Patent Application
20240337405
The present invention relates to an air conditioner. More particularly, the present invention relates to such air conditioner controlling operation in accordance with a thermal insulation performance of the building. The present invention also relates to a computer-implemented method of controlling such air conditioner and a controller for such air conditioner.
A conventional air conditioner that performs automatic operation selects one of the operation modes from the heating operation and the cooling operation based on the room temperature and the set temperature, and performs the air conditioning operation. When the room temperature exceeds the set temperature, the operation mode is switched to the other operation mode, and the air conditioning operation is controlled to maintain the room temperature near the set temperature. When the room temperature is lower than the set temperature, the heating is activated.
In general, heating operation is required in cold seasons such as autumn, winter and spring. At this time, the outdoor temperature is low and the temperature difference between the set temperature and the outdoor temperature is large, especially in winter. In summer and winter, although the room temperature is the same, the temperature felt by the user varies depending on the season. In winter, even when the heating is on, there is a cold airflow near the floor due to the cold radiation from windows and walls exposed to the outside air, which gives the user a draught feeling and makes the user uncomfortable.
In the air conditioner described in JP 20110-101547 A, the set temperature is changed according to the season and the outside air temperature. In addition, the operation mode is changed according to the season, the outside air temperature, the room temperature, and the set temperature. However, although the operation mode is changed according to the outside air temperature, the feeling of cooling near the floor, walls and windows during heating operation in cold seasons may not be completely eliminated, especially in the case of a poor (below average) thermal insulation performance of the building in which the air conditioner is installed. For example, in a building with a poor (below average) thermal insulation performance, even if the target temperature is shifted to a higher temperature during heating operation, the compensation may still not be sufficient to avoid a cooling sensation near the floor, walls and windows due to excessive heat loss. On the other hand, if the building has a very good thermal insulation performance and the same temperature shift is made, the actual indoor temperature may become too high, leading to user discomfort and unnecessary energy consumption.
In view of the above, there is the desire to provide an air conditioner, a computer-implemented method of controlling an air conditioner and a controller for such an air conditioner that are capable of increasing user satisfaction and comfort, improving room temperature control responsiveness of an air conditioner, in particular an indoor unit of a separate type air conditioner, and improving efficiency of the air conditioner. This aim may be achieved by an air conditioner as defined in claim 1, a computer-implemented method of controlling an air conditioner as defined in claim 11 and a controller of an air conditioner as defined in claim 17. Embodiments may be found in the dependent claims, the following description and the accompanying drawings.
In particular, in view of the limitations discussed above, the present inventors have devised, in accordance with a first aspect herein, an air conditioner, in particular an indoor unit of a separate type air conditioner, which controls operation by adjusting or changing a set indoor temperature of the air conditioner in accordance with a (pre-set) thermal insulation performance of the building in which the air conditioner is installed and an outdoor air temperature, wherein an amount of adjusting or changing the set indoor temperature is set to be different within a pre-set temperature range around 0° C. outdoor air temperature than outside the pre-set temperature range around 0° C. outdoor air temperature.
In other words, a target temperature is determined by correcting the set indoor temperature based on the thermal insulation performance of the building in which the air conditioner is installed and the outdoor air temperature detected by an outdoor air temperature sensor, and the air conditioner is controlled so as to reach the target temperature. For example, in the heating operation, when the thermal insulation performance of the building is poor (below average), the target temperature is set by shifting the set indoor temperature higher, and the heating operation is controlled so as to reach the target temperature. On the other hand, in the cooling operation, when the thermal insulation performance of the building is poor (below average), the target temperature is set by shifting the set indoor temperature lower, and the cooling operation is controlled so as to reach the target temperature.
Hence, an air conditioner is provided, capable of increasing user satisfaction and user comfort, improving room temperature responsiveness of the heating operation and cooling operation of an air conditioner, in particular an indoor unit of a separate type air conditioner, and improving efficiency of the air conditioner by adjusting the heating or cooling operation to the thermal insulation performance of the building in which the air conditioner is installed and an outdoor air temperature, particularly at outdoor temperatures around 0° C.
