Patent Publication Number: US-8527097-B2

Title: Air conditioning management apparatus, air conditioning management method, air conditioning system, program, and recording medium

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an air conditioning management apparatus for operating and monitoring air conditioning equipment, an air conditioning management method, an air conditioning system, a program for causing a computer to execute them, and a recording medium to which the program is stored. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Conventionally, it has been already realized to manage an electricity rate and to perform an energy saving control by controlling an amount of used power and maximum power in a power load based on a target value set by a user. There is proposed “an electricity rate management apparatus having a means for setting a target value of an amount of power used by a power load in a predetermined period, a means for accumulating the value of an amount of power used by the power load in a unit time obtained by minutely dividing the predetermined period, a means for calculating a target value of the amount of power used in each unit time based on the target value of the amount of power used in the predetermined period and the amount of power used in each unit time, and a means for controlling the amount of power used by the power load based on the target value of the calculated amount of power used in each unit time” (refer to, for example, Patent Document 1) as a technology having an object of providing, for example, “an electricity rate management apparatus which can manage an electricity rate by setting a target value to an electricity rate, to an amount of power used by all the power loads or to CO 2  in a facility in a predetermined period such as a unit of one month or one year and controlling an amount of used power and maximum power in the electric loads based on the target”.
     Patent Document 1 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-327076 ([0006], [0009], FIG. 1.   

     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved by the Invention 
     In an air conditioning management apparatus for performing operating and monitoring air conditioning equipment, when a law and a regulation, which are one of sources of the target value set by the user, are in the course of preparation, a target to be achieved is changed according to the progress of preparation of them or the items to be measured and a method of controlling equipment, which are necessary to achieves the target, are changed. However, Patent Document 1 and any other devices cannot realize an energy saving control following to the law and the regulation which are in the course of preparation in conformity with state of society at that time. Accordingly, a problem arises in that an air conditioning management apparatus must be updated according to an updated low and regulation and an expensive cost and a large man-hour are required thereby. 
     A first object of the present invention, which was made to solve the above object, is to provide an air conditioning management apparatus, an air conditioning management method, and an air conditioning system capable of timely realizing an energy saving control, which flexibly copes with a law and a regulation in the course of preparation and with a time-sequentially changing target value of a user, at a low cost with a small man-hour, and a second object of the present invention is to provide a program for realizing the respective processes of the air conditioning management apparatus by a computer and a recording medium in which the program is stored. 
     Means for Solving the Problems 
     An air conditioning management apparatus according to the present invention has a measured value acquisition means for obtaining the measured value of at least one of the state of air conditioning equipment and an air-conditioned state, a law/regulation information acquisition means for obtaining law/regulation information through a network or by an input of a user, an equipment control means for determining a control method of the air conditioning equipment for realizing energy saving based on the measured value and the law/regulation information and controlling the air conditioning equipment, an adding/changing means for measured value acquisition means for adding/changing a subject to be measured and a measurement method of the measured value acquisition means through the network or by an input of the user, and an adding/changing means for equipment control means for adding/changing a determination method of an air conditioning equipment control method of the equipment control means and a method of executing the control of the air conditioning equipment through the network or by an input of the user. 
     Advantages of the Invention 
     According to the air conditioning management apparatus of the present invention, there are provided the measured value acquisition means, the law/regulation information acquisition means, the equipment control means, the adding/changing means for measured value acquisition means, and the adding/changing means for equipment control means. As a result, since a subject to be measured and a measurement method can be changed and an equipment control method can be changed while flexibly coping with, for example, a law and a regulation which are in the course of preparation and are updated as necessary and with the target value set by a user, an energy saving control can be realized at a low cost with a small man-hour. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view showing an example of a schematic arrangement of an air conditioning management apparatus according to an embodiment 1 of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a view showing a schematic arrangement of an air conditioning management apparatus according to a modification of the embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 3  is a view showing a schematic arrangement of an air conditioning management apparatus according to a modification of the embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 4  is a view showing a schematic arrangement of an air conditioning management apparatus according to acquisition modification of the embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 5  is a view showing a schematic arrangement of an air conditioning management apparatus according to a modification of the embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 6  is a view showing a schematic arrangement of an air conditioning management apparatus according to a modification of the embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 7  is a view showing a schematic arrangement of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment 2 of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for generating a warning based on a prediction of aged deterioration of the air conditioning system according to the embodiment 2. 
