JP2010096383A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

In an air conditioner used in a bathroom 3 or the like, a drying operation for drying an object to be dried cannot be grasped and a timer operation or the like has to be performed. There was a problem that the operation was stopped before the drying of the target object, or conversely, the operation was continued after the drying was completed, resulting in an increase in power consumption.
SOLUTION: The relationship between the intake air temperature, the current value of the electric power supplied to the compressor 27, the refrigerant discharge temperature of the compressor 27, the refrigerant suction temperature, and the opening of the expansion valve 28 is previously obtained. Then, the humidity of the air-conditioning target space is estimated based on the obtained relational expression. Based on the estimated humidity, the drying state of the object to be dried is estimated and the end of the drying operation is determined, so that the operation is automatically ended when the drying of the object to be dried is completed.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioner that performs air conditioning and dehumidification drying of a space using a heat pump.

  As a ventilation air conditioner such as a bathroom using a conventional heat pump, the heat pump is separated into an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, and the heat exchanger provided in the outdoor unit absorbs heat (or radiates heat) from the outside air and is installed in the indoor unit. Some heat exchangers radiate (or absorb) heat in the bathroom air to air-condition the bathroom (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Hereinafter, the ventilation air conditioner will be described with reference to FIG.

A ventilation air conditioner exemplified in Patent Document 1 includes a condenser 102 and a circulation fan 103 that supplies air in the air conditioning target space to the condenser 102 in an indoor unit 101 installed in the air conditioning target space such as a bathroom. An evaporator 105 in an outdoor unit 104 installed outdoors, a blower fan 106 for supplying outdoor air to the evaporator 105, a compressor 107 for compressing refrigerant, and an expansion valve as a decompression mechanism for decompressing the refrigerant 108, and a refrigerant circuit 109 for connecting the compressor 107, the condenser 102, the expansion valve 108, and the evaporator 105 in this order is provided. At the time of heating operation, the refrigerant compressed and heated by the compressor 107 is supplied to the condenser 102, and the air in the air-conditioning target space is supplied to the condenser 102 by the circulation blower 103. The air-conditioned room is heated by blowing into the space. At this time, the refrigerant cooled by the condenser 102 is further depressurized by the expansion valve 108 to be further lowered in temperature and sent to the evaporator 105. The evaporator 105 absorbs heat from the outdoor air supplied by the blower fan 106 to increase the temperature of the refrigerant, and the refrigerant returns to the compressor 107 again so that the heat of the outdoor air absorbed by the evaporator 105 is condensed into the condenser 102. Heat is released by heating in the air-conditioning target space.
JP 2002-349930 A

  When drying an object to be dried using an air conditioner in a bathroom, etc., it is essential to detect the humidity in the bathroom space in order to automatically determine whether the object to be dried has finished drying. It becomes. However, it is difficult to measure the humidity of a space with high humidity air such as a bathroom, and even if a measurable humidity sensor is used, it will be used for the detection part of the humidity sensor if it is used over time. Since the deterioration of the material being processed proceeds faster than the normal humidity space, and the humidity detection value in the humidity sensor tends to shift, it is necessary to use a special humidity sensor used in the high humidity space. For this reason, air conditioners generally used in high-humidity spaces do not detect humidity with a humidity sensor, and the current situation is that the end of the drying operation relies on an automatic stop by a timer or the like. However, in the case of automatic stop by a timer, when the drying operation is completed before the drying of the object to be dried is completely completed, or conversely, the drying operation is performed even though the drying of the object to be dried is completed. There has been a problem such as continuing, and there has been a demand for means for automatically detecting the end of drying of an object to be dried and automatically ending the drying operation.

  The present invention solves the problems as described above, and estimates the humidity in the air-conditioning target space without using a humidity sensor, and detects the end of drying of the object to be dried based on the estimated humidity. The operation can be automatically terminated, preventing the stop of the drying operation before the drying of the object to be dried and the continuation of the wasteful drying operation after the drying is finished, improving the convenience of the user and being necessary for the drying operation. An object of the present invention is to provide a ventilation air conditioner that can reduce electric power.

  In order to achieve the above object, the ventilation air conditioner of the present invention absorbs heat to the compressor, the condenser, the decompression mechanism, the evaporator, the condenser fan that blows air from the air-conditioned room to the condenser, and the evaporator. In the air conditioner that air-conditions the air-conditioning target room by the refrigeration cycle using the evaporator fan for blowing the target air, the discharge pressure of the compressor and the temperature of the air in the air-conditioning target space are detected, and based on the detected value The humidity of the air-conditioning target space is estimated.

  By this means, it becomes possible to grasp the dry state in the air conditioning target space by estimating the humidity in the air conditioning target space.

