Air-conditioning controlling device and method

• US 9,200,813 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2010
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Azbil Corporation (Azbil BioVigilant Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Azbil Corporation (Azbil BioVigilant Incorporated)
• Inventors: Harayama, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Kenneth M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Norton, Jennifer L
• Application Number:
  US13/501,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20120209435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 700/278, 700/286, 700/300, 165/237, 454/184, 454/258, 703/2, 703/5, 702/131
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/72 for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2119/08 Thermal analysis or thermal optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/23 using finite element methods [FEM] or finite difference methods [FDM]

Abstract

Distribution data indicating the distribution of the temperatures and airflows in an air-conditioned space are calculated through forward analysis of the state of the air-conditioned space through a distributed system heat flow analysis technique by the heat flow forward analysis processing portion based on spatial condition data and state data comprising boundary condition data and heat emitting object data, and setting data comprising this distribution data that has been obtained and the target data that indicate the target temperatures at the target locations is generated by the setting data generating portion, and new air-conditioning operating quantities are back-calculated from the new blowing speeds and blowing temperatures for the conditioned air at the blowing vents through reverse analysis of the distributions of the temperatures and airflows in the air-conditioned space, and the air-conditioning system is controlled based on the new air-conditioning operating quantities obtained thereby.

Claims

1. An air-conditioning controlling device comprising:

a storing portion storing spatial condition data indicating a location and shape pertaining to an air-conditioned space and a location and shape pertaining to a blowing vent for conditioned air produced by an air-conditioning system that performs air-conditioning of a conditioned space;

a data inputting portion inputting boundary condition data indicating the blowing speed and blowing temperature of conditioned air blown from the blowing vent and also heat emitting object data that indicate the location and amount of heat emitted in relation to a heat emitting object that is present in the air-conditioned space;

a heat flow forward analyzing portion calculating distribution data that indicate the distribution of temperatures and airflows of the air-conditioned space through a forward analysis of the state of the air-conditioned space, through a distributed system heat flow analysis technique, based on the spatial data and on state data comprising the boundary condition data and the heat emitting object data;

a setting data generating portion generating setting data comprising the distribution data and target data indicating a target temperature at a target location within the air-conditioned space;

a heat flow reverse analysis processing portion calculating sensitivity data that are required in order to satisfy the target data and indicate a degree of change in airflow rates, airflow directions, and temperatures in individual element spaces that divide the air-conditioned space, and back-calculating based on the sensitivity data a new air-conditioning operating quantity comprising a new blowing speed and blowing temperature for conditioned air from the blowing vent required to cause the target location to go to the target temperature, through a reverse analysis of the distribution of temperatures and airflows within the conditioned space, through a distributed system heat flow analysis technique, based on the setting data; and

an air-conditioning controlling portion controlling the air-conditioned environment at the target location through controlling the air-conditioning system based on the new air-conditioning operating quantity,

wherein the data inputting portion generates anew the boundary condition data and the heat emitting object data for new air-conditioning control for the air-conditioned space when an air-conditioning controlling timing arrives by identifying the arrival of the air-conditioning controlling timing at specific time intervals or in accordance with a change in the boundary condition data or the heat emitting object data.

2. The air-conditioning controlling device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the storing portion stores human data including the amount of heat emitted pertaining to humans; and

the data inputting portion generates heat emitting object data for each person present in the air-conditioned space from the location wherein each applicable person is present and from the amount of heat emitted, obtained from the human data, based on an inputted location of presence for a person in the air-conditioned space.

3. The air-conditioning controlling device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the storing portion stores lighting fixture data, including a disposal location pertaining to the lighting fixture and the amount of heat emitted by the lighting fixture when illuminated, for each lighting fixture disposed in the air-conditioned space; and

the data inputting portion generates heat emitting object data for each lighting fixture that is illuminated, from the disposal location and amount of heat emitted by the lighting fixture, obtained from the lighting fixture data pertaining to a lighting fixture that is illuminated, from among the lighting fixtures, based on an illumination status for each lighting fixture that has been inputted.

4. The air-conditioning controlling device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the storing portion stores occupancy location data indicating an occupancy location for the applicable person for each unique identification information for each individual who uses the air-conditioned space and the amount of heat emitted in regards to a person; and

the data inputting portion generates heat emitting object data, for each individual present in the air-conditioned space, from the occupancy location and the amount of heat emitted, obtained from the human data, by obtaining the occupancy location of the individual from the occupancy location data corresponding to identification information based on identification information for the individual present in the air-conditioned space, inputted in accordance with an entry/exit of an individual into or out of the air-conditioned space.

