Patent Description:
For example, in cases where an air conditioner is installed in a large construction such as a building, if a pipe length of a refrigerant circuit is too long, a refrigerant becomes insufficient, so that an additional refrigerant is occasionally supplied to the refrigerant circuit. It is conceivable in such a case that when a service engineer recovers the refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit and sends the refrigerant to an outdoor unit, he or she will fail to send all the refrigerant to the outdoor unit. Hence, Patent Literature <NUM> discloses an air conditioner having the following configuration. During a refrigerant recovery operation of sending a recovered refrigerant to a heat exchanger and an accumulator of an outdoor unit, when both the heat exchanger and the accumulator become full of the refrigerant, the air conditioner stops the refrigerant recovery operation.

PATENT LITERATURE <NUM>: <CIT> Patent Literature <NUM>: <CIT>.

According to the air conditioner disclosed in Patent Literature <NUM>, when the outdoor unit becomes full of the refrigerant and the refrigerant recovery operation stops, so that all the recovered refrigerant cannot be sent to the outdoor unit, then, a service engineer attaches a recovery container to the refrigerant circuit independently of the outdoor unit to send the remaining recovered refrigerant to the recovery container. However, the service engineer occasionally leaves the site in order to, for example, conduct another work or go to another site during the refrigerant recovery operation. Therefore, if the refrigerant recovery operation stops since the outdoor unit becomes full of the refrigerant while the service engineer leaves the site, a situation occurs in which the remaining recovered refrigerant is not sent to the recovery container thereafter. In this case, the service engineer comes to know that the outdoor unit becomes full of the refrigerant, after returning to the site. Consequently, the service engineer, who has returned to the site, needs to attach the recovery container to the refrigerant circuit so as to restart the refrigerant recovery operation, which may result in poor workability. Patent Literature <NUM> discloses an air-conditioning management system and a refrigerant recovery management apparatus according to the preamble of claim <NUM> and claim <NUM>, respectively.

An object of the present invention is to provide an air-conditioning management system and a refrigerant recovery management apparatus each capable of improving workability in recovering a refrigerant.

In the air-conditioning management system configured as described above, a service engineer receives a notification based on the notification command from the control unit, thereby coming to know that all the refrigerant recovered from the refrigerant circuit is not sendable to the recovery unit of the outdoor unit before the start of the refrigerant recovery operation. With this configuration, the service engineer is able to recognize that he or she needs to previously attach a recovery container to the refrigerant circuit independently of the recovery unit or needs to return to the site for attaching the recovery container after leaving the site once. The service engineer is therefore able to conduct another work while scheduling this attaching work or is able to return to the site after receiving the notification and then attach the recovery container, which may improve workability in recovering the refrigerant.

(<NUM>) Preferably, the air-conditioning management system further includes a refrigerant recovery management apparatus communicably connected to the air conditioning apparatus, and
the refrigerant recovery management apparatus includes the control unit.

(<NUM>) Preferably, the air-conditioning management system further includes a storage unit storing refrigerant information indicating whether a refrigerant is additionally supplied to the refrigerant circuit, and
the control unit makes the determination, based on the refrigerant information stored in the storage unit.

With this configuration, the control unit is capable of determining that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery unit when the refrigerant information indicates that a refrigerant is additionally supplied to the refrigerant circuit. The control unit is therefore capable of easily making the determination whether all the recovered refrigerant is sendable to the recovery unit.

(<NUM>) The air-conditioning management system may further include a storage unit storing pipe information indicating a total pipe length of the refrigerant circuit, and
the control unit may make the determination, based on the pipe information stored in the storage unit.

With this configuration, the control unit is capable of determining that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery unit when the pipe information indicates that the total pipe length of the refrigerant circuit has a value larger than a threshold value. The control unit is therefore capable of easily making the determination whether all the recovered refrigerant is sendable to the recovery unit.

(<NUM>) Preferably, when the control unit determines that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery unit, the control unit determines whether a recovery container capable of recovering the refrigerant is attached to the refrigerant circuit independently of the recovery unit, and when the control unit determines that the recovery container is attached to the refrigerant circuit, the control unit outputs a command for starting the refrigerant recovery operation.

With this configuration, the refrigerant recovery operation is started as long as the recovery container capable of recovering the refrigerant is attached to the refrigerant circuit independently of the recovery unit even when all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery unit. The service engineer is thus able to conduct another work or to go to another site until the refrigerant recovery has been completed, which may further improve workability in recovering the refrigerant.

(<NUM>) Preferably, the control unit outputs to the air conditioning apparatus a command for starting the refrigerant recovery operation, the control unit determines whether the recovery unit becomes full of the refrigerant, after outputting the command, and when the control unit determines that the recovery unit becomes full of the refrigerant, the control unit outputs a command for notifying that the recovery unit becomes full of the refrigerant.

With this configuration, for example, the service engineer conducting another work at the site during the refrigerant recovery operation is able to promptly grasp that the recovery unit has become full of the refrigerant, by receiving the notification based on the notification command from the control unit. The service engineer is therefore able to promptly attach the recovery container for recovering the remaining refrigerant to the refrigerant circuit, which may further improve workability in recovering the refrigerant.

(<NUM>) In the air-conditioning management system, preferably, the control unit outputs to the air conditioning apparatus a command for starting the refrigerant recovery operation, the control unit determines whether the recovery unit becomes full of the refrigerant, after outputting the command, and when the control unit determines that the recovery unit becomes full of the refrigerant, the control unit outputs to the air conditioning apparatus a command for stopping the refrigerant recovery operation.

