture from indoor air by circulating a refrigerant inside the air conditioner 10, cooling the indoor air in the controlled space, and causing condensation. Compressor dehumidification is also known as compressor dehumidification, refrigeration cycle dehumidification, or weak cooling.

As mentioned above, ventilation dehumidification is a dehumidification technology that alternates between adsorption and regeneration using the absorbent material 52 of the ventilation device 50. In adsorption operation, moisture from the outdoor air is adsorbed by the absorbent material 52, and then the dried outdoor air is supplied to the controlled space, reducing the relative humidity in the controlled space. In regeneration operation, the outdoor air is heated and passed through the absorbent material 52, causing the outdoor air to absorb a large amount of moisture from the absorbent material 52 and drying the absorbent material 52.

The amount of moisture that can be removed by the absorbent material 52 is limited. In step S400, ventilation dehumidification is performed after determining that the difference in humidity between inside and outside the room does not exceed the dehumidification capacity of the ventilation device 50. Compared to performing compressor dehumidification alone, performing compressor dehumidification and ventilation dehumidification in combination allows for more powerful and efficient dehumidification.

When compressor dehumidification and ventilation dehumidification are performed in combination, these two types of dehumidification operations can be performed simultaneously. However, in step S400, compressor dehumidification and ventilation dehumidification do not have to be performed simultaneously for the entire period.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the humidity difference is greater than the humidity threshold, the air conditioning control unit 12 performs compressor dehumidification without performing ventilation dehumidification (step S500). In other words, if it is determined that the humidity difference between inside and outside the room is high and exceeds the dehumidification capacity of the ventilation device 50, the air conditioning control unit 12 does not perform ventilation dehumidification.

When the humidity difference exceeds the humidity threshold, the humidity of the outdoor air dried by the ventilation device 50 is still higher than the indoor humidity, and if it is introduced into the controlled space, it will increase the relative humidity within the controlled space. In other words, ventilation and dehumidification operation in this case is ineffective in dehumidifying the controlled space.

Furthermore, to operate the ventilation device 50, it is necessary to supply power to components such as the motor 54 that rotates the absorbent material 52, the first heater 58, the second heater 60, the first fan 62, and the second fan 66. Therefore, if it is determined that the humidity difference between inside and outside the room exceeds the dehumidification capacity of the ventilation device 50, ventilation dehumidification is not performed, thereby avoiding the consumption of energy for operations that are not beneficial to dehumidification. Therefore, the dehumidification control method, air conditioner, and program disclosed herein enable energy-efficient control of dehumidification operation.

The use of the humidity threshold will be explained in more detail below. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an example of a humidity threshold in embodiment 1. The amount of moisture that can be removed by the absorbent material 52 is expressed as an absolute humidity difference on a psychrometric chart. Note that in the example shown in Figure 6, the humidity difference used in step S300 is an absolute humidity difference.

A psychrometric chart shows the thermal state of moist air under a specific atmospheric pressure. In the psychrometric chart shown in Figure 6, the vertical axis is absolute humidity (kg/kg (DA)), the horizontal axis is dry-bulb temperature (°C), the curved axis is relative humidity (%RH), the diagonal solid axis is specific enthalpy (kcal/kg (DA)), and the diagonal dashed axis is wet-bulb temperature (°C). According to the psychrometric chart, if any two parameters among absolute humidity, relative humidity, dry-bulb humidity, wet-bulb temperature, and specific enthalpy are known, the values of the other parameters can be derived. Those skilled in the art will understand how to read, use, and create a psychrometric chart, so a detailed description will not be provided here.

As an example, the outdoor temperature and outdoor humidity of outdoor air not drawn into the ventilation device 50 are represented by the "Outdoor A" point, and the outdoor temperature and outdoor humidity of outdoor air that has passed through the ventilation device 50 and been ventilated and dehumidified are represented by the "Outdoor A'" point. The thick horizontal dotted line represents the indoor absolute humidity of the controlled space.