  Moreover, the 2nd solution means which this invention took is the humidity in the air conditioned space based on the relational expression of the humidity in the air conditioned space with respect to the discharge pressure based on the characteristics acquired in advance and the temperature of the air in the air conditioned space. Is to be estimated.

  With this means, it is possible to estimate the humidity in the air-conditioning target space using a relatively easy detection means.

  The third solving means adopted by the present invention is such that the relational expression used for estimating the humidity includes the parameter of the amount of pressure reduction in the pressure reduction mechanism.

  By this means, it is possible to estimate the humidity in the air-conditioning target space with higher accuracy based on the detection amount that can be acquired relatively easily.

  In addition, a fourth solving means taken by the present invention is such that the relational expression used for estimating the humidity includes a parameter of the suction pressure of the compressor.

  By this means, it is possible to estimate the humidity in the air-conditioning target space with higher accuracy based on the detection amount that can be acquired relatively easily.

  Further, the fifth solving means taken by the present invention is to estimate the discharge pressure of the compressor from the current value input to the compressor.

  By this means, it is possible to estimate the humidity in the air-conditioning target space with higher accuracy based on the detection amount that can be acquired relatively easily.

  Further, the sixth solving means provided by the present invention is to estimate the suction pressure of the compressor from the current value input to the compressor.

  By this means, it is possible to estimate the humidity in the air-conditioning target space with higher accuracy based on the detection amount that can be acquired relatively easily.

  In addition, a seventh solving means taken by the present invention is such that a parameter for the discharge temperature of the compressor is included in the relational expression used for estimating the humidity.

  By this means, it is possible to estimate the humidity in the air-conditioning target space with higher accuracy based on the detection amount that can be acquired relatively easily.

  Further, an eighth means of solving the problem of the present invention is such that the relational expression used for estimating the humidity includes a parameter of the intake temperature of the compressor.

  By this means, it is possible to estimate the humidity in the air-conditioning target space with higher accuracy based on the detection amount that can be acquired relatively easily.

  In addition, according to a ninth solving means of the present invention, the humidity is estimated according to the amount of air blown from the condenser fan and the evaporator fan.

  By this means, it is possible to estimate the humidity in the air-conditioning target space with higher accuracy even when the relational expression for estimating the humidity changes with the amount of air supplied to the condenser or the evaporator.

  The tenth means taken by the present invention is to determine the drying end time of the object to be dried in the air-conditioning target space based on the estimated humidity value.

  By this means, it is possible to automatically determine the end of drying of the object to be dried by determining the drying state of the object to be dried in the air conditioning target space.

  An eleventh solution provided by the present invention is to determine that the drying of the object to be dried is completed when the estimated humidity value falls below a predetermined relative humidity.

  By this means, it becomes possible to determine the end of drying of the object to be dried in the air-conditioning target space, and the drying operation can be automatically terminated at the end of drying of the object to be dried. It becomes possible to suppress consumption, and it is possible to prevent an operation stop before the end of drying, etc., which occurs when an automatic end by a timer is performed.

  Further, the twelfth solving means adopted by the present invention is to determine that the drying of the object to be dried is completed when the estimated humidity value is continuously lower than the predetermined relative humidity for a predetermined period. Is.

  By this means, it becomes possible to determine the end of drying of the object to be dried in the air-conditioning target space, and the drying operation can be automatically terminated at the end of drying of the object to be dried. It becomes possible to suppress consumption, and it is possible to prevent an operation stop before the end of drying, etc., which occurs when an automatic end by a timer is performed.

  Further, the thirteenth solving means taken by the present invention determines that the drying of the object to be dried is finished when the rate of change of the absolute humidity falls below a predetermined value among the estimated humidity values. It is a thing.

  By this means, it becomes possible to determine the end of drying of the object to be dried in the air-conditioning target space, and the drying operation can be automatically terminated at the end of drying of the object to be dried. It becomes possible to suppress consumption, and it is possible to prevent an operation stop before the end of drying, etc., which occurs when an automatic end by a timer is performed.

  Further, the fourteenth solving means taken by the present invention is configured to determine that the drying of the object to be dried is finished when the rate of change of the relative humidity falls below a predetermined value among the estimated humidity values. It is a thing.

  By this means, it becomes possible to determine the end of drying of the object to be dried in the air-conditioning target space, and the drying operation can be automatically terminated at the end of drying of the object to be dried. It becomes possible to suppress consumption, and it is possible to prevent an operation stop before the end of drying, etc., which occurs when an automatic end by a timer is performed.

  Further, the fifteenth solving means adopted by the present invention determines that the drying of the object to be dried is completed when the rate of change of the estimated humidity value is continuously lower than a predetermined value for a predetermined period. It is a thing.