With this configuration, for example, even in the case where the service engineer conducts work at another site during the refrigerant recovery operation, the refrigerant recovery operation may stop when the recovery unit becomes full of the refrigerant. The service engineer thus does not need to return to the site in order to stop the refrigerant recovery operation, which may further improve workability in recovering the refrigerant.

(<NUM>) A refrigerant recovery management apparatus according to the present invention is defined in claim <NUM> and is communicably connected to an air conditioning apparatus configured to carry out a refrigerant recovery operation of recovering a refrigerant from a refrigerant circuit that connects an outdoor unit and an indoor unit and sending the recovered refrigerant to a recovery unit of the outdoor unit.

The refrigerant recovery management apparatus includes a control unit configured to make a determination whether all the recovered refrigerant is sendable to the recovery unit before a start of the refrigerant recovery operation by the air conditioning apparatus, and to output, when determining that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery unit, a command for notifying the determination.

In the refrigerant recovery management apparatus configured as described above, the service engineer receives a notification based on the notification command from the refrigerant recovery management apparatus, thereby coming to know that all the refrigerant recovered from the refrigerant circuit is not sendable to the recovery unit of the outdoor unit before the start of the refrigerant recovery operation. With this configuration, the service engineer is able to recognize that he or she needs to previously attach the recovery container to the refrigerant circuit independently of the recovery unit or needs to return to the site for attaching the recovery container after leaving the site once. The service engineer is therefore able to conduct another work while scheduling this attaching work or is able to return to the site after receiving the notification and then attach the recovery container, which may improve workability in recovering the refrigerant.

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<FIG> is a schematic configuration diagram of an air-conditioning management system according to an embodiment. An air-conditioning management system <NUM> includes an air conditioning apparatus <NUM> and a management apparatus <NUM>. The air conditioning apparatus <NUM> and the management apparatus <NUM> are communicably connected via a network <NUM>.

<FIG> is a schematic configuration diagram of the air conditioning apparatus <NUM> according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The air conditioning apparatus <NUM> is configured to cool and heat the interiors of rooms in a large construction such as a building, by a vapor compression refrigeration cycle. The air conditioning apparatus <NUM> includes an outdoor unit <NUM>, a plurality of indoor units <NUM> (four indoor units <NUM> herein) connected in parallel, a liquid-refrigerant connection pipe <NUM>, a gas-refrigerant connection pipe <NUM>, and an air-conditioning controller <NUM> (see also <FIG>). The air conditioning apparatus <NUM> may also include an intermediate unit that switches a flow of a refrigerant between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM>. In this case, the intermediate unit may be installed outside a building or may be installed in, for example, a machine chamber in the building.

In the air conditioning apparatus <NUM>, the outdoor unit <NUM> and the indoor units <NUM> are connected via the liquid-refrigerant connection pipe <NUM> and the gas-refrigerant connection pipe <NUM> to constitute a vapor compression refrigerant circuit <NUM>. The refrigerant circuit <NUM> is filled with a refrigerant such as R32, CO<NUM>, or HFO-based refrigerant.

The outdoor unit <NUM> is installed outside the building and constitutes a part of the refrigerant circuit <NUM>. The outdoor unit <NUM> includes a compressor <NUM>, an outdoor heat exchanger <NUM>, a four-way switching valve <NUM>, an outdoor fan <NUM>, an outdoor expansion valve <NUM>, an accumulator <NUM>, a liquid-side shutoff valve <NUM>, and a gas-side shutoff valve <NUM>. These components <NUM> to <NUM> as well as the valves <NUM> and <NUM> are connected with refrigerant pipes <NUM> to <NUM>.

The compressor <NUM> is capable of changing the operating number of rotations of a motor (not illustrated) incorporated therein, by inverter control. The outdoor heat exchanger <NUM> is, for example, a cross-fin-and-tube heat exchanger to be used for heat exchange with the refrigerant, using air serving as a heat source.

The outdoor fan <NUM> includes a motor (not illustrated) of which the operating number of rotations is adjustable by inverter control. The outdoor fan <NUM> takes in outside air and provides the air into the outdoor unit <NUM>. After the outdoor heat exchanger <NUM> exchanges heat with the air, the outdoor fan <NUM> blows the air out of the outdoor unit <NUM>.

The four-way switching valve <NUM> reverses the flow of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit <NUM> to switch between the supply of the refrigerant from the compressor <NUM> to the outdoor heat exchanger <NUM> and the supply of the refrigerant from the compressor <NUM> to each indoor heat exchanger <NUM> (to be described later). The accumulator <NUM> temporarily stores the refrigerant to be sucked into the compressor <NUM>. Each of the liquid-side shutoff valve <NUM> and the gas-side shutoff valve <NUM> is an electric valve. The operations of the compressor <NUM>, four-way switching valve <NUM>, outdoor fan <NUM>, outdoor expansion valve <NUM>, liquid-side shutoff valve <NUM>, and gas-side shutoff valve <NUM> are controlled by an outdoor control unit <NUM> to be described later.

The outdoor unit <NUM> also includes a discharge pressure sensor <NUM>, a discharge temperature sensor <NUM>, a suction pressure sensor <NUM>, and a suction temperature sensor <NUM>.

The discharge pressure sensor <NUM> detects a pressure of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor <NUM>. The discharge temperature sensor <NUM> detects a temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor <NUM>. The suction pressure sensor <NUM> detects a pressure of the refrigerant to be sucked into the compressor <NUM>. The suction temperature sensor <NUM> detects a temperature of the refrigerant to be sucked into the compressor <NUM>.