As used herein, the term “thermal insulation performance of the building” refers to the ability of a building, in particular the building shell or façade of the building including walls, roof, windows, doors, etc., to prevent heat from escaping from the house to the outside during cold seasons or to prevent heat from penetrating into the house from the outside during hot seasons. Accordingly, the individual insulation performances of the walls, the roof, windows, doors, etc. define the “total” thermal insulation performance of the building. In this respect, older buildings in particular often have a less favourable thermal insulation performance. The thermal insulation performance of buildings also often depends on geographical and cultural factors.
Furthermore, as used herein, the term “adjusting or changing” the “set indoor temperature” of the air conditioner refers to lowering or increasing the set indoor temperature using a pre-set logic that takes into account the set thermal insulation performance of the building in which the air conditioner is installed and the current outdoor air temperature when determining the amount by which the set indoor temperature should be lowered or increased at a given time.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the adjustment or change of the set indoor temperature of the air conditioner may be made gradually or steadily, in particular stepwise.
Furthermore, in some aspects of the present invention, the thermal insulation performance of the building in which the air conditioner is installed may be set at the time of installation of the air conditioner in accordance with the thermal insulation performance of the building.
Moreover, in some aspects of the present invention, the thermal insulation performance of the building may be selected from the group comprising: (OFF) turned off, no compensation; (LL) turned on, low base compensation, low compensation at 0° C.; (LH) turned on, low base compensation, high compensation at 0° C.; (HL) turned on, high base compensation, low compensation at 0° C.; and (HH) turned on, high base compensation, high compensation at 0° C.
In some aspects, the air conditioner may further comprise an outdoor temperature sensor for determining the outdoor temperature.
In some aspects of the present invention, the air conditioner may be a wall-mounted indoor unit of a separate type of air conditioner, preferably comprising an indoor outlet that is arranged on a lower part of the wall-mounted indoor unit. The air conditioner may further comprise a controller configured to control heating or cooling operation of the air conditioner. Furthermore, the air conditioner may comprise an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor fan that circulates air which has undergone heat exchange in the indoor heat exchanger, indoors.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the adjustment or change of the set indoor temperature of the air conditioner may be made stepwise, and
In some aspects of the present invention, the adjustment or change of the set indoor temperature of the air conditioner may be made stepwise and at least the adjustment or changing steps outside the pre-set temperature range around 0° C. outdoor air temperature may be constant.
Moreover, in some aspects of the present invention, the amount of adjusting or changing the set indoor temperature is set to be greater within the pre-set temperature range around 0° C. outdoor air temperature than outside the pre-set temperature range. In other words, the compensation is increased inside the pre-set temperature range. In this way, it becomes possible to compensate for the increased temperature loss due to the melting heat of snow and ice near freezing point, thereby avoiding a room temperature drop around 0° C. outdoor air temperature.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the adjustment or change of the set indoor temperature of the air conditioner may be made stepwise and within the pre-set temperature range around 0° C. outdoor air temperature only one adjustment or change step may be made, said one adjustment or change step being preferably at least twice the size or amount of the adjustment or change steps outside the pre-set temperature range around 0° C. In case the adjustment or change steps outside the pre-set temperature range around 0° C. may not be constant, the one adjustment or change step may be at least twice the size or amount of the average size or amount of the adjustment or change steps outside the pre-set temperature range around 0° C.
Moreover, in some aspects of the present invention, the pre-set temperature range around 0° C. outdoor temperature may be set between +5° C. and −15° C., preferably between +3° C. and −10° C.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the adjustment or change of the set indoor temperature of the air conditioner may be made at each step instantaneously or gradually, wherein in the case of gradually the adjustment or change may be made preferably between or during a temperature range of 0.5° C. and 4° C., more preferably between 1° C. and 2° C. In other words, in case of a gradual adjustment or change of the set indoor temperature, the adjustment or change will happen gradually (e.g., linear) during a temperature change of 0.5° C. up to 4° C.