  By this means, it becomes possible to determine the end of drying of the object to be dried in the air-conditioning target space, and the drying operation can be automatically terminated at the end of drying of the object to be dried. It becomes possible to suppress consumption, and it is possible to prevent an operation stop before the end of drying, etc., which occurs when an automatic end by a timer is performed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to estimate the humidity in the air-conditioning target space based on a value detected by a relatively easy detection means without using a special humidity sensor.

  In addition, the drying end time is determined by determining the drying state of the object to be dried in the air-conditioning target space based on the estimated humidity value in the air-conditioning target space, and the drying operation is automatically terminated to determine the target. It is possible to suppress wasteful power consumption associated with continuing the operation even after the automatic completion before the drying of the drying object and the drying of the object to be dried.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a compressor, a condenser, a decompression mechanism, an evaporator, a condenser fan that blows air from an air-conditioning target room to the condenser, and an endothermic air to the evaporator are blown. In the air conditioner that air-conditions the air-conditioning target room by the refrigeration cycle using the evaporator fan, the discharge pressure of the compressor and the temperature of the air in the air-conditioning target space are detected, and the air-conditioning target space is detected based on the detected values. The humidity is estimated, and this means makes it possible to grasp the dry state in the air-conditioning target space by estimating the humidity in the air-conditioning target space.

  In addition, the humidity in the air conditioning target space is estimated based on the relational expression of the humidity in the air conditioning target space with respect to the discharge pressure based on the characteristics acquired in advance and the temperature of the air in the air conditioning target space. It is possible to estimate the humidity in the air-conditioning target space using an easy detection means.

  The relational expression used for estimating the humidity includes a parameter for the amount of pressure reduction in the pressure reducing mechanism, and estimates the humidity in the air-conditioning target space with higher accuracy based on the detection amount that can be acquired relatively easily. It becomes possible.

  In addition, the relational expression used for estimating the humidity includes a parameter of the suction pressure of the compressor, and the humidity in the air-conditioning target space is estimated with higher accuracy based on a detection amount that can be acquired relatively easily. It becomes possible.

  Further, the discharge pressure of the compressor is estimated from the current value input to the compressor, and the humidity in the air-conditioning target space is estimated with higher accuracy based on the detection amount that can be acquired relatively easily. It becomes possible.

  Further, the suction pressure of the compressor is estimated from the current value input to the compressor, and the humidity in the air-conditioning target space is estimated with higher accuracy based on the detection amount that can be acquired relatively easily. It becomes possible.

  Further, the relational expression used for estimating the humidity includes a parameter of the discharge temperature of the compressor, and the humidity in the air-conditioning target space is estimated with higher accuracy based on a detection amount that can be acquired relatively easily. It becomes possible.

  In addition, the relational expression used for estimating the humidity includes a parameter for the suction temperature of the compressor, and the humidity in the air-conditioning target space is estimated with higher accuracy based on a detection amount that can be acquired relatively easily. It becomes possible.

  Further, the humidity is estimated according to the amount of air blown from the condenser fan and the evaporator fan, and the relational expression for humidity estimation changes with the amount of air blown supplied to the condenser and the evaporator. Even in this case, it is possible to estimate the humidity in the air-conditioning target space with higher accuracy.

  In addition, the drying end time of the object to be dried in the air-conditioning target space is determined based on the estimated humidity value, and the drying state of the object to be dried in the air-conditioning target space is determined. It becomes possible to automatically determine the end of drying of the object to be dried.

  Further, when the estimated humidity value falls below a predetermined relative humidity, it is determined that the drying of the object to be dried has been completed, and the completion of drying of the object to be dried in the air conditioning target space is determined. When the drying of the object to be dried is completed, the drying operation can be automatically terminated, and it is possible to suppress the power consumption by continuing the wasteful operation. It is possible to prevent the operation stop occurring before the end of drying.

  In addition, when the estimated humidity value falls below the predetermined relative humidity continuously for a predetermined period, it is determined that the drying of the object to be dried has been completed. It is possible to determine the end of the drying of the object, the drying operation can be automatically terminated at the end of the drying of the object to be dried, and it is possible to suppress the power consumption by continuing the useless operation, and by the timer It is possible to prevent the operation stop before the end of drying, which occurs when the automatic end is performed.

  In addition, among the estimated humidity values, when the rate of change in absolute humidity falls below a predetermined value, it is determined that the drying of the object to be dried has been completed, and the object to be dried in the air-conditioning target space It is possible to determine the end of the drying of the object, the drying operation can be automatically terminated when the drying of the object to be dried is completed, and it is possible to suppress power consumption by continuing unnecessary operation, and a timer It is possible to prevent the operation stop before the end of drying, etc., which occurs when performing the automatic end by the above.