Signals detected by the various sensors <NUM> to <NUM> are input to the outdoor control unit <NUM> (see <FIG>). The operations of the compressor <NUM>, outdoor fan <NUM>, and outdoor expansion valve <NUM> are controlled by the outdoor control unit <NUM> in accordance with the outputs from the various sensors <NUM> to <NUM>.

Each indoor unit <NUM> is installed inside the building and constitutes a part of the refrigerant circuit <NUM>. The indoor unit <NUM> includes an indoor expansion valve <NUM>, the indoor heat exchanger <NUM>, and an indoor fan <NUM>.

The indoor expansion valve <NUM> is an electric expansion valve capable of adjusting a pressure of the refrigerant and a flow rate of the refrigerant. The indoor heat exchanger <NUM> is, for example, a cross-fin-and-tube heat exchanger to be used for heat exchange with indoor air.

The indoor fan <NUM> includes a motor (not illustrated) of which the operating number of rotations is adjustable by inverter control. The indoor fan <NUM> takes in indoor air and provides the air into the indoor unit <NUM>. After the indoor heat exchanger <NUM> exchanges heat with the air, the indoor fan <NUM> blows out the air toward the room. The operations of the indoor expansion valve <NUM> and indoor fan <NUM> are controlled by an indoor control unit <NUM> to be described later.

The liquid-refrigerant connection pipe <NUM> has a first end connected to the liquid-side shutoff valve <NUM> of the outdoor unit <NUM> and a second end connected to a liquid-side end of the indoor expansion valve <NUM> of the indoor unit <NUM>. The gas-refrigerant connection pipe <NUM> has a first end connected to the gas-side shutoff valve <NUM> of the outdoor unit <NUM> and a second end connected to a gas-side end of the indoor heat exchanger <NUM> of the indoor unit <NUM>.

The air conditioning apparatus <NUM> carries out a cooling operation, a heating operation, and a refrigerant recovery operation.

During the cooling operation, the outdoor heat exchanger <NUM> serves as an evaporator and each indoor heat exchanger <NUM> serves as a condenser. Specifically, the four-way switching valve <NUM> is switched to an outdoor heat radiation state (a state indicated by a solid line in <FIG>), the liquid-side shutoff valve <NUM> and the gas-side shutoff valve <NUM> are opened, and the compressor <NUM>, the outdoor fan <NUM>, and each indoor fan <NUM> are driven.

The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor <NUM> passes through the four-way switching valve <NUM>, the outdoor heat exchanger <NUM>, the outdoor expansion valve <NUM>, and the liquid-side shutoff valve <NUM>, and then flows out of the outdoor unit <NUM>. After the refrigerant flows out of the outdoor unit <NUM>, the refrigerant passes through the liquid-refrigerant connection pipe <NUM> and then flows into the plurality of indoor units <NUM> while being branched. The refrigerants thus branched pass through the indoor expansion valves <NUM> and indoor heat exchangers <NUM> of the respective indoor units <NUM>. The refrigerants are then merged into one to pass through the gas-refrigerant connection pipe <NUM>. The merged refrigerant then flows into the outdoor unit <NUM>. Thereafter, the refrigerant passes through the gas-side shutoff valve <NUM>, the four-way switching valve <NUM>, and the accumulator <NUM> and then is sucked into the compressor <NUM>.

During the heating operation, the outdoor heat exchanger <NUM> serves as a condenser and each indoor heat exchanger <NUM> serves as an evaporator. Specifically, the four-way switching valve <NUM> is switched to an outdoor evaporation state (a state indicated by a broken line in <FIG>), the liquid-side shutoff valve <NUM> and the gas-side shutoff valve <NUM> are opened, and the compressor <NUM>, the outdoor fan <NUM>, and each indoor fan <NUM> are driven.

The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor <NUM> passes through the four-way switching valve <NUM> and the gas-side shutoff valve <NUM>, and then flows out of the outdoor unit <NUM>. After the refrigerant flows out of the outdoor unit <NUM>, the refrigerant passes through the gas-refrigerant connection pipe <NUM> and then flows into the plurality of indoor units <NUM> while being branched. The refrigerants thus branched pass through the indoor heat exchangers <NUM> and indoor expansion valves <NUM> of the respective indoor units <NUM>. The refrigerants are then merged into one to pass through the liquid-refrigerant connection pipe <NUM>. The merged refrigerant then flows into the outdoor unit <NUM>. Thereafter, the refrigerant passes through the liquid-side shutoff valve <NUM>, the outdoor expansion valve <NUM>, the outdoor heat exchanger <NUM>, the four-way switching valve <NUM>, and the accumulator <NUM> and then is sucked into the compressor <NUM>.

The refrigerant recovery operation is carried out in recovering the refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit <NUM> and then sending the recovered refrigerant to the outdoor unit <NUM>. During the refrigerant recovery operation, the outdoor heat exchanger <NUM> and accumulator <NUM> of the outdoor unit <NUM> each function as a recovery unit that recovers the refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit <NUM>. The "recovery unit" that recovers the refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit <NUM> is a default component of the outdoor unit <NUM> and does not include a recovery container <NUM> to be described later. In the following description, the outdoor heat exchanger <NUM> and the accumulator <NUM> will also be referred to as the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>.

During the refrigerant recovery operation, the four-way switching valve <NUM> is switched to the outdoor heat radiation state similarly to the cooling operation, the liquid-side shutoff valve <NUM> is closed, and the gas-side shutoff valve <NUM> is opened. Then, the compressor <NUM>, the outdoor fan <NUM>, and each indoor fan <NUM> are driven.