The present inventors have further devised, in accordance with a second aspect herein, a computer-implemented method of controlling an air conditioner, in particular an indoor unit of a separate type of air conditioner, the method comprising:
Moreover, in the computer-implemented method the thermal insulation performance compensation level may be selected from the group comprising: (OFF) turned off, no compensation; (LL) turned on, low base compensation, low compensation at 0° C.; (LH) turned on, low base compensation, high compensation at 0° C.; (HL) turned on, high base compensation, low compensation at 0° C.; and (HH) turned on, high base compensation, high compensation at 0° C.
Furthermore, in some aspects of the present invention, the thermal insulation performance compensation level may be set at the time of installation of the air conditioner and/or by using a remote controller.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the method may further comprise a step of automatically determining and/or updating the thermal insulation performance of the building and/or the thermal insulation performance compensation level by monitoring a temperature difference between a first temperature measured at an indoor unit of the air conditioner and a second temperature measured at a remote controller of the air conditioner or a separate temperature measuring device during cooling or heating operation over a pre-set time period.
In some aspects of the present invention, the step of automatically determining and/or updating the thermal insulation performance of the building and/or the thermal insulation performance compensation level may be performed periodically, in particular after a pre-set time period has elapsed.
Furthermore, in some aspects of the present invention, the step of automatically determining and/or updating the thermal insulation performance of the building and/or the thermal insulation performance compensation level may only be performed if:
The present inventors have further devised, in accordance with a third aspect herein, a controller of an air conditioner, in particular an indoor unit of a separate type of air conditioner, having a control unit and means adapted to execute the steps of the method according to any one of the above-described aspects.
The present invention further provides a computer program comprising instructions to cause a controller, in particular the above-described controller, to execute the steps of the computer-implemented method according to any one of the above-described aspects.
Moreover, a further aspect of the present invention is directed to a computer-readable medium having stored thereon the above-described computer program.
The use of the air conditioner of the present invention for adjusting or changing heating and/or cooling operation in accordance with thermal insulation performance of the building in which the air conditioner is installed may use the computer-implemented method of controlling an air conditioner of the present invention or the controller of an air conditioner of the present invention. Therefore, the further features disclosed in connection with the above description of the air conditioner may also be applied to the computer-implemented method of controlling an air conditioner and vice-versa. The same applies to the controller and the computer program.
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be explained with reference to the drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the field of air conditioning devices from this disclosure that the following description of the embodiments is provided for illustration only and not for the purpose of limiting the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Features of the embodiments described below can also be used to further characterize the devices and method defined in the claims.
Modifications of features can be combined to form further embodiments. Features described in individual embodiments can be provided in a single embodiment if they are not incompatible. Likewise, features described in a single embodiment can be provided in several embodiments individually or in any suitable sub-combination. As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, “the” and the like include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The same reference numerals listed in different drawings refer to identical, corresponding or functionally similar elements. Moreover, where technical features in the drawings, detailed description or any claims are followed by reference signs, the reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the drawings, detailed description, and claims. Accordingly, neither the reference signs nor their absence has any limiting effect on the scope of any claim elements.
As described hereinafter, example implementations of the present invention relate to an air conditioner.
The air conditioner in accordance with the present embodiment includes a wall-mounted indoor unit 1 shown in
The wall-mounted indoor unit 10 is entirely elongated in one direction and mounted on a wall surface of a room so that its longitudinal direction is horizontal. As shown in
The casing 2 includes a substantially box-shaped casing base 11 and a front panel 12. The casing base 11 is open at the front, and the front panel 12 covers the open front portion of the casing base 11. The casing base 11 includes an upper surface, in which an indoor inlet 13 is formed, and a lower surface, in which an indoor outlet 14 is formed. The indoor inlet 13 is a grid-like opening elongated in a sideward direction, and the indoor outlet 14 is a rectangular opening elongated in the sideward direction. When performing an air conditioning operation (cooling operation or heating operation), the indoor fan 3, which is arranged in an air flow path from the indoor inlet 13 to the indoor outlet 14, is driven to draw in air through the indoor inlet 13 so that the air performs heat exchange (i.e., becomes heated or cooled) in the indoor heat exchanger 4 and is then blown out of the indoor outlet 14 into the room.