  In addition, among the estimated humidity values, when the rate of change of the relative humidity falls below a predetermined value, it is determined that the drying of the object to be dried has been completed, and the object to be dried in the air-conditioning target space It is possible to determine the end of the drying of the object, the drying operation can be automatically terminated when the drying of the object to be dried is completed, and it is possible to suppress power consumption by continuing unnecessary operation, and a timer It is possible to prevent the operation stop before the end of drying, etc., which occurs when performing the automatic end by the above.

  In addition, it is determined that the drying of the object to be dried is completed when the estimated rate of change of the humidity value is continuously lower than the predetermined value for a predetermined period of time. It becomes possible to determine the end of drying of the object to be dried, the drying operation can be automatically terminated at the end of drying of the object to be dried, and it is possible to suppress power consumption by continuing useless operation, It is possible to prevent an operation stop before the end of drying, which occurs when performing an automatic end by a timer.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a sketch of a living space where an air conditioner having a ventilation function is installed in a bathroom as an example of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an indoor living space 1 is partitioned into a living room 2 as an indoor space, a bathroom 3 as a first indoor space, a dressing room 4 as a second indoor space, or a toilet 5. On the back, a main body 6 of the ventilation air conditioner is installed. The main body 6 includes a first exhaust duct 7 communicating with the main body 6 and the outdoors, a second exhaust duct 9 communicating with the main body 6 and a first exhaust port 8 serving as an exhaust opening opened in the ceiling of the dressing room 4, and a toilet 5. The 3rd exhaust duct 11 which connects the 2nd exhaust port 10 and the main body 6 which were opened to the ceiling of this is connected.

  In addition, a ventilation fan 12 is disposed inside the main body 6, and a first exhaust duct 7 that communicates between the outdoor body and the main body 6 is connected to a blow-out side of the ventilation fan 12, and a undressing chamber 4 and the main body 6 communicate with each other. The second exhaust duct 9 and the third exhaust duct 11 communicating the toilet 5 and the main body 6 are connected to the suction side of the ventilation fan 12. Therefore, when the ventilation fan 12 is operated, the air in the dressing room 4 and the toilet 5 is sucked into the ventilation fan 12 from the first exhaust port 8 and the second exhaust port 10 through the second exhaust duct 9 and the third exhaust duct 11. The air is exhausted outdoors through one exhaust duct 7.

  When the ventilation fan 12 is continuously operated, the inside of the indoor living space 1 becomes negative pressure, so that fresh outside air is supplied from the air supply opening 13 opened on the wall facing the outside of the living room 2 as the indoor space. The living space 1 will be ventilated. Since this ventilation operation needs to be performed continuously when the confidentiality of the building is high (24-hour ventilation), the ventilation fan 12 corresponds to a predetermined ventilation amount, for example, about half the volume of the living space 1 in one hour. Operate continuously to ensure ventilation.

  The living room 2 is provided with an air conditioner 14 for controlling the temperature of the room. The air conditioner 14 is used for cooling in the summer and heating in the winter to keep the room temperature properly. Therefore, when continuous ventilation operation is performed throughout the year as described above, in the living room, the air conditioner 14 is used for cooling in the summer, and the air conditioner 14 is used for heating in the winter. The air controlled at 0 ° C. is sucked into the first exhaust port 8 and the second exhaust port 10 through the louver and undercut portions of the door 15 of the dressing room 4 and the toilet 15 and passes through the main body 6 of the ventilation air conditioner. It will be discharged outdoors.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an air path configuration of an air conditioner having a ventilation function, and FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of an air path configuration of the inside of the main body 6 of the air conditioner having a ventilation function as viewed from above. FIG. 2 (b) is a schematic diagram of the air passage configuration when the inside of the air conditioner main body 6 having a ventilation function is attached to the bathroom 3, as viewed from the side, and FIG. 3 is the air conditioning having the ventilation function. FIG. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of the apparatus, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a main body 6 of a ventilation air conditioner is installed on the back of the ceiling of the bathroom 3. In addition, a filter 18 is provided for opening the air outlet 17 and detachably attaching dust to the air inlet 16.

  In the first air passage 19 in the main body 6, a suction port 16 for sucking air in the bathroom 3, a condenser 20 for raising the temperature of the air in the bathroom 3 sucked from the suction port 16, and the condenser 20 are raised. A circulation fan for sucking the air in the bathroom 3 from the air outlet 17 and the inlet 16 for blowing the heated air into the bathroom 3 and circulating the air from the air outlet 17 through the condenser 20 into the bathroom 3 again. 21 is provided, and the inside of the bathroom 3 can be heated by circulating air in the order of the suction port 16, the condenser 20, the circulation fan 21, and the blowout port 17 as indicated by the arrows.