When the compressor <NUM> is driven, the refrigerant retained in the refrigerant pipe <NUM>, liquid-refrigerant connection pipe <NUM>, indoor expansion valves <NUM>, indoor heat exchangers <NUM>, and gas-refrigerant connection pipe <NUM> of the refrigerant circuit <NUM> passes through the gas-side shutoff valve <NUM> and the four-way switching valve <NUM> and then flows into the accumulator <NUM>. With regard to the refrigerant flowing into the accumulator <NUM>, the liquid refrigerant is retained in the accumulator <NUM> while the gas refrigerant is sucked into the compressor <NUM>. The gas refrigerant sucked into the compressor <NUM> then flows into the outdoor heat exchanger <NUM> via the four-way switching valve <NUM>. When the gas refrigerant flows into the outdoor heat exchanger <NUM>, then the gas refrigerant flows toward the liquid-side shutoff valve <NUM>. However, since the liquid-side shutoff valve <NUM> is closed, the refrigerant accumulates in the outdoor heat exchanger <NUM>. The refrigerant is thus recovered from the refrigerant circuit <NUM> and is sent to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> of the outdoor unit <NUM>.

After completion of the recovery of the refrigerant sent to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>, the compressor <NUM>, outdoor fan <NUM>, and indoor fans <NUM> being driven are stopped, and the gas-side shutoff valve <NUM> is closed. Closing the gas-side shutoff valve <NUM> inhibits the recovered refrigerant sent to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> from flowing toward the indoor units <NUM>.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary internal configuration of the outdoor unit <NUM>, an exemplary internal configuration of one of the indoor units <NUM>, an exemplary internal configuration of the air-conditioning controller <NUM>, and an exemplary internal configuration of the management apparatus <NUM>.

Each indoor unit <NUM> includes the indoor control unit <NUM> and a communication unit <NUM>. The communication unit <NUM> includes a communication interface and exchanges various kinds of information with the outdoor control unit <NUM>. The indoor control unit <NUM> is a microcomputer including, for example, a CPU and a memory. The indoor control unit <NUM> controls the indoor expansion valve <NUM> and the indoor fan <NUM>, based on commands from the outdoor control unit <NUM>.

The outdoor unit <NUM> includes the outdoor control unit <NUM>, a communication unit <NUM>, and an input unit <NUM>.

The communication unit <NUM> includes a communication interface and exchanges various kinds of information with the communication unit <NUM> of each indoor unit <NUM>. The input unit <NUM> includes, for example, a DIP switch mounted on a board and sets operation to the outdoor unit <NUM> and attachment of the recovery container <NUM> to the refrigerant circuit <NUM>.

The outdoor control unit <NUM> is a microcomputer including, for example, a CPU and a memory. The outdoor control unit <NUM> controls the various constituent components of the outdoor unit <NUM> and the various constituent components of each indoor unit <NUM>, based on, for example, detection signals of the various sensors described above, thereby controlling the cooling operation and heating operation of the air conditioning apparatus <NUM>.

The air-conditioning controller <NUM> collectively manages the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM>. The air-conditioning controller <NUM> includes a communication unit <NUM>, a control unit <NUM>, a storage unit <NUM>, an input unit <NUM>, and a display unit <NUM>.

The communication unit <NUM> includes a communication interface and exchanges various kinds of information with the communication unit <NUM> of the outdoor unit <NUM>. The communication unit <NUM> also exchanges various kinds of information with the management apparatus <NUM> via the network <NUM> (see <FIG>).

The input unit <NUM> includes, for example, a touch screen, various input buttons, or the like for receiving an operation input. The display unit <NUM> includes, for example, a liquid crystal display panel.

The storage unit <NUM> includes a RAM, a ROM, a flash memory, and the like. The storage unit <NUM> stores, for example, device information S1, refrigerant information S2, pipe information S3, and operation information S4 on the air conditioning apparatus <NUM>.

The device information S1 indicates, for example, the number of outdoor units <NUM> and the number of indoor units <NUM>. The refrigerant information S2 indicates whether an additional refrigerant is supplied to the refrigerant circuit <NUM> in installing the air conditioning apparatus <NUM>.

The pipe information S3 indicates a total pipe length of the refrigerant circuit <NUM>. The operation information S4 contains signals detected by the various sensors <NUM> to <NUM>, start information, end information, full occupancy information, and the like. The operation information S4 is stored in the storage unit <NUM> every several minutes, for example. The start information indicates a start of the refrigerant recovery operation. The end information indicates an end of the refrigerant recovery operation. The full occupancy information indicates that the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant.

The control unit <NUM> is practicable using a CPU. The control unit <NUM> controls the refrigerant recovery operation of the air conditioning apparatus <NUM>, based on a control command from the management apparatus <NUM>. The control unit <NUM> allows the communication unit <NUM> to transmit to the management apparatus <NUM> the various kinds of information S1 to S4 stored in the storage unit <NUM> every several minutes, for example.

The management apparatus <NUM> is operated by, for example, a vendor of the air conditioning apparatus <NUM> or a proprietary company that undertakes maintenance, inspection, and the like for the air conditioning apparatus <NUM>. The management apparatus <NUM> functions as a refrigerant recovery management apparatus that manages the refrigerant recovery operation of the air conditioning apparatus <NUM>.