The sideward deflectors 5 are arranged at an inner side of the indoor outlet 14 to adjust an air direction of the air blown out of the indoor outlet 14 in the sideward direction.
The vertical deflector 6 adjusts the air direction of the air blown out of the indoor outlet 14 in a vertical direction. The vertical deflector 6 includes a pivot centre C1 at an intermediate position of the indoor outlet 14 in the vertical direction. The vertical deflector 6 indicated by the solid lines in
The auxiliary vertical deflector 7 is arranged along an upper structural portion of the indoor outlet 14 to prevent water from collecting on the inner surface of the vertical deflector 6 during a cooling operation. The auxiliary vertical deflector 7 is configured to adjust the air direction of the blown-out air between a solid line position and a double-dashed line position in
Further, when a cooling operation and a heating operation are stopped, the vertical deflector 6 and the auxiliary vertical deflector 7 are each configured to be pivoted to a position located further upward from the uppermost position in the corresponding blow-out direction adjustment range so that the vertical deflector 6 and the auxiliary vertical deflector 7 are in contact with the upper structural portion of the indoor outlet 14 (that is, closed positions) to close the indoor outlet 14. In this manner, the vertical deflector 6 also serves as a cover member of the indoor outlet 14.
The controller 30 may comprise one or more processing units or modules (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) such as a microprocessor, or a suitably programmed field programmable gate array (FPGA) or application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)). Additionally, or alternatively, the controller 30 may be provided with any memory sections (not shown) necessary to perform its function of controlling operation of the air conditioner 1. Such memory sections may be provided as part of (comprised in) the controller 30 (e.g., integrally formed or provided on the same chip) or provided separately, but electrically connected to the controller 30. By way of example, the memory sections may comprise both volatile and non-volatile memory resources, including, for example, a working memory (e.g., a random access memory). In addition, the memory sections may include an instruction store (e.g., a ROM in the form of an electrically-erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) or flash memory) storing a computer program comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the controller 30, cause the controller 30 to perform various functions described herein.
The computer program comprising the computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the controller 30, cause the controller 30 to perform various functions described herein may, for example, be a software or a firmware program.
The control device 30 is connected to the indoor fan 3 and an indoor heat-exchanger temperature sensor 41. The indoor fan 3 is an indoor circulation fan that circulates the air, which has undergone heat exchange in the indoor heat exchanger 4, indoors. The indoor fan 3 includes a drive motor, of which rotational speed is controlled based on an instruction from the air volume controller 31 for control of the air volume.
The indoor heat-exchanger temperature sensor 41 is attached to the indoor heat exchanger 4 at a position that allows for detection of an average temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 4 as an indoor heat exchanger temperature Tr. The indoor heat exchanger temperature Tr detected by the indoor heat-exchanger temperature sensor 41 is transmitted to the controller 30 and used as reference data for the air volume control of the indoor fan 3 by the air volume controller 31 and the air direction control of the vertical deflector 6 by the air direction controller 32.
Further, the controller 30 is connected to drive units of the vertical deflector 6, the auxiliary vertical deflector 7, and the sideward deflector 5 so that the deflectors are controlled by the air direction controller 32. In addition, the control device 30 is connected to an electric expansion valve 42 that controls a refrigerant to the indoor heat exchanger 4. An opening degree of the electric expansion valve 42 is controlled by an instruction from the controller 30.
Also, the wall-mounted indoor unit 10 includes a remote-control unit 43 as an accessory. The remote-control unit 43 functions as an operation unit of the air conditioner 1 and includes an operation switch, an operation mode selection portion, a setting portion, an air volume setting portion, a means of feedback (e.g., a display), and the like. The operation switch starts and ends operation of the air conditioner 1. The setting portion sets a set temperature for the indoor air. The air volume setting portion sets the air volume of the indoor fan during a normal heating operation. The display shows the indoor temperature or the air volume of the indoor fan. The remote-control unit 43 is configured to transmit operating information, which is selected or set, to the controller 30 through wireless communication.