  Further, in the second air passage 22 in the main body 6, the first exhaust duct 7 is connected to the main body 6 in the dressing room 4 and the toilet 5 sucked from the first exhaust port 8 and the second exhaust port 10. A first ventilation port 23 for ventilating air into the main body 6, an evaporator 24 for absorbing heat from the air in the dressing room 4 and the toilet 5 sucked from the first ventilation port 23, and air absorbed by the evaporator 24 For sucking the air in the dressing room 4 and the toilet 5 from the ventilation outlet 25 and the first ventilation outlet 23 for discharging the air to the third exhaust duct 11 and exhausting the air from the ventilation outlet 25 through the evaporator 24 to the outside. The ventilation fan 12 is provided, and the flow of wind is blown in the order of the first ventilation port 23, the evaporator 24, the ventilation fan 12, and the ventilation outlet 25, as indicated by the arrows, so that the inside of the dressing room 4 and the toilet 5 After absorbing heat from the air of the It can be ventilated in the space 1.

  In addition, for example, an HCFC refrigerant (including chlorine, hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon atoms in the molecule) and an HFC refrigerant (including hydrogen, carbon, and fluorine atoms in the molecule) as the refrigerant in the main body 6. A refrigerant circuit 26 filled with any of natural refrigerants such as hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide is formed. In this refrigerant circuit 26, a compressor 27 for compressing the refrigerant, heat exchange between the supply air and the refrigerant A condenser 20 is provided, an expansion valve 28 serving as a pressure reducing mechanism for reducing the pressure by expanding the refrigerant, and an evaporator 24 for exchanging heat between the supply air and the refrigerant. The refrigerant discharge port of the compressor 27 is provided with a discharge temperature sensor 29 for detecting the discharge temperature of the refrigerant, and the refrigerant intake port of the compressor 27 is provided with an intake temperature sensor 30 for detecting the intake temperature of the refrigerant. The values detected by the discharge temperature sensor 29 and the suction temperature sensor 30 are used by the control means 31 to control the operation of each actuator. The electric power supplied to the compressor 27 is supplied while measuring the current value by the current sensor 32 provided in the control means 31.

  The suction port 16 is provided with a first damper 33 as a first closing mechanism for closing the intake air from the bathroom 3, and the suction of air from the bathroom 3 is stopped by closing the first damper 33. can do. The first ventilation port 23 is provided with a second damper 34 as a third closing mechanism for closing the suction of air from the dressing room 4 and the toilet 5, and the second damper 34 is closed. Thus, the suction of air from the dressing room 4 and the toilet 5 can be stopped. Further, a dehumidifying air passage 35 communicating with the second air passage 22 and the first air passage 19 in a portion adjacent to the first air passage 19 downstream of the evaporator 24 and upstream of the ventilation fan 12 in the second air passage 22. In the dehumidifying air passage 35, a dehumidifying damper 36 is provided as a dehumidifying air passage closing means for closing the communication between the second air passage 22 and the first air passage 19.

  The dehumidifying air passage 35 communicates with a position downstream of the suction port 16 of the first air passage 19 and upstream of the condenser 20, and the air after passing through the evaporator 24 in the second air passage 22 when the dehumidifying damper 36 is opened. Is passed through the dehumidifying air passage 35 to the condenser 20 in the first air passage 19. When the dehumidifying damper 36 is closed, the first air passage 19 and the second air passage 22 are isolated from each other, and the air flowing through each air passage is ventilated without being mixed. A second suction port for introducing the air in the bathroom 3 into the second air passage 22 at a position downstream of the first ventilation port 23 in the second air passage 22 and upstream of the evaporator 24. The second suction port 37 is provided, and the second suction port 37 is provided with a third damper 38 as a second closing mechanism for closing the second suction port 37. The second suction port 37 is provided with a suction temperature sensor 39 for detecting the temperature of the air in the bathroom 3 sucked from the second suction port 37. It is possible to switch to the optimum air path for each operation mode by appropriately opening and closing each damper described above according to each operation mode.

  Next, the operation of the ventilation air conditioner will be described. Table 1 is a list showing the operating state of each component in each operation pattern. Hereinafter, each operation mode will be described in detail.

  First, in the heating operation mode, the first damper 33 and the second damper 34 are opened, and the third damper 38 and the dehumidifying damper 36 are closed. In this case, the air in the bathroom 3 sucked from the suction port 16 is heated by the condenser 20 and then circulated to the bathroom 3 by the circulation fan 21 to heat the bathroom 3. The air in the dressing room 4 and the toilet 5 sucked from the first ventilation port 23 is exhausted to the outdoors by the ventilation fan 12 while the heat is absorbed by the evaporator 24 and the temperature is lowered. Since the heat absorbed from the air in the dressing room 4 and the toilet 5 by the evaporator 24 is supplied into the bathroom 3 by the condenser 20, the heat conditioned by the air conditioner 14 or the like in the living space 1 is ventilated outdoors. It is possible to efficiently perform heating by collecting in the bathroom 3 without wastefully discharging.