When the management apparatus <NUM> receives an instruction to carry out the refrigerant recovery operation from a terminal <NUM> (see <FIG>) used by a participant, such as a manager, a user, a service engineer, or a manufacturer, of the air conditioning apparatus <NUM>, the management apparatus <NUM> then transmits information on the refrigerant recovery operation to the terminal <NUM> of the participant. Examples of the terminal <NUM> may include, but not limited to, a personal computer, a tablet PC, and a smartphone each connectable to the management apparatus <NUM> via the network <NUM>.

The management apparatus <NUM> includes a communication unit <NUM>, a control unit <NUM>, a storage unit <NUM>, an input unit <NUM>, and a display unit <NUM>.

The communication unit <NUM> includes a communication interface and exchanges various kinds of information with the air-conditioning controller <NUM> and with the terminal <NUM> via the network <NUM> (see <FIG>).

The storage unit <NUM> includes a RAM, a ROM, a flash memory, and the like. The storage unit <NUM> stores the device information S1, the refrigerant information S2, the pipe information S3, and the operation information S4 each received by the communication unit <NUM> from the air-conditioning controller <NUM>.

The input unit <NUM> includes, for example, a keyboard and a touch screen, and performs operation and setting on the management apparatus <NUM>. The display unit <NUM> includes, for example, a display.

The control unit <NUM> is practicable using a CPU. Before the air conditioning apparatus <NUM> starts to carry out the refrigerant recovery operation, the control unit <NUM> makes a determination whether all the refrigerant recovered from the refrigerant circuit <NUM> is sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>, based on the information stored in the storage unit <NUM>.

This determination is made based on, for example, the refrigerant information S2 stored in the storage unit <NUM>. Specifically, when the refrigerant information S2 indicates that no refrigerant is additionally supplied to the refrigerant circuit <NUM>, the control unit <NUM> determines that all the recovered refrigerant is sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>. Alternatively, when the refrigerant information S2 indicates that a refrigerant is additionally supplied to the refrigerant circuit <NUM>, the control unit <NUM> determines that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>.

The control unit <NUM> may make a determination, based on the pipe information S3 stored in the storage unit <NUM>. For example, when the pipe information S3 indicates that the total pipe length of refrigerant circuit <NUM> has a value less than a threshold value, the control unit <NUM> determines that all the recovered refrigerant is sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>. Alternatively, when the pipe information S3 indicates that the total pipe length of refrigerant circuit <NUM> has a value equal to or more than the threshold value, the control unit <NUM> determines that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>.

The control unit <NUM> may make a determination, based on the device information S <NUM> stored in the storage unit <NUM>. For example, when the device information S1 indicates that the total number of outdoor units <NUM> and indoor units <NUM>, calculated from the device information S1, has a value less than a threshold value, the control unit <NUM> determines that all the recovered refrigerant is sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>. Alternatively, when the device information S1 indicates that the total number of outdoor units <NUM> and indoor units <NUM>, calculated from the device information S <NUM>, has a value equal to or more than the threshold value, the control unit <NUM> determines that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>.

The control unit <NUM> may make a determination, based on at least two of the device information S <NUM>, the refrigerant information S2, and the pipe information S3.

When the control unit <NUM> determines that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>, the control unit <NUM> outputs a command for notifying this determination (a notification command). The control unit <NUM> allows the communication unit <NUM> to transmit the command to the terminal <NUM> of the participant such as the service engineer (hereinafter, referred to as simply "the service engineer or the like") via the network <NUM>.

The control unit <NUM> determines whether the recovery container <NUM> (see <FIG>) capable of recovering the refrigerant is attached to the refrigerant circuit <NUM> independently of the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> of the outdoor unit <NUM>. This determination can be made based on, for example, whether the input unit <NUM> of the outdoor unit <NUM> has received an operation input for setting connection of the recovery container to the refrigerant circuit <NUM>. For example, the device information S1 contains an operation input signal of the input unit <NUM>. The control unit <NUM> is therefore capable of making the determination, based on the device information S1 stored in the storage unit <NUM>.

It should be noted that the control unit <NUM> may make the determination, based on whether the discharge pressure sensor <NUM> or the suction pressure sensor <NUM> has detected a pressure fluctuation occurring when the recovery container is connected to the refrigerant circuit <NUM>, in accordance with a detection signal from the discharge pressure sensor <NUM> or suction pressure sensor <NUM>, the detection signal being contained in the operation information S4 stored in the storage unit <NUM>. The determination may alternatively be made by the control unit <NUM> of the air-conditioning controller <NUM>.

When the control unit <NUM> determines that the recovery container <NUM> is attached to the refrigerant circuit <NUM>, the control unit <NUM> outputs a command for starting the refrigerant recovery operation (a start command). This command is transmitted from the communication unit <NUM> to the air-conditioning controller <NUM> via the network <NUM>.

<FIG> is a sequence diagram illustrating a control example during the refrigerant recovery operation in the air-conditioning management system <NUM>. This control example describes a case where the air conditioning apparatus <NUM> carries out the refrigerant recovery operation when the service engineer or the like operates the terminal <NUM>.

The service engineer or the like transmits, through the terminal <NUM>, an instruction to recover the refrigerant in the air conditioning apparatus <NUM> to the management apparatus <NUM> (step ST1). When the management apparatus <NUM> receives the instruction from the terminal <NUM>, the management apparatus <NUM> determines whether all the refrigerant recovered from the refrigerant circuit <NUM> is sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> (step ST2). The specific determination method has already been described above.

When the management apparatus <NUM> determines that all the recovered refrigerant is sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> ("Yes" in step ST2), the processing proceeds to step ST8 to be described later. On the other hand, when the management apparatus <NUM> determines that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> ("No" in step ST2), the management apparatus <NUM> transmits a notification command for notifying this determination to the terminal <NUM> (step ST3).