     
    
    
     EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       100  air conditioning management apparatus,  101  law/regulation information acquisition means,  102  measured value acquisition means,  103  adding/changing means for measured value acquisition means,  104  equipment control means,  105  adding/changing means for equipment control means,  106  server,  107  setting device,  108  external network,  109  air conditioner,  110  advice presentation means,  111  adding/changing means for advice presentation means,  112  selection means,  113  target value setting means,  700  air conditioning management apparatus,  701  outdoor unit,  702  indoor unit A,  706  area A 
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Embodiment 1 
       FIG. 1  shows an example of a schematic arrangement of an air conditioning management apparatus according to an embodiment 1 of the present invention. The air conditioning management apparatus  100  has a law/regulation information acquisition means  101 , a measured value acquisition means  102 , an adding/changing means for measured value acquisition means  103 , an equipment control means  104 , and an adding/changing means for equipment control means  105 , and these means are realized by, for example, a microcomputer, a memory, and a software program executed on the memory. This is the same in modifications of the embodiment described later. 
     The law/regulation information acquisition means  101  is connected to an external network  108  such as the Internet and the like and obtains law/regulation information from a server  106  through the external network  108 . When a user sets, for example, URL of the server  106 , in which target information exists, and acquisition intervals of the target information to the law/regulation information acquisition means  101  by a setting device  107  connected to the external network  108 , the law/regulation information acquisition means  101  obtains law/regulation information from the predetermined server  106  at predetermined time intervals (for example, once a month and the like) according to the setting, analyzes provisions, and extracts a control target value. Methods of, for example, syntax analysis, keyword detection, extraction of numerical values from fixed phrases, and the like can be used to analyze the provisions. 
     A subject to be measured and a measurement method of the measured value acquisition means  102  are set by the adding/changing means for the measured value acquisition means  103 . The adding/changing means for the measured value acquisition means  103  is connected to the external network  108 , and the user can set the subject to be measured and the measurement method by the setting device  107 . The measured value acquisition means  102  measures the state of air conditioning equipment and an air conditioned state, for example, a room temperature, an outside air temperature, an indoor humidity, an outdoor humidity, power consumption (instant power, an amount of power consumption, trends thereof, and the like), a COP value, an amount of leaked refrigerant, and the like according to the set subject to be measured and the set measurement method. 
     The equipment control means  104  determines a method of controlling the air conditioning equipment based on the information such as a control target value, a measured value, and the like obtained from the law/regulation information acquisition means  101  and the measured value acquisition means  102  and executes an actual control. When there is a control target value for keeping, for example, “a state that a room temperature is 4° C. lower than an outside air temperature in an cooling operation”, a control is executed such that when a result of measurement of a present outside air temperature is 33° C. and a result of measurement of a room temperature is 32° C., the cooling operation is performed more intensely, when a result of measurement of the room temperature is 30° C., the cooling operation is performed less intensely, and thereafter the cooling operation is kept until the room temperature gradually falls to 29° C. and turned off once when the room temperature falls to 28° C. or less, and a similar cooling operation is performed when the room temperature rises again. The equipment control means  104  stores a plurality of options for selecting “modes for controlling the air conditioning equipment such as a mode for performing a cooling operation more intensely, a mode for performing a cooling operation less intensely, and the like, and a plurality of control algorithms are also set as a superordinate concept of the options to determine that a control is to be performed using what option under what condition. When the respective control algorithms are executed, necessary measured values are obtained, a control method is selected referring to conditions, and an air conditioner  109  is actually controlled using an air conditioning equipment control command necessary to the control. The method (control algorithm) of determining how air conditioning equipment is controlled from a control a target value and a measured value and the method of executing an actual control (air conditioning equipment control command) ad described above can be optionally added and changed making use of the adding/changing means for equipment control means  105  in addition to that these methods are previously mounted on an air conditioning management apparatus when it is shipped. Information as to addition and change can be set to the adding/changing means for equipment control means  105  by the setting device  107  also in this case. 