When outdoor air "Outdoor A" is ventilated and dehumidified, the amount of moisture that can be removed by the absorbent material 52 (i.e., the amount of moisture corresponding to the humidity threshold) is removed from the outdoor air, resulting in outdoor air "Outdoor A'". The absolute humidity of the ventilated and dehumidified outdoor air "Outdoor A'" is the result of subtracting the humidity threshold from the outdoor absolute humidity of the outdoor air "Outdoor A". Because the absolute humidity of the ventilated and dehumidified outdoor air "Outdoor A'" is lower than the indoor absolute humidity, ventilation and dehumidification is beneficial for the outdoor air "Outdoor A". In this example, in step S300, it is determined that the humidity difference between the outdoor absolute humidity of the outdoor air "Outdoor A" and the indoor absolute humidity is equal to or less than the humidity threshold. Therefore, the air conditioning control unit 12 performs compressor dehumidification and ventilation and dehumidification using the ventilation device 50 (step S400).

For outdoor air "Outdoor A," compressor dehumidification and ventilation dehumidification are performed in combination, allowing for more powerful and efficient dehumidification.

As another example, suppose the outdoor temperature, outdoor humidity, etc. of outdoor air that has not been sucked into the ventilation device 50 is represented by the "outdoor B" point, and the outdoor temperature, outdoor humidity, etc. of outdoor air that has passed through the ventilation device 50 and been ventilated and dehumidified is represented by the "outdoor B'" point.

When outdoor air "Outdoor B" is ventilated and dehumidified, the amount of moisture that can be removed by the absorbent material 52 (i.e., the amount of moisture corresponding to the humidity threshold) is similarly removed from the outdoor air, resulting in outdoor air "Outdoor B'". However, even if ventilation and dehumidification are performed, the absolute humidity of the ventilated and dehumidified outdoor air "Outdoor B'" is still higher than the indoor absolute humidity, so ventilation and dehumidification is useless for outdoor air "Outdoor B". In this example, in step S300, it is determined that the humidity difference between the outdoor absolute humidity and the indoor absolute humidity of outdoor air "Outdoor B" is greater than the humidity threshold. Therefore, the air conditioning control unit 12 does not perform ventilation and dehumidification using the ventilation device 50, but instead performs compressor dehumidification (step S500).

For outdoor air "Outdoor B," ventilation dehumidification is not performed, which avoids wasting energy on ventilation dehumidification operation that is useless for dehumidifying the controlled space. This allows dehumidification operation to be controlled in an energy-efficient manner.

The air conditioning control unit 12 of the air conditioner 10 completes the dehumidification control process by executing step S400 or step S500. In dehumidification mode, the air conditioning control unit 12 may periodically repeat steps S100 to S500. For example, the air conditioning control unit 12 executes steps S100 to S500 at regular intervals (e.g., every 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, or 30 minutes) to maintain comfort in the controlled space.

In one embodiment, the air conditioner 10 has a program used to execute the dehumidification control method described above. The program causes the air conditioner 10 to execute the dehumidification control method.

Second Embodiment
<Dehumidification control using a relative humidity sensor>
In the second embodiment, the indoor humidity sensor 14 a and the outdoor humidity sensor 14 b are relative humidity sensors. The air conditioning control unit 12 can control the dehumidifying operation of the air conditioner 10, particularly the dehumidifying operation of the ventilator 50, based on the acquired relative humidity.

As explained in embodiment 1 using the psychrometric chart of Figure 6, the amount of moisture that can be removed by the absorbent material 52 can be expressed by the absolute humidity difference. However, even for the same absolute humidity, the relative humidity changes depending on the temperature. For example, for the same absolute humidity, the relative humidity decreases as the temperature increases. Therefore, even if the same values are detected for the outdoor relative humidity and the indoor relative humidity, the difference between the outdoor absolute humidity and the indoor absolute humidity increases as the absolute value of the outdoor-indoor temperature difference increases. For this reason, it is difficult to convert the specified absolute humidity threshold into a single relative humidity threshold for use in step S300.

On the other hand, when the absolute value of the outdoor-indoor temperature difference is small, the difference between the outdoor-indoor absolute humidity difference and the outdoor-indoor relative humidity difference is kept to a certain extent, so in step S300, even if a humidity threshold expressed as a relative humidity difference is used, it is possible to determine whether the outdoor-indoor humidity difference has exceeded the dehumidification capacity of the ventilation device 50.

Below, we will explain how to calculate the humidity difference and how to use the humidity threshold when the humidity obtained in step S100 is relative humidity.