The terminal <NUM> notifies, based on the notification command received from the management apparatus <NUM>, the service engineer or the like that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>, by phonetic representation, textural representation, or the like (step ST4). The service engineer or the like is thus able to know that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>.

The management apparatus <NUM> determines whether the recovery container is attached to the refrigerant circuit <NUM>, after transmitting the notification command to the terminal <NUM> (step ST5). The determination method has already been described above.

When the management apparatus <NUM> determines that the recovery container <NUM> is not attached to the refrigerant circuit <NUM> ("No" in step ST5), the management apparatus <NUM> confirms whether a certain time (a timeout period) has elapsed (step ST6).

When the certain time has not elapsed ("No" in step ST6), the management apparatus <NUM> repeatedly makes a determination in step ST5. When the certain time has elapsed ("Yes" in step ST6), the management apparatus <NUM> determines that the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery container <NUM>. The management apparatus <NUM> then transmits to the terminal <NUM> information indicating that the refrigerant recovery operation is not carried out (step ST7). The processing thus ends. When the terminal <NUM> receives the information, the service engineer or the like is able to know that the refrigerant operation is not carried out.

On the other hand, when the management apparatus <NUM> determines that the recovery container <NUM> is attached to the refrigerant circuit <NUM> ("Yes" in step ST5), the management apparatus <NUM> transmits to the air-conditioning controller <NUM> a start command for starting the refrigerant recovery operation (step ST8).

When the air-conditioning controller <NUM> receives the start command, the air-conditioning controller <NUM> starts the refrigerant recovery operation of the air conditioning apparatus <NUM> (step ST9). The air-conditioning controller <NUM> then transmits to the management apparatus <NUM> start information indicating that the air conditioning apparatus <NUM> starts to carry out the refrigerant recovery operation (step ST10).

When the management apparatus <NUM> receives the start information from the air-conditioning controller <NUM>, the management apparatus <NUM> transmits the start information to the terminal <NUM> (step ST11). When the terminal <NUM> receives the start information, the service engineer or the like is able to know that the refrigerant recovery operation has started.

The air-conditioning controller <NUM> determines whether the refrigerant recovery operation ends, after transmitting the start information (step ST12). In the air-conditioning controller <NUM> (see <FIG>), specifically, the control unit <NUM> determines that the refrigerant recovery operation has ended, when the operation information S4 stored in the storage unit <NUM> indicates that, for example, a suction pressure detected by the suction pressure sensor <NUM> has a value equal to or less than a threshold value. The control unit <NUM> also determines that the refrigerant recovery operation has not ended yet, when the operation information S4 indicates that the suction pressure detected by the suction pressure sensor <NUM> has a value more than the threshold value.

When the air-conditioning controller <NUM> determines that the refrigerant recovery operation has not ended yet ("No" in step ST12), the air-conditioning controller <NUM> makes a determination in step ST12 again after a lapse of a predetermined time.

On the other hand, when the air-conditioning controller <NUM> determines that the refrigerant recovery operation has ended ("Yes" in step ST12), the air-conditioning controller <NUM> closes the gas-side shutoff valve <NUM> and then transmits to the management apparatus <NUM> end information indicating that the refrigerant recovery operation has ended (step ST13). The processing thus ends.

When the management apparatus <NUM> receives the end information from the air-conditioning controller <NUM>, the management apparatus <NUM> transmits the end information to the terminal <NUM> (step ST14). The processing thus ends. When the terminal <NUM> receives the end information, the service engineer or the like is able to know that the refrigerant recovery operation has ended.

In the air-conditioning management system <NUM> according to this embodiment, the terminal <NUM> notifies, based on the notification command received from the management apparatus <NUM>, the service engineer or the like that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>. This notification allows the service engineer or the like to know that, before the start of the refrigerant recovery operation, all the refrigerant recovered from the refrigerant circuit <NUM> is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>. With this configuration, the service engineer or the like is able to recognize that he or she needs to previously attach the recovery container <NUM> to the refrigerant circuit <NUM> independently of the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> or needs to return to the site for attaching the recovery container <NUM> after leaving the site once. The service engineer or the like is therefore able to conduct another work while scheduling this attaching work or is able to return to the site after receiving the notification and then attach the recovery container <NUM>, which may improve workability in recovering the refrigerant.

In the case where the management apparatus <NUM> determines whether all the recovered refrigerant is sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>, based on the refrigerant information S2, the management apparatus <NUM> is capable of making this determination, based on whether a refrigerant is additionally supplied to the refrigerant circuit <NUM>. The management apparatus <NUM> is therefore capable of making this determination with ease.

In the case where the management apparatus <NUM> determines whether all the recovered refrigerant is sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>, based on the pipe information S3, the management apparatus <NUM> is capable of making this determination, based on whether the total pipe length of the refrigerant circuit <NUM> has a value equal to or more than the threshold value. The management apparatus <NUM> is therefore capable of making this determination with ease.

The management apparatus <NUM> causes the air conditioning apparatus <NUM> to start the refrigerant recovery operation as long as the recovery container <NUM> capable of recovering the refrigerant is attached to the refrigerant circuit <NUM> independently of the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> even when all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>. With this configuration, the service engineer or the like is able to conduct another work or to go to another site until the refrigerant recovery has been completed, which may further improve workability in recovering the refrigerant.