     Note that, in the explanation of the embodiment, a mode, in which the law/regulation information acquisition means  101  is connected to the external network  108  and information is obtained from the server  106 , is exemplified. However, the server  106  may be ordinarily a server to which laws and the like are inserted or may be a dedicated server prepared for the air conditioning management apparatus  100 . Further, law/regulation information may be directly set by the setting device  107  without through the external network  108 , or a main body of the air conditioning management apparatus  100  may be provided with a means through which the user can directly input necessary information. Further, the case that the setting device  107  is connected through the external network  108  typically represented by the Internet is exemplified as a method of connecting it. However, a serial, parallel or other dedicated communication connecting port may be disposed to a main body of an air conditioning management apparatus  100  and the setting device  107  may be connected through the communication connecting port or a means may be disposed to the main body of the air conditioning management apparatus  100  so that the user can directly make an input to the means. Further, subjects to be measured, a measurement method, a control method, and the like, which are required by the law/regulation information acquisition means  101 , may be automatically set or selected from options by causing the law/regulation information acquisition means  101 , the adding/changing means for measured value acquisition means  103 , and the adding/changing means for equipment control means  105  to associate with each other. Further, as to the adding/changing means for measured value acquisition means  103  and the adding/changing means for equipment control means  105 , the user may directly make an input without through the external network  108  likewise the law/regulation information acquisition means  101 . This is also the same as to an adding/changing means for advice presentation means  111  (refer to  FIG. 2 ) and a target value setting means  113  (refer to  FIG. 4 ). 
     Further, the air conditioning management apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the arrangement of the air conditioning management apparatus of  FIG. 1 , and various modifications are considered. These modifications will be explained in  FIGS. 2 to 6  to be described later. 
       FIG. 2  is a view showing a schematic arrangement of a modification ( 1 ) of the air conditioning management apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
     The air conditioning management apparatus  100  has an advice presentation means  110  and an adding/changing means for advice presentation means  111  in place of the equipment control means  104  and the adding/changing means for equipment control means  105  of  FIG. 1 . Accordingly, the air conditioning management apparatus  100  does not control an air conditioner from the information of the law/regulation information acquisition means  101  and the measured value acquisition means  102  but presents an advice as to the operation of the air conditioner by the advice presentation means  110 . When, for example, a law itself is in the course of preparation and information for controlling equipment is not sufficiently gathered because a means for obtaining a measured value is not matured yet, it is one method to present an advice as shown in  FIG. 2 . The user, who obtains the advice, can realize energy saving by performing an operation according to the advice. As a method of presenting the advice, a display device may be mounted on a main body of the air conditioning management apparatus  100  and the advice may be shown thereby or the advice may be received by other equipment (for example, a setting device and the like) through a network. Further, an advice contents creation method as to what type of an advice to be presented in what type of a state and an advice presentation method as to where and how an advice to be presented can be optionally added and changed making use of the adding/changing means for advice presentation means  111 . Information as to addition and change can be set to the adding/changing means for advice presentation means  111  by the setting device  107  and the like also in this case. 