In step S200, the air conditioning control unit 12 first acquires the indoor and outdoor temperatures of the controlled space (step S210) and calculates the absolute value of the temperature difference between the outdoor temperature and the indoor temperature (step S220). The air conditioning control unit 12 then determines whether the absolute value of the temperature difference is equal to or less than a predetermined temperature threshold (step S230). The temperature threshold may be, for example, 0.5°C, 1°C, or 2°C.

As mentioned above, when the absolute value of the outdoor/indoor temperature difference is small, it is possible to determine whether the outdoor/indoor humidity difference exceeds the dehumidification capacity of the ventilation device 50 even using the relative humidity threshold. Therefore, when it is determined that the absolute value of the temperature difference is equal to or less than the temperature threshold, the air conditioning control unit 12 calculates the difference between the outdoor relative humidity and the indoor relative humidity as the humidity difference (step S240). In other words, the humidity difference calculated in step S240 is the relative humidity difference, and the humidity threshold used in step S300 is the relative humidity threshold.

To use the relative humidity threshold in step S300, multiple relative humidity thresholds corresponding to different temperatures may be set in advance based on a predetermined absolute humidity threshold. For example, for a predetermined absolute humidity threshold, a first relative humidity threshold corresponding to an indoor temperature of 24°C to 24.5°C, a second relative humidity threshold corresponding to an indoor temperature of 24.5°C to 25°C, a third relative humidity threshold corresponding to an indoor temperature of 25°C to 25.5°C, etc. may be set. The air conditioning memory unit 11 may store these multiple relative humidity thresholds. In step S300, the air conditioning control unit 12 selects a relative humidity threshold corresponding to the indoor temperature or outdoor temperature acquired in step S210. The air conditioning control unit 12 then determines whether the relative humidity difference calculated in step S240 is equal to or less than the selected relative humidity threshold. Based on this determination, the air conditioning control unit 12 determines whether ventilation dehumidification is required and controls the dehumidification operation.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the absolute value of the temperature difference is greater than the temperature threshold, then in step S300, the relative humidity threshold is not used, but the absolute humidity threshold is used. If it is determined that the absolute value of the temperature difference is greater than the temperature threshold, the air conditioning control unit 12 executes step S250 as follows. That is, the air conditioning control unit 12 calculates the indoor absolute humidity based on the indoor relative humidity and indoor temperature, and calculates the outdoor absolute humidity based on the outdoor relative humidity and outdoor temperature. The air conditioning control unit 12 then calculates the difference between the outdoor absolute humidity and the indoor absolute humidity as the humidity difference.

After calculating the absolute humidity difference in step S250, the air conditioning control unit 12 determines whether ventilation dehumidification is required and controls the dehumidification operation, as in steps S300 to S500 described in embodiment 1.

Note that the processing based on the detected relative humidity value described in step S250 can be applied to step S200 in embodiment 1.

This completes the dehumidification control process using the relative humidity sensor. The air conditioning control unit 12 can then appropriately control the dehumidification operation based on the outdoor relative humidity obtained from the relative humidity sensor.

The above are merely specific embodiments of the present disclosure, and the scope of protection of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The present disclosure includes the contents described above in the drawings and the specific embodiments described above, but the present disclosure is not limited to those contents. Various disclosed embodiments or examples can be combined without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. Modifications that do not depart from the functional and structural principles of the present disclosure are within the scope of the claims.

10 Air conditioner 11 Air conditioning memory unit 12 Air conditioning control unit 13 Air conditioning communication unit 14 Sensor 14a Indoor humidity sensor 14b Outdoor humidity sensor 14c Indoor temperature sensor 14d Outdoor temperature sensor 20 Indoor unit 22 Indoor heat exchanger 24 Fan 30 Outdoor unit 32 Outdoor heat exchanger 34 Fan 36 Compressor 38 Expansion valve 40 Four-way valve 50 Ventilator 52 Absorbent material 54 Motor 56 Ventilation duct 58 First heater 60 Second heater 62 First fan 64 Damper device 66 Second fan 70 Terminal device 72 Related application 80 Server 90 External information source A1 Indoor air A2 Outdoor air A3 Outdoor air A4 Outdoor air C1 Rotation center line P1 First flow path P2 Second flow path P1a Branch flow path P1b Branch flow path Rin Indoor Rout Outdoor