<FIG> is a sequence diagram illustrating a modification of the control example during the refrigerant recovery operation in the air-conditioning management system <NUM>. This modification is different from the control example illustrated in <FIG> in the respect that the refrigerant recovery operation is carried out until the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant even when all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>. Hereinafter, this modification will be described in detail.

The service engineer or the like transmits, through the terminal <NUM>, an instruction to recover the refrigerant in the air conditioning apparatus <NUM> to the management apparatus <NUM> (step ST31). When the management apparatus <NUM> receives the instruction from the terminal <NUM>, the management apparatus <NUM> determines whether all the refrigerant recovered from the refrigerant circuit <NUM> is sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> (step ST32). The specific determination method has already been described above.

When the management apparatus <NUM> determines that all the recovered refrigerant is sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> ("Yes" in step ST32), the processing proceeds to step ST35 to be described later. On the other hand, when the management apparatus <NUM> determines that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> ("No" in step ST32), the management apparatus <NUM> transmits a first notification command for notifying this determination to the terminal <NUM> (step ST33).

The terminal <NUM> notifies, based on the first notification command received from the management apparatus <NUM>, the service engineer or the like that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>, by phonetic representation, textural representation, or the like (step ST34). The service engineer or the like is thus able to know that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>.

The management apparatus <NUM> transmits to the air-conditioning controller <NUM> a start command for starting the refrigerant recovery operation, after transmitting the first notification command to the terminal <NUM> (step ST35).

It should be noted that when the management apparatus <NUM> receives from the terminal <NUM> the instruction to recover the refrigerant (step ST31), the management apparatus <NUM> may transmit to the air-conditioning controller <NUM> the start command for starting the refrigerant recovery operation, before starting to make the determination in step ST32. The management apparatus <NUM> may transmit to the air-conditioning controller <NUM> the start command for starting the refrigerant recovery operation, after receiving from the terminal <NUM> the instruction to receive the refrigerant.

When the air-conditioning controller <NUM> receives the start command, the air-conditioning controller <NUM> starts the refrigerant recovery operation of the air conditioning apparatus <NUM> (step ST36). The air-conditioning controller <NUM> then transmits to the management apparatus <NUM> start information indicating that the air conditioning apparatus <NUM> starts to carry out the refrigerant recovery operation (step ST37).

When the management apparatus <NUM> receives the start information from the air-conditioning controller <NUM>, the management apparatus <NUM> transmits the start information to the terminal <NUM> (step ST38). When the terminal <NUM> receives the start information, the service engineer or the like is able to know that the refrigerant recovery operation has started.

The air-conditioning controller <NUM> determines whether the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant, after transmitting the start information (step ST39). In the air-conditioning controller <NUM> (see <FIG>), specifically, the control unit <NUM> determines, based on detection signals of the discharge pressure sensor <NUM> and discharge temperature sensor <NUM>, the detection signals being contained in the operation information S4 stored in the storage unit <NUM>, that the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant when a discharge pressure and a discharge temperature at the compressor <NUM> respectively increase to threshold values. Alternatively, the control unit <NUM> determines that the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> do not become full of the refrigerant yet when the discharge pressure and the discharge temperature at the compressor <NUM> do not respectively increase to the threshold values.

When the air-conditioning controller <NUM> determines that the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> do not become full of the refrigerant yet ("No" in step ST39), the processing proceeds to step ST47 to be described later. On the other hand, when the air-conditioning controller <NUM> determines that the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant ("Yes" in step ST39), the air-conditioning controller <NUM> transmits to the management apparatus <NUM> full occupancy information indicating that the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant (step ST40).

The management apparatus <NUM> determines whether to receive the full occupancy information from the air-conditioning controller <NUM> (i.e., whether the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant) (step ST41). When the management apparatus <NUM> receives no full occupancy information, the management apparatus <NUM> determines that the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> do not become full of the refrigerant yet. The processing then proceeds to step ST49 to be described later. On the other hand, when the management apparatus <NUM> receives the full occupancy information, the management apparatus <NUM> determines that the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant, and transmits to the terminal <NUM> a second notification command for notifying that the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant (step ST42). In the management apparatus <NUM> (see <FIG>), specifically, the control unit <NUM> outputs the second notification command notifying that the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant. The second notification command is transmitted from the communication unit <NUM> to the terminal <NUM> via the network <NUM>.

The terminal <NUM> notifies, based on the second notification command received from the management apparatus <NUM>, the service engineer or the like that the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant, by phonetic representation, textural representation, or the like (step ST43). The service engineer or the like is thus able to know that the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant.

It should be noted that the management apparatus <NUM> may transmit to the terminal <NUM> information indicating a refrigerant recovery state (e.g., a remaining time until the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant) before the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant.

The management apparatus <NUM> transmits to the air-conditioning controller <NUM> a stop command for stopping the refrigerant recovery operation, after transmitting the second notification command to the terminal <NUM> (step ST44). In the management apparatus <NUM> (see <FIG>), specifically, the communication unit <NUM> transmits the second notification command to the terminal <NUM>, and then the control unit <NUM> outputs the stop command for stopping the refrigerant recovery operation. The stop command is transmitted from the communication unit <NUM> to the air-conditioning controller <NUM> via the network <NUM>. It should be noted that the management apparatus <NUM> may output the stop command before transmitting the second notification command to the terminal <NUM> in step ST42.

The air-conditioning controller <NUM> confirms whether to receive the stop command from the management apparatus <NUM> (step ST45). When the air-conditioning controller <NUM> receives the stop command from the management apparatus <NUM> ("Yes" in step ST45), the air-conditioning controller <NUM> stops the refrigerant recovery operation (step ST46). The processing then ends.