       FIG. 3  is a view showing a schematic arrangement of a modification ( 2 ) of the air conditioning management apparatuses of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     An air conditioning management apparatus  100  can selectively use the equipment control means  104  of  FIG. 1  and the advice presentation means  110  of  FIG. 2  or can use both of them. The air conditioning management apparatus  100  has the equipment control means  104  and the adding/changing means for equipment control means  105  of  FIG. 1  and the advice presentation means  110  and the adding/changing means for advice presentation means  111  of  FIG. 2 . The air conditioning management apparatus  100  further has an selection means  112  for determining whether any one or both of the equipment control means  104  and the advice presentation means  110  are used from the state of preparation of a law and a regulation, the state of preparation of a means for measurement, and the like. As a selection method performed by the selection means  112 , there are contemplated a method of using the equipment control means  104  when all the measured values, which are required by a control algorithm, are prepared as shown in, for example, the above example, a method of using the advice presentation means  110  when all the measured values are not prepared, and the like. As described above, any one of the equipment control means  104  and the advice presentation means  110  may be used or both of them may be used at the same time. When both of them are used at the same time, an advice can be also obtained while controlling an air conditioner  109 . 
       FIG. 4  is a view showing a schematic arrangement of a modification ( 3 ) of the air conditioning management apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
     The air conditioning management apparatus  100  has a target value setting means  113  in place of the law/regulation information acquisition means  101  of  FIG. 1 . A user can directly set a target value to the target value setting means  113  making use of a setting device  107  or a user input means (not shown) disposed to a main body of the air conditioning management apparatus  100  likewise the case of the law/regulation information acquisition means  101 . The other operations are the same as those of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  is a view showing a schematic arrangement of a modification ( 4 ) of the air conditioning management apparatus of  FIG. 4 . 
     The air conditioning management apparatus  100  has an advice presentation means  110  and an adding/changing means for advice presentation means  111  in place of the equipment control means  104  and the adding/changing means for equipment control means  105  of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is a view showing a schematic arrangement of a modification ( 5 ) of the air conditioning management apparatuses of  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     The air conditioning management apparatus  100  can selectively use any one or both of the equipment control means  104  of  FIG. 4  and the advice presentation means  110  of  FIG. 5 . The air conditioning management apparatus  100  has the equipment control means  104  and the adding/changing means for equipment control means  105  of  FIG. 4  and the advice presentation means  110  and the adding/changing means for advice presentation means  111  of  FIG. 5 . The air conditioning management apparatus  100  further has a selection means  112  for using any one or both of the equipment control means  104  and the advice presentation means  110 . 
     The operations of the air conditioning management apparatuses of  FIGS. 5 and 6  correspond to those of the air conditioning management apparatuses of  FIGS. 2 and 3  except a target value setting operation making use of the target value setting means  113 . In the air conditioning management apparatuses of  FIGS. 5 and 6 , an equipment control is performed or an advice is presented to realize a target value set by a user. 
     Incidentally, when the various setting means (law/regulation information acquisition means  101 , target value setting means  113 ) and the adding/changing means (adding/changing means for measured value acquisition means  103 , adding/changing means for equipment control means  105 , adding/changing means for advice presentation means  111 ) can be freely used by any user, caution must be paid to a danger in that a malicious user makes an addition and a change which are inconvenient to an apparatus and a system. To cope with the above circumstance, it must be confirmed using a function of user authentication and the like that whether a user is authorized to make use of, for example, various setting, adding, and changing means before the user uses them. 
     As described above, according to the air conditioning management apparatuses of the embodiment, a subject to be measured, a measurement method, an equipment control method, an advice method, and the like can be appropriately changed in consideration of a law and a regulation which are in the course of preparation and a target value set by a user with flexibility. As a result, a energy saving control can be realized by at a low cost in a smaller man-hour. 