  The electric power supplied to the compressor 27 during the heating operation is supplied to the compressor 27 while detecting the current value supplied by the current sensor 32. Further, the opening degree of the decompression amount in the expansion valve 28 is controlled by the control means 31, and is controlled so as to keep the operation state of the refrigeration cycle at an optimum value by changing the decompression amount by adjusting the opening degree. Has been.

  The amount of pressure reduction is controlled based on the discharge temperature detected by the discharge temperature sensor 29, the compressor supply current detected by the current sensor, and the discharge pressure of the compressor 27 determined from the opening of the expansion valve 28. . Usually, at the time of heating operation, since the temperature of the air to be heated that exchanges heat with the condenser 20 can be increased by operating in a state where the refrigerant temperature in the condenser 20 is the highest, the heating capacity becomes the highest. . In general, in order to increase the refrigerant temperature in the condenser 20, a method of increasing the discharge temperature by reducing the circulation amount of the refrigerant by increasing the amount of pressure reduction in the expansion valve 28 is used. However, if the amount of pressure reduction in the expansion valve 28 is increased, the refrigerant suction temperature in the compressor 27 also decreases. Therefore, the discharge temperature decreases conversely with a certain amount of pressure reduction, so the discharge temperature sensor 29 The decompression amount is increased within a range in which the detected discharge temperature is increased, and the expansion valve 28 is operated so as to decrease the decompression amount when the discharge temperature is lowered. As described above, when the expansion valve 28 is operated, the discharge pressure may exceed the upper limit of use pressure even though the discharge temperature is operated within the use range of the compressor 27. For example, when used in an environment that is in a high-temperature and high-humidity state unlike a normal living room such as a bathroom, the air supplied to the condenser 20 and the evaporator 24 is in a high-temperature and high-humidity state. The balance of the heat balance in the evaporator 24 changes, and the state where the discharge pressure rises greatly occurs. In such a state, even when the discharge temperature does not reach the upper limit value, it is necessary to reduce the pressure reduction amount of the expansion valve 28 and to reduce the discharge pressure.

In the detection of the discharge pressure, as shown in FIG. 4A, a proportional relationship (Y = AX) between the current value (X) of the power supplied to the compressor 27 and the discharge pressure (Y) is obtained. ) Exists, the discharge pressure is estimated using this relationship (see the following relational expression). Based on the supply current to the compressor 27 detected by the current sensor 32, calculation is made from the relational expression between the supply current and the discharge pressure. In this relational expression, the coefficient is determined based on the test results obtained in advance. The relationship between the current value and the discharge pressure is the discharge temperature, the pressure reduction amount in the expansion valve 28, and the temperature of the air supplied to the condenser 20. Affected by. Therefore, the relational expression for estimating the discharge pressure includes the discharge temperature, the expansion valve opening as a function of the pressure reduction amount, and the temperature of the air supplied to the condenser 20 as parameters. The constants of the relational expressions shown below are determined. The graph shown in FIG. 4A shows the discharge temperature (for example, about 80 ° C.), the opening degree of the expansion valve (for example, the opening degree of the valve that can be opened and closed between 0-540 is set to 100 degree opening degree), and the suction It is a graph showing the relationship between the compressor supply current value and the discharge pressure when the air temperature (for example, about 35 ° C.) is constant. This relational expression is the difference in the size of the condenser 20 and the evaporator 24 and other configurations. The constant (values A to C in the following relational expression) obtained by the above changes. For this reason, it is necessary to experimentally obtain the values of these constants in advance and obtain the relational expressions. The discharge pressure of the compressor can be estimated by using the value of each parameter during operation in the obtained relational expression.
Relational expression: Y = aX
Y: discharge pressure X: compressor supply current value a: constant a = AX1 + BX2 + CX3
A to C: Constant X1: Discharge temperature X2: Expansion valve opening X3: Suction air temperature When the estimated discharge pressure approaches the upper limit pressure for use of the compressor 27, the pressure reduction amount in the expansion valve 28 is reduced, and the discharge pressure is reduced. Control so as not to exceed the upper limit of use pressure.