In stopping the refrigerant recovery operation, the air-conditioning controller <NUM> stops the compressor <NUM>, outdoor fan <NUM>, and indoor fans <NUM> being driven, as in the case of the refrigerant recovery operation. Thereafter, the air-conditioning controller <NUM> closes the gas-side shutoff valve <NUM>. The air-conditioning controller <NUM> may transmit information indicating that the refrigerant recovery operation has stopped, to the terminal <NUM> via the management apparatus <NUM>.

On the other hand, when the air-conditioning controller <NUM> does not receive the stop command from the management apparatus <NUM> ("No" in step ST45), the air-conditioning controller <NUM> determines whether the refrigerant recovery operation ends (step ST47). The specific determination method has already been described above. When the air-conditioning controller <NUM> determines that the refrigerant recovery operation has not ended yet ("No" in step ST47), the air-conditioning controller <NUM> makes a determination in step ST47 again after a lapse of a predetermined time.

When the air-conditioning controller <NUM> determines that the refrigerant recovery operation has ended ("Yes" in step ST47), the air-conditioning controller <NUM> closes the gas-side shutoff valve <NUM> and then transmits to the management apparatus <NUM> end information indicating that the refrigerant recovery operation has ended (step ST48). The processing thus ends. The management apparatus <NUM> confirms whether to receive the end information from the air-conditioning controller <NUM> (step ST49).

When the management apparatus <NUM> receives no end information from the air-conditioning controller <NUM> ("No" in step ST49), the management apparatus <NUM> makes a confirmation in step ST49 again after a lapse of a predetermined time.

When the management apparatus <NUM> receives the end information from the air-conditioning controller <NUM> ("Yes" in step ST49), the management apparatus <NUM> transmits the end information to the terminal <NUM> (step ST50). The processing then ends. When the terminal <NUM> receives the end information, the service engineer or the like is able to know that the refrigerant recovery operation has ended.

In the air-conditioning management system <NUM> according to this modification, in the case where the refrigerant recovery operation is carried out on condition that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>, the terminal <NUM> notifies, based on the second notification command received from the management apparatus <NUM>, the service engineer or the like that the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant. With this configuration, for example, the service engineer or the like conducting another work at the site during the refrigerant recovery operation is able to promptly grasp that the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant, by receiving the notification from the management apparatus <NUM>. Therefore, the service engineer or the like is able to promptly attach the recovery container <NUM> for recovering the remaining refrigerant to the refrigerant circuit <NUM>, which may further improve workability in recovering the refrigerant.

The management apparatus <NUM> stops the refrigerant recovery operation when the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant. For example, even in the case where the service engineer or the like conducts work at another site during the refrigerant recovery operation, therefore, the refrigerant recovery operation may be stopped when the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM> become full of the refrigerant. With this configuration, the service engineer or the like does not need to return to the site in order to stop the refrigerant recovery operation, which may further improve workability in recovering the refrigerant.

According to the foregoing embodiment, when the management apparatus <NUM> receives from the terminal <NUM> an instruction to recover the refrigerant, the management apparatus <NUM> determines whether all the refrigerant recovered from the refrigerant circuit <NUM> is sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>. Alternatively, the management apparatus <NUM> may make this determination at any timing as long as the management apparatus <NUM> makes this determination before the start of the refrigerant recovery operation. For example, the management apparatus <NUM> may make the determination only when receiving the determination instruction from the terminal <NUM>.

According to the foregoing embodiment, the control unit <NUM> of the management apparatus <NUM> functions as the control unit that makes a determination whether all the recovered refrigerant is sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>. Alternatively, the control unit <NUM> of the air-conditioning controller <NUM> may function as the control unit that makes this determination. In this case, the input unit <NUM> of the air-conditioning controller <NUM> may provide an instruction to recover the refrigerant.

Alternatively, both the control unit <NUM> of the air-conditioning controller <NUM> and the control unit <NUM> of the management apparatus <NUM> may function as the control unit that makes the determination described above. For example, the control unit <NUM> of the air-conditioning controller <NUM> may determine whether all the recovered refrigerant is sendable to the recovery units <NUM> and <NUM>, and the control unit <NUM> of the management apparatus <NUM> may output a notification command, based on a result of the determination.

According to the foregoing embodiment, the storage unit <NUM> of the management apparatus <NUM> functions as the storage unit that stores the refrigerant information S2 and the like. Alternatively, the storage unit <NUM> of the air-conditioning controller <NUM> may function as the storage unit that stores the refrigerant information S2 and the like.

Claim 1:
An air-conditioning management system comprising:
an air conditioning apparatus (<NUM>) including an outdoor unit (<NUM>) and an indoor unit (<NUM>), a refrigerant circuit (<NUM>), and a recovery unit (<NUM>, <NUM>), the air conditioning apparatus (<NUM>) being configured to carry out a refrigerant recovery operation of recovering a refrigerant from a the refrigerant circuit (<NUM>) that connects the outdoor unit (<NUM>) and an the indoor unit (<NUM>) and sending the recovered refrigerant to a the recovery unit (<NUM>, <NUM>); and
a control unit (<NUM>) ; characterized in that the control unit (<NUM>) is configured to make a determination whether all the recovered refrigerant is sendable to the recovery unit (<NUM>, <NUM>) before a start of the refrigerant recovery operation by the air conditioning apparatus (<NUM>), and to output, when determining that all the recovered refrigerant is not sendable to the recovery unit (<NUM>, <NUM>), a command for notifying the determination.