Claims (13)

A dehumidification control method for an air conditioner having a ventilation device, comprising:
acquiring indoor humidity and outdoor humidity of a control space that is a target of air conditioning control by the air conditioner;
calculating a humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity;
When it is determined that the humidity difference is equal to or less than a humidity threshold value, performing compressor dehumidification and ventilation dehumidification by the ventilation device;
Including,
Dehumidification control method. When it is determined that the humidity difference is greater than the humidity threshold value, performing compressor dehumidification without performing ventilation dehumidification;
further comprising:
The dehumidification control method according to claim 1 . The indoor humidity is the indoor absolute humidity,
The outdoor humidity is the outdoor absolute humidity,
The humidity difference is the difference between the outdoor absolute humidity and the indoor absolute humidity.
The dehumidification control method according to claim 1 or 2. The indoor humidity is the indoor relative humidity,
The outdoor humidity is the outdoor relative humidity,
The step of calculating the humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity includes:
acquiring an indoor temperature and an outdoor temperature of the controlled space;
calculating an absolute value of a temperature difference between the outdoor temperature and the indoor temperature;
When it is determined that the absolute value of the temperature difference is equal to or less than a temperature threshold value, calculating the difference between the outdoor relative humidity and the indoor relative humidity as the humidity difference;
Including,
The dehumidification control method according to claim 1 or 2. The step of calculating the humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity includes:
a step of calculating an indoor absolute humidity based on the indoor relative humidity and the indoor temperature when it is determined that the absolute value of the temperature difference is greater than the temperature threshold value, calculating an outdoor absolute humidity based on the outdoor relative humidity and the outdoor temperature, and calculating the difference between the outdoor absolute humidity and the indoor absolute humidity as the humidity difference;
further comprising:
The dehumidification control method according to claim 4. The humidity threshold is set based on the amount of moisture that can be removed by an absorbent material of the ventilation device.
The dehumidification control method according to any one of claims 1 to 5. An air conditioner,
a ventilation device configured to supply outside air to a control space that is the target of air conditioning control by the air conditioner;
An air conditioning control unit,
acquiring the indoor humidity and the outdoor humidity of the controlled space;
Calculating the humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity;
the air conditioning control unit configured to perform compressor dehumidification and ventilation dehumidification by the ventilation device when it is determined that the humidity difference is equal to or less than a humidity threshold value;
Including,
Air conditioner. The air conditioning control unit
The air conditioner is further configured to perform compressor dehumidification without performing ventilation dehumidification when it is determined that the humidity difference is greater than the humidity threshold value.
The air conditioner according to claim 7. The indoor humidity is the indoor absolute humidity,
The outdoor humidity is the outdoor absolute humidity,
The humidity difference is the difference between the outdoor absolute humidity and the indoor absolute humidity.
9. The air conditioner according to claim 7 or 8. The indoor humidity is the indoor relative humidity,
The outdoor humidity is the outdoor relative humidity,
When calculating the humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity, the air conditioning control unit:
acquiring the indoor temperature and the outdoor temperature of the control space;
Calculating the absolute value of the temperature difference between the outdoor temperature and the indoor temperature;
If it is determined that the absolute value of the temperature difference is equal to or less than a temperature threshold value, the humidity difference is calculated as a difference between the outdoor relative humidity and the indoor relative humidity.
9. The air conditioner according to claim 7 or 8. When calculating the humidity difference between the outdoor humidity and the indoor humidity, the air conditioning control unit:
When it is determined that the absolute value of the temperature difference is greater than the temperature threshold value, the method is further configured to calculate an indoor absolute humidity based on the indoor relative humidity and the indoor temperature, calculate an outdoor absolute humidity based on the outdoor relative humidity and the outdoor temperature, and calculate the difference between the outdoor absolute humidity and the indoor absolute humidity as the humidity difference.
The air conditioner according to claim 10. The humidity threshold is set based on the amount of moisture that can be removed by an absorbent material of the ventilation device.
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 7 to 11. A program that causes an air conditioner to execute the dehumidification control method described in any one of claims 1 to 6.