However, when the air volume of the air-conditioning target air supplied to the condenser 20 or the evaporator 24 changes due to some factor, the above-described relational expression may not be satisfied depending on the changed air volume. FIG. 4B shows a state in which the current value (for example, about 8 A), the discharge temperature (for example, about 80 ° C.), the expansion valve opening (for example, the opening degree of the valve that can be opened and closed between 0-540 is set to 100 opening degree. ), The relationship between the air volume and the discharge pressure when the air temperature (for example, about 35 ° C.) is constant, but unlike the case of the current value, discharge temperature, expansion valve opening, and air temperature described above, the air volume This is because the relationship between the change in the pressure and the discharge pressure is not a simple proportional relationship as shown in FIG. 4B. On the other hand, a plurality of air volumes to be supplied (for example, as shown in FIG. 4B). 3 areas (0 to 1 m ³ / min, 1 to ³ m ³ / min, 3 m ³ / min or more), and the relational expression is satisfied in each airflow range by using the above relational expression in each area. Therefore, change the relational expression for each air volume and change the discharge pressure. It performs constant.

  In the example shown here, the relational expression is obtained by dividing into three regions by dividing into regions that can be linearly approximated from the graph of the air volume and discharge pressure obtained in the experiment, but depending on the results obtained in the experiment, there are many more. In some cases, the following relational expression is required.

  As described above, by estimating the discharge pressure of the compressor 27, the refrigerant pressure in the condenser 20 is increased, and the discharge pressure does not exceed the use upper limit pressure even in air conditioning to a high-temperature and high-humidity target space. It is possible to continue the operation safely while increasing the heating capacity.

  In the above-described control method, the case where the discharge pressure first reaches the upper limit value has been described as an example. However, only the discharge temperature may actually reach the upper limit value. Therefore, it is desirable to control the amount of pressure reduction in the expansion valve 28 based on any value close to the upper limit value of the discharge temperature and the discharge pressure. However, since the discharge pressure and the discharge temperature are different in the unit system, the control target parameter is set based on the ratio of the difference from the upper limit value to the entire use range. For example, when it enters the range of about 5% from the upper limit value with respect to the specification range of the compressor 27 (for example, the discharge pressure specification range is 0 to 4 MPa, the discharge temperature specification range is 0 to 100 ° C. It is desirable to switch the control target as the control target parameter to 95 ° C. or higher). When both the discharge pressure and the discharge temperature do not reach the above ranges, control is performed with either the discharge pressure or the discharge temperature fixed as a default parameter, and the remaining parameters are only monitored. By doing so, it becomes possible to continue the operation without exceeding the upper limit value when either the discharge pressure or the discharge temperature approaches the upper limit value first.

  Next, in the bathroom ventilation operation mode, the third damper 38 is opened and the first damper 33, the second damper 34, and the dehumidifying damper 36 are closed. In this case, only the ventilation fan 12 is operated, and the operation of the circulation fan 21 is stopped. The air in the bathroom 3 sucked from the second suction port 37 by the ventilation fan 12 is exhausted to the outdoors from the ventilation outlet 25 by the ventilation fan 12. At this time, since the operation of the compressor 27 is not performed and the heat absorption in the evaporator 24 is not performed, the air in the bathroom 3 is exhausted to the outside as it is.

  Next, in the other room ventilation mode, the second damper 34 is opened and the first damper 33, the third damper 38, and the dehumidifying damper 36 are closed. In this case, only the ventilation fan 12 is operated, and the operation of the circulation fan 21 is stopped. The air in the dressing room 4 and the toilet 5 sucked from the first ventilation port 23 by the ventilation fan 12 is exhausted from the ventilation outlet 25 to the outside by the ventilation fan 12. At this time, since the operation of the compressor 27 is not performed and the heat absorption in the evaporator 24 is not performed, the air in the dressing room 4 and the toilet 5 is exhausted to the outside as it is.

  Next, the drying operation mode will be described. In the dry operation mode, the dehumidifying damper 36 and the third damper 38 are opened, and the first damper 33 and the second damper 34 are closed. In this case, only the circulation fan 21 is operated, and the operation of the ventilation fan 12 is stopped. By taking such an air path configuration, the air in the bathroom 3 is supplied from the second suction port 37 to the evaporator 24 by the circulation fan 21, and then supplied to the bathroom 3 through the condenser 20. When the air to be air-conditioned supplied to the evaporator 24 is deprived of heat on the surface of the evaporator 24 and the temperature drops, moisture contained therein condenses on the surface of the evaporator 24 and the condenser 20 is in a state where the absolute humidity is lowered. Supplied to. The air to be air-conditioned whose absolute humidity has been lowered is heated in the condenser 20 and is returned to the bathroom 3 which is the air-conditioning target space again in a state where both the absolute humidity and the relative humidity are lower than before the inflow of the main body 6 as the temperature rises. . Thus, the drying operation of a to-be-dried object is implemented by supplying the air in which humidity decreased.