5. The air-conditioning controlling device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the storing portion stores occupancy location data indicating an occupancy location for the applicable person for each unique identification information for each individual who uses the air-conditioned space; and

the setting data generating portion obtains an occupancy location of an individual from occupancy location data corresponding to identification information based on identification information for the individual, inputted in accordance with entry of the individual into the air-conditioned space, to generate target data for setting the occupancy location as a target location and for setting a setting temperature, set in advance, as the target temperature, to generate setting data from the target data and the distribution data.

6. An air-conditioning controlling method comprising:

storing, with a storing portion, spatial condition data indicating a location and shape pertaining to an air-conditioned space and a location and shape pertaining to a blowing vent for conditioned air produced by an air-conditioning system that performs air-conditioning of a conditioned space;

inputting, with a data inputting portion, boundary condition data indicating the blowing speed and blowing temperature of conditioned air blown from the blowing vent and also heat emitting object data that indicate the location and amount of heat emitted in relation to a heat emitting object that is present in the air-conditioned space;

analyzing heat flow forward wherein a heat flow forward analyzing portion calculates distribution data that indicates the distribution of temperatures and airflows of the air-conditioned space through a forward analysis of the state of the air-conditioned space, through a distributed system heat flow analysis technique, based on the spatial data and on state data comprising the boundary condition data and the heat emitting object data;

generating, with a setting data generating portion, setting data comprising the distribution data and target data indicating a target temperature at a target location within the air-conditioned space;

analyzing reverse heat flow using a heat flow reverse analysis processing portion to calculate sensitivity data that are required in order to satisfy the target data and indicate a degree of change in airflow rates, airflow directions, and temperatures in individual element spaces that divide the air-conditioned space, and back-calculate based on the sensitivity data a new air-conditioning operating quantity comprising a new blowing speed and blowing temperature for conditioned air from the blowing vent required to cause the target location to go to the target temperature, through a reverse analysis of the distribution of temperatures and airflows within the conditioned space, through a distributed system heat flow analysis technique, based on the setting data; and

controlling, with an air-conditioning controlling portion, the air-conditioned environment at the target location through controlling the air-conditioning system based on the new air-conditioning operating quantity,

wherein the data inputting step is a step generating anew the boundary condition data and the heat emitting object data for new air-conditioning control for the air-conditioned space when an air-conditioning controlling timing arrives by identifying the arrival of the air-conditioning controlling timing at specific time intervals or in accordance with a change in the boundary condition data or the heat emitting object data.

7. The air-conditioning controlling method as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

the storing step includes storing human data including the amount of heat emitted pertaining to humans; and

the data inputting step includes generating heat emitting object data for each person present in the air-conditioned space from the location wherein each applicable person is present and from the amount of heat emitted, obtained from the human data, based on an inputted location of presence for a person in the air-conditioned space.

8. The air-conditioning controlling method as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

the storing step includes storing lighting fixture data, including a disposal location pertaining to the lighting fixture and the amount of heat emitted by the lighting fixture when illuminated, for each lighting fixture disposed in the air-conditioned space; and

the data inputting step includes generating heat emitting object data for each lighting fixture that is illuminated, from the disposal location and amount of heat emitted by the lighting fixture, obtained from the lighting fixture data pertaining to a lighting fixture that is illuminated, from among the lighting fixtures, based on an illumination status for each lighting fixture that has been inputted.

9. The air-conditioning controlling method as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

the storing step includes storing occupancy location data indicating an occupancy location for the applicable person for each unique identification information for each individual who uses the air-conditioned space and the amount of heat emitted in regards to a person; and

the data inputting step includes generating heat emitting object data, for each individual present in the air-conditioned space, from the occupancy location and the amount of heat emitted, obtained from the human data, by obtaining the occupancy location of the individual from the occupancy location data corresponding to identification information based on identification information for the individual present in the air-conditioned space, inputted in accordance with an entry/exit of an individual into or out of the air-conditioned space.

10. The air-conditioning controlling method as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

the storing step includes storing occupancy location data indicating an occupancy location for the applicable person for each unique identification information for each individual who uses the air-conditioned space; and

the setting data generating step includes obtaining an occupancy location of an individual from occupancy location data corresponding to identification information based on identification information for the individual, inputted in accordance with entry of the individual into the air-conditioned space, to generate target data for setting the occupancy location as a target location and for setting a setting temperature, set in advance, as the target temperature, to generate setting data from the target data and the distribution data.