     Embodiment 2 
       FIG. 7  shows an example of a schematic arrangement of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment 2 of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  schematically illustrates how an air conditioning management apparatus  700 , an air conditioner outdoor unit  701 , air conditioner indoor units  702  to  705  are installed and connected on a floor  710  in a building in which an air conditioner is installed. Further, it is assumed that the air conditioner outdoor unit is simply referred to as an outdoor unit, the air conditioner indoor unit is referred to as an indoor unit, and the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are generically referred to as an air conditioner, respectively. The air conditioning management apparatus  700  is connected to the outdoor unit  701  and the indoor units  702  to  705  of the air conditioner. As shown in the example of the drawing, a plurality of indoor units are ordinarily connected to one outdoor unit in this type of an air conditioning system. Note that it is assumed that the air conditioning management apparatus  700  is composed of the air conditioning management apparatus  100  described in any of  FIGS. 1 to 6 . 
     The air conditioning management apparatus  700  controls the operations of the outdoor unit  701  and the indoor units A  702  to D  705 , and a room is entirely cooled by that these operations are affected each other. In the above operations, it is assumed that a space region, which is most strongly affected by the indoor unit A  702  is called an area A  706 , a space region, which is most strongly affected by the indoor unit B  703  is called an area B  707 , a space region, which is most strongly affected by the indoor unit C  704  is called an area C  708 , and a space region, which is most strongly affected by the indoor unit D  705  is called an area D  709 . Here, it is assumed that an equipment control means  104  of the air conditioning management apparatus  700  performs a thermo OFF control to each of the outdoor unit  701  and the indoor units A  702  to D  705 . When a target value is instructed by a law, a regulation, and the like or when a target value is set by a user to energy saving of, for example, 6%, 8%, a thermo OFF is changed by a unit of, for example, 1% from 0% to 100% and adjusted while it is being measured. When it is required to reduce, for example, an amount of power consumption as the contents of “energy saving”, the amount of power consumption is measured by a measured value acquisition means  102  while performing the thermo OFF control, and a control is performed so that the amount of power consumption is lowered to a required level. When the thermo OFF is controlled in a minute unit as in the example in addition to that it is controlled only to 0% or 100%, an appropriate control can be realized so that the target value is achieved and comfortability is not sacrificed by an excessive control beyond the target. 
     Further, when the thermo OFF control is performed on the outdoor unit  701  side, a communication traffic for controlling the air conditioner can be more suppressed while keeping a uniform air-conditioned state of target spaces. When the control is performed on the outdoor unit  701  side, since the same advantage as that all the indoor units  702  to  705  connected to the outdoor unit  701  are subjected to the same control, a uniform air-conditioned state can be kept to the target spaces. However, when the control is performed on the indoor units A  702  to D  705  side, there is a possibility that the uniform air-conditioned state cannot be kept unless the respective target spaces are subjected to the same control by all the indoor units A  702  to D  705  which perform air conditioning of the target spaces. When it is assumed, for example, that only the indoor unit A 702  is subjected to a 50% thermo OFF control and the other indoor units are not subjected to the thermo OFF control, there is a possibility that “a feeling of somehow hot” occurs in the vicinity of the area A  706 , which is the space region most strongly affected by the indoor unit A  702  when the vicinity of the area A  706  is compared with the periphery of the area A  706  (when cooling is performed). Although it is necessary to individually supply control commands to the respective indoor units and to perform the same control thereto to prevent occurrence of the above circumstance, the communication traffic is increased to control the air conditioner. However, when the control is performed on the outdoor unit  701  side, since it is sufficient to supply a control command only to the outdoor unit  701 , the communication traffic can be more suppressed than the case in which the control commands are supplied to the individual indoor units A  702  to B  705 . 
     The control for performing thermo OFF and thermo ON starts and stops a compressor depending on a method of performing the control. As a result, since a load is applied to the outdoor unit, reliability is deteriorated and a life of equipment is shortened. Accordingly, it is effective to perform the thermo OFF control in such a manner that when an operation is started once, at least one indoor unit is placed in a slightly operating state so that the outdoor unit is not placed in a 100% thermo OFF state in place that all the indoor units are stopped and the outdoor unit is placed in the 100% thermo OFF state. With this operation, the life of air conditioning equipment can be prolonged by suppressing aged deterioration thereof. 
