Air-conditioning apparatus control device and refrigerating apparatus control device

• US 8,655,492 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Wakuta, Naoki, Hashimoto, Hiroyuki, Kojima, Yasuhiro, Muramatsu, Hidetoshi, Shiba, Hirokuni
• Primary Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Kavita
• Assistant Examiner(s): Everett, Christopher E
• Application Number:
  US12/887,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20110093121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/276
• 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 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/50 Load
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption

Abstract

A control device that controls a plurality of air conditioners includes a data memory section for storing performance model data representing the relationship between air conditioning capability and power consumption for each of the plurality of air conditioners. An overall air conditioning load calculating section calculates an overall load that is the sum of air conditioning loads of the plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses. An air conditioning capability allocation calculating section an air conditioning capability for each of the plurality of air conditioners on the basis of the performance model data and the overall load so that the sum of the air conditioning capability of the plurality of air conditioners is the overall load and the sum of the power consumption of the plurality of air conditioners is minimum. A control signal section sends a control signal related to the air conditioning capability to each of the plurality of air conditioners.

Claims

1. An air-conditioning apparatus control device that controls a plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses provided for air-conditioning a common space, comprising:

data memory means for storing performance model data representing a relationship between air conditioning capability and power consumption for each of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses;

overall air conditioning load calculating means for calculating an overall air conditioning load that is the sum of air conditioning loads of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses;

air conditioning capability allocation calculating means for determining the air conditioning capability for each of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses on the basis of said performance model data and said overall air conditioning load so that the sum of the air conditioning capability of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses is equal to said overall air conditioning load and that the sum of the power consumption of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses is minimum;

control signal sending means for sending a control signal related to said air conditioning capability to each of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses, and

an operable air-conditioning apparatus selection means for determining combination patterns of air-conditioning apparatuses to be operated, air-conditioning apparatuses to be shut down from among said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses, a maximum value of operation efficiency for each of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses respectively, on the basis of said performance model data, and, from said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses, combination patterns of air-conditioning apparatuses to be operated and air-conditioning apparatuses to be shut down on the basis of an order of the maximum values of said operating efficiencies such that air-conditioning apparatuses having higher maximum values of said operating efficiencies are to be operated and air-conditioning apparatuses having lower maximum values of said operating efficiencies are to be shut down;

wherein for each of said combination patterns said air conditioning capability allocation calculating means determines air conditioning capability of said air-conditioning apparatuses to be operated so that the sum of air conditioning capability of said air-conditioning apparatuses to be operated is equal to said overall air conditioning load and that the sum of power consumption of said air-conditioning apparatuses to be operated is minimum;

wherein from among said combination patterns said operable air-conditioning apparatus selection means selects a combination pattern which causes the sum of power consumption of said air-conditioning apparatuses to be operated to be minimum at said air conditioning capability determined by said air conditioning capability allocation calculating means; and

wherein according to said combination pattern thus selected said control signal sending means sends a control signal related to an operating status and said air conditioning capability to each of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses.

2. The air-conditioning apparatus control device of claim 1, wherein, on the basis of said performance model data, said air conditioning capability allocation calculating means determines the sum of power consumption of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses as a multivariable function where variables are air conditioning capability for each air-conditioning apparatus, and determines an air conditioning capability of each of said air-conditioning apparatuses, which causes said multivariable function to give an extreme value, under a limiting condition that the sum of air conditioning capability of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses is said overall air conditioning load.

3. The air-conditioning apparatus control device of claim 1, wherein, in a second multivariable function in which an intermediate variable having a coefficient of said limiting condition is added to said multivariable function, said air conditioning capability allocation calculating means determines a said intermediate variable that meets a condition under which each variable of said second multivariable function gives an extreme value, and determines air conditioning capability of each of said air conditioners on the basis of said intermediate variable and said performance model data.

4. An air-conditioning apparatus control device that controls a plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses provided for air-conditioning a common space, comprising:

data memory means for storing performance model data representing a relationship between air conditioning capability and power consumption for each of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses;

overall air conditioning load calculating means for calculating an overall air conditioning load that is the sum of air conditioning loads of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses;

air conditioning capability allocation calculating means for determining the air conditioning capability for each of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses on the basis of said performance model data and said overall air conditioning load so that the sum of the air conditioning capability of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses is equal to said overall air conditioning load and that the sum of the power consumption of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses is minimum; and

control signal sending means for sending a control signal related to said air conditioning capability to each of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses, wherein

said air conditioning capability allocation calculating means determines the sum of power consumption of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses as a multivariable function where variables are air conditioning capability for each air-conditioning apparatus, and determines an air conditioning capability of each of said air-conditioning apparatuses, which causes said multivariable function to give an extreme value, under a limiting condition that the sum of air conditioning capability of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses is said overall air conditioning load,

in a second multivariable function in which an intermediate variable having a coefficient of said limiting condition is added to said multivariable function, said air conditioning capability allocation calculating means determines intermediate variable that meets a condition under which each variable of said second multivariable function gives an extreme value, and determines air conditioning capability of each of said air conditioners on the basis of said intermediate variable and said performance model data, and

said intermediate variable is a Lagrange multiplier of said multivariable function that represents maintenance of a balance of said overall air conditioning load and the sum of the air conditioning capability of each of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses.

