AIR-CONDITIONING APPARATUS

• US 20120017619A1
• Filed: 04/22/2009
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Matsui, Kenji, Yabuta, Atsuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,948,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/129
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/86 by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/871 by controlling outdoor fans
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/00 Control inputs relating to system states
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption

Abstract

There are provided an electric energy meter with a transmission device that generates a pulse signal for measuring electric energy supplied to an outdoor unit, an input circuit for an external signal that receives the pulse signal, and a control unit that measures electric energy on the basis of the pulse signal, wherein the control unit includes a determination unit that determines, as an input port for the pulse signal, one of input ports that are not in use from among a plurality of input ports forming the input circuit for an external signal, and a calculation unit that calculates electric power, electric energy consumption, and energy consumption efficiency on the basis of the pulse signal.

Claims

1. An air-conditioning apparatus that has an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, in which said outdoor unit has an electric energy meter with a pulse transmission device that measures the electric energy amount supplied to the outdoor unit, signal reception means for receiving a pulse signal transmitted from the electric energy meter, and control means for measuring said electric energy on the basis of said pulse signal,

wherein said control means includes determination means for determining one of input ports that are not in use from among a plurality of input ports forming said signal reception means as an input port for the pulse signal from said electric energy meter, and calculation means for calculating electric power, electric energy consumption, and energy consumption efficiency on the basis of said pulse signal.

4. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein control means of said outdoor unit includes means for determining, when the pulse signal from said electric energy meter with a pulse transmission device are input for specified plurality of times, the input port as an input port for receiving the pulse signal.

5. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein control means of said outdoor unit measures only the pulse interval of the pulse signal transmitted from said electric energy meter with a pulse transmission device and calculates electric power, electric energy consumption, and COP.

6. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein control means of said outdoor unit includes means for removing noise of the pulse signal transmitted from said electric energy meter with a pulse transmission device.

7. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein, in a case in which said signal reception means cannot receive said pulse signal, when control means of said outdoor unit determines that a pulse input is abnormal, said control means calculates electric power, electric energy consumption, and energy consumption efficiency on the basis of a value acquired by a sensor possessed by said outdoor unit.

2. An air-conditioning apparatus comprising a plurality of outdoor units and a plurality of indoor units, each of the outdoor units including an electric energy meter with a pulse transmission device, the electric energy meter measuring electric energy supplied to the outdoor unit, signal reception means for receiving a pulse signal transmitted from the electric energy meter, and control means for measuring said electric energy on the basis of said pulse signal,

wherein the control means of each outdoor unit includes determination means for determining from among a plurality of input ports forming the signal reception means, which input port, which is not in use, will be an input port for the pulse signal from the electric energy meter, and calculation means for calculating electric power, electric energy consumption, and energy consumption efficiency on the basis of the pulse signal, and

wherein the control means of an outdoor unit serving as a main unit organizes electric power of outdoor units serving as subunits and calculates the total electric power, electric energy consumption, and energy consumption efficiency.

3. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 2, wherein in the air-conditioning apparatus having said plurality of outdoor units, in a case where there is an outdoor unit that cannot receive the pulse signal from said electric energy meter with a pulse transmission device, an outdoor unit that has successfully received the pulse signal from other electric energy meter with the pulse transmission device has means for calculating the electric power of said outdoor unit that cannot receive the pulse signal.