The outdoor unit 20 includes a compressor 21, an outdoor fan 22, as well as an outdoor controller 23 that controls these devices. Further, the outdoor unit 20 includes a four-way switching valve (not shown) that switches a refrigerant circuit between a cooling cycle and a heating cycle. The switching of the four-way switching valve is controlled by the outdoor controller 23. Also, the controller 30 of the wall-mounted indoor unit 10 is electrically connected to the outdoor controller 23 via the transmit/receive circuit unit 33, and operating information from the remote-control unit 43 received by the controller 30 is also transmitted to the outdoor controller 23. The outdoor unit further comprises an outdoor air temperature sensor (not shown) for monitoring the outdoor air temperature.
With reference to
Based on the determined thermal insulation performance of the building, which may be grouped in very low, low, average, high and very high, the installer is setting a thermal insulation performance compensation level. This is preferably done by using the remote controller (remote-control unit 43) of the air conditioner. Here the thermal insulation performance level may be selected from the group comprising: OFF, LL, LH, HL and HH. These different thermal insulation performance compensation levels will be described in more detail below with respect to
Next, based on the pre-set thermal insulation performance level, a set indoor temperature of the air conditioner, set by the user when starting the air conditioner, is shifted to a lower or higher temperature depending on the operation mode. For example, is the air conditioner in heating operation and the pre-set thermal insulation performance compensation level is set to be LL, the set indoor temperature is shifted to a higher temperature. On the other hand, if the air conditioner is in a cooling operation and the pre-set thermal insulation performance compensation level is set to be LL, the set indoor temperature is shifted to a lower temperature. In this way, even if the thermal insulation performance of the building is poor (below average), it can be ensured that a desired room temperature can be reached even in places that are far from the air conditioner, despite an increased heat loss through the building during cold seasons.
During the process of adjusting or changing the set indoor temperature, the outdoor air temperature is measured, and it is checked, whether the measured outdoor air temperature is within a pre-set temperature range around 0° C. or outside said pre-set temperature range around 0° C., where in the present embodiment the pre-set temperature range is set at −6° C. up to +3° C. If the measured outdoor air temperature is outside the set temperature range around 0° C., the usual (base) amount of compensation is used to adjust or change the set indoor temperature. On the other hand, if the measured outdoor air temperature is inside the set temperature range around 0° C., an increased amount of compensation is used to adjust or change the set indoor temperature. In the present embodiment, the amount of compensation is increased by a factor of 2. In other words, the amount of compensation within the set temperature range around 0° C. is twice as large as outside the set temperature range.
In case a heating operation start instruction has been output from the remote-control unit 43, the refrigerant circuit switches to heating cycle to start operating the compressor 21 and the outdoor fan 22. This starts a heating operation of the air conditioner. The vertical deflector 6 and the auxiliary vertical deflector 7 arranged in the indoor outlet 14 open from the closed positions, which close the indoor outlet 14, and allow an airflow of heated air generated by the indoor fan 3 to be blown-out of the indoor outlet 14.
After the heating operation is started and reaches a stable operation, the air conditioner 1 is controlled so as to reach the target indoor temperature, which is the adjusted or changed set indoor temperature. Thus, until the target indoor temperature is reached, the air conditioner is in normal heating operation. Once the target indoor temperature is reached, depending on the outside temperature, the air conditioner may simply reduce its air conditioning (heating) capacity by reducing the rotational speed of the compressor 21 and reducing the rotational speed of the indoor fan 3, stop or pause heating operation or even switch into cooling operation. In any case, the air conditioner 1 is controlled to keep the indoor temperature close to the target indoor temperature. Once a heating operation stop instruction has been output from the remote-control unit 43, the heating operation is stopped, and the air conditioner starts a shutdown procedure.
As can be seen from
Although detailed embodiments have been described, they only serve to provide a better understanding of the invention defined by the independent claims, and are not to be seen as limiting.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 166 983.9 | Apr 2023 | EP | regional |