     Further, the reliability of the outdoor unit is deteriorated and the life thereof is shortened by the thermo OFF/thermo ON control as described above. Thus, when the number of times of control is counted and stored and the counted number exceeds a predetermined number, warning is issued to show that deterioration of the air conditioner is predicted and that it is recommended to request a service of a maker to check the air conditioner. This will be explained in detail using  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 8  shows an example of a procedure for issuing warning based on a prediction of aged deterioration of the air conditioning management apparatus according to the embodiment 2. As shown in  FIG. 8 , for example, both the number of times of thermo ON and the number of times of thermo OFF are stored as 0 in a shipping state (step  801 ), and each time a thermo ON control or a thermo OFF control is performed after an operation is started (step  802 ), the numbers of times of the respective controls are counted up and stored (step  803 ). It is determined whether or not the number of times of the thermo ON or the thermo OFF exceeds the predetermined number of times during the operation (step  804 ), and when it does not exceed the predetermined number of times, nothing is particularly performed, whereas when it exceeds the predetermined number of times, warning is issued (step  805 ). When the warning is issued, the air conditioner is checked by, for example, the service of the maker and maintenance is performed thereto. When deteriorated parts are replaced, the number of times of the thermo ON or the thermo OFF is reset to 0 likewise the shipping state, and a sequence from the start of operation of  FIG. 8  (step  802 ) is performed again. As a result of the check, when no parts are replaced and old parts are continuously used, a predetermined number of times of the thermo ON or the thermo OFF is set again to issue warning next time, and the sequence from the start of operation of  FIG. 8  (step  802 ) is also performed. The warning may be displayed on a display device mounted on a main body of the air conditioning management apparatus  700  or may be received by other equipment (for example, setting device and the like) through a network. Further, information for requesting a check may be directly transmitted to the service of the maker through the network. With this arrangement, a failure or an accident due to aged deterioration can be prevented before it occurs. 
     As a control method of saving energy of equipment, a COP value (score coefficient=refrigeration capability (kW)/output (kW) of motor for driving compressor) can be also used. For example, the COP value measured and calculated by the outdoor unit  701  is obtained and stored by the measured value acquisition means  102  of the air conditioning management apparatus  700  whenever it is necessary. The equipment control means  104  monitors the COP value, and the number of revolutions of a compressor is stored when the COP value is maximized. Thereafter, when air conditioner is controlled so that the number of revolutions is set to an upper limit number of revolutions, the air conditioner is prevented from being inefficiently operated by uselessly consuming power, thereby energy saving can be realized. Since the timing at which the COP value is maximized is varied depending on the number of indoor units subjected to the thermo ON and the characteristics of a space in which they are installed, it is effective to perform the dynamic control accompanied with the measurement. 
     As described above, according to the air conditioning management apparatus of the embodiment, since the thermo ON and thermo OFF controls are performed minutely, an air conditioning control for achieving a target of energy saving and the like can be realized while keeping air conditioning comfortability and suppressing a communication traffic. The life of equipment can be prolonged and a failure and an accident due to aged deterioration can be prevented before they occur. Further, an energy saving operation can be realized by obtaining and using the COP value. 
     The air conditioning management apparatus has been mainly explained up to now, this is the same as to an air conditioning system composed of at least one set of an air conditioning management apparatus and an at least one system of air conditioners connected to the air conditioning management apparatus as shown also in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  4 ,  6 , and  7 . Further, this is the same as to an air conditioning management method for realizing the air conditioning management apparatus and the air conditioning system. The functions of the air conditioning system and the air conditioning management method are realized by a microcomputer, a memory, and a software program and data stored to the memory and executed likewise the air conditioning management apparatus. The software program is installed on the air conditioning management apparatus  700  through, for example, The Internet or stored in a recording medium and directly installed to the air conditioning management apparatus  700  therefrom.