5. The air-conditioning apparatus control device of claim 4,

wherein an operable air-conditioning apparatus selection means is provided for determining combination patterns of air-conditioning apparatuses to be operated and air-conditioning apparatuses to be shut down from among said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses;

wherein for each of said combination patterns said air conditioning capability allocation calculating means determines air conditioning capability of said air-conditioning apparatuses to be operated so that the sum of air conditioning capability of said air-conditioning apparatuses to be operated is equal to said overall air conditioning load and that the sum of power consumption of said air-conditioning apparatuses to be operated is minimum;

wherein from among said combination patterns said operable air-conditioning apparatus selection means selects a combination pattern which causes the sum of power consumption of said air-conditioning apparatuses to be operated to be minimum at said air conditioning capability determined by said air conditioning capability allocation calculating means; and

wherein according to said combination pattern thus selected said control signal sending means sends a control signal related to an operating status and said air conditioning capability to each of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses.

6. The air-conditioning apparatus control device of claim 5, wherein from among said combination patterns said operable air-conditioning apparatus selection means selects a combination pattern which causes the sum of power consumption of said air-conditioning apparatuses to be operated and power consumption during a stand-by of said air-conditioning apparatuses to be shut down to be minimum at said air conditioning capability determined by said air conditioning capability allocation calculating means.

7. The air-conditioning apparatus control device of claim 5, wherein said operable air-conditioning apparatus selection means determines a maximum value of operation efficiency for each of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses respectively, on the basis of said performance model data, and,

from said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses, determines combination patterns of air-conditioning apparatuses to be operated and air-conditioning apparatuses to be shut down on the basis of an order of the maximum values of said operation efficiencies.

8. The air-conditioning apparatus control device of claim 7, wherein said operable air-conditioning apparatus selection means determines said combination patterns so that an air-conditioning apparatus having the greatest maximum value of said operation efficiency is included in said air-conditioning apparatuses to be operated.

9. The air-conditioning apparatus control device of claim 4,

wherein said air-conditioning apparatus is provided with first temperature sensing means for sensing a temperature inside of said space subjected to air conditioning and a second temperature sensing means for sensing a temperature outside of said space subjected to air conditioning;

and

wherein said air conditioning capability allocation calculating means makes a correction to said performance model data on the basis of at least one of a temperature inside of said space subjected to air conditioning and a temperature outside of said space subjected to air conditioning.

10. The air-conditioning apparatus control device of claim 9,

wherein each of said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses has a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a throttle device, and an indoor heat exchanger are circularly connected to one another;

wherein said first temperature sensing means senses a refrigerant temperature of said indoor heat exchanger as a temperature inside of said space subjected to air conditioning;

wherein said second temperature sensing means senses a refrigerant temperature of said outdoor heat exchanger as a temperature outside of said space subjected to air conditioning; and

wherein said air conditioning capability allocation calculating means obtains a correction coefficient preset according to a refrigerant temperature of said indoor heat exchanger and a refrigerant temperature of said outdoor heat exchanger and makes a correction to said performance model data in accordance with said correction coefficient.

11. The air-conditioning apparatus control device of claim 4,

wherein data storage means is provided for storing information as to whether or not each of said air-conditioning apparatuses is to be subjected to control;

wherein, said overall air conditioning load calculating means determines an overall air conditioning load that is the sum of air conditioning loads of said air-conditioning apparatuses subjected to control from said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses; and

wherein, said air conditioning capability allocation calculating means determines air conditioning capability of said air-conditioning apparatuses so that the sum of air conditioning capability of said air-conditioning apparatuses subjected to control from said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses is equal to said overall air conditioning load and that the sum of power consumption of said air-conditioning apparatuses subjected to control is minimum.

12. The air-conditioning apparatus control device of claim 4,

wherein, said overall air conditioning load calculating means selects air-conditioning apparatuses having an air conditioning load smaller than a predetermined value as air-conditioning apparatuses subjected to control from among said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses, and determines an overall air conditioning load that is the sum of air conditioning loads of said air-conditioning apparatuses subjected to control;

and

wherein, said air conditioning capability allocation calculating means determines air conditioning capability of said air-conditioning apparatuses so that the sum of air conditioning capability of said air-conditioning apparatuses subjected to control from said plurality of air-conditioning apparatuses is equal to said overall air conditioning load and that the sum of power consumption of said air-conditioning apparatuses subjected to control is minimum.