  At the time of carrying out the drying operation, the state where the temperature of the evaporator 24 is the lowest can be said to be a desirable state from the viewpoint of reducing the absolute humidity of the air to be conditioned. For this reason, it is desirable to adjust the pressure reduction amount of the expansion valve 28 so that the temperature of the evaporator 24 is the lowest as the operation during the drying operation. Therefore, the evaporator 24 is provided with an evaporator temperature sensor 40 for detecting the temperature of the evaporator 24, and the opening degree of the expansion valve 28 is determined based on the value obtained by the evaporator temperature sensor 40. . At this time, since a lot of condensed water exists on the surface of the evaporator 24, the opening degree of the expansion valve 28 is controlled in a range where the condensed water does not freeze on the surface of the evaporator (for example, 0 ° C. or more).

  At this time, similarly to the heating operation described above, when a high-temperature and high-humidity space such as the bathroom 3 is used as the air-conditioning target space, the amount of pressure reduction in the expansion valve 28 is increased so that the temperature of the evaporator 24 becomes the target temperature. In some cases, the discharge pressure of the compressor 27 reaches the use upper limit pressure before the pressure decreases. Therefore, the current value during cooling, the discharge temperature, the expansion valve opening, the relationship between the intake air temperature and the discharge pressure are obtained from the test results obtained in advance as in the case of heating, and the discharge pressure is estimated from the detected value. When the discharge pressure approaches the use upper limit pressure, control is performed so that the discharge pressure does not exceed the use upper limit pressure by increasing the opening degree of the expansion valve 28 and reducing the pressure reduction amount.

  By performing such control, it is possible to control the amount of pressure reduction in the expansion valve 28 so that the drying (dehumidification) capability can be exhibited most within the specification range of the compressor 27 even during the drying operation.

When the drying operation is performed, the absolute humidity in the bathroom 3 that is the air-conditioning target space decreases with the drying of the object to be dried. For this reason, it becomes possible by estimating the value of the humidity in the bathroom 3 to estimate the dry state of the object to be dried. In estimating the humidity, it is estimated from a relational expression obtained in advance based on the discharge pressure of the compressor 27, the suction pressure, and the suction temperature of the air in the bathroom 3 in advance. FIG. 5 is a graph showing the relationship between the discharge pressure and the bathroom humidity when the suction pressure (for example, about 0.8 MPa) and the suction temperature (for example, about 35 ° C.) are constant. Has a proportional relationship. Similarly, the same proportional relationship exists when the suction pressure and the suction temperature are changed. As a result, a specific proportional relationship (H = bPd + cPs + dT) occurs between the discharge pressure (Pd), the suction pressure (Ps), the suction temperature (T), and the humidity (H) in the bathroom 3. Similar to the relational expression for estimating the above, the following relational expression for estimating the humidity can be obtained by obtaining this relation in advance (determining the values of a to d in the following relational expression).
Relational expression: H = bPd + cPs + dT
H: Bathroom humidity Pd: Discharge pressure Ps: Suction pressure T: Suction air temperature a to d: Constant At this time, the discharge pressure and the suction pressure are estimated based on the above-described method for estimating the discharge pressure. For this reason, the relational expression used for estimating the humidity includes the values of the supply current to the compressor 27, the opening degree of the expansion valve 28, the discharge temperature, and the suction temperature as parameters, as in the relational expression used for estimating the pressure. . When the relational expression for pressure estimation is applied to the discharge pressure (Pd) and the suction pressure (Ps) in the above relational expression and the expression is modified, the following relational expression is obtained. During actual drying operation, the humidity in the bathroom 3 can be estimated by using the detection values of the sensors for these parameters.
Relational expression: H = AX1 + BX2 + CX3 + DX4 + EX5
A to D: Constant X1: Compressor supply current value X2: Discharge temperature X3: Suction temperature X4: Expansion valve opening X5: Suction air temperature In addition, parameters of discharge pressure and suction pressure are included in the relational expression used to estimate humidity. Therefore, since there are a plurality of relational expressions depending on the amount of air blown to the condenser 20 and the evaporator 24 at the time of estimating the discharge pressure, the relational expression for estimating the humidity is also applied to the condenser 20 and the evaporator 24. There will be a plurality of relational expressions depending on the amount of blown air.

  Several determination criteria can be provided for drying determination of an object to be dried. The first determination criterion is a criterion for determining that the drying of the object to be dried is completed when the detected relative humidity value falls below a predetermined value. This determination criterion is a criterion that is easy to apply when the content of the object to be dried satisfies a specific criterion. For example, when almost the same object to be dried is periodically dried, if the relative humidity in the bathroom 3 at the end of drying is known in advance operation, it is relatively simple to use this standard. The end of drying of the product can be determined. However, if the end of drying is determined when the relative humidity of the bathroom 3 momentarily falls below the reference value, an erroneous detection of the end of drying will occur if an error occurs in the detection value of each sensor. Therefore, it is desirable to determine that the drying is finished when the estimated relative humidity value falls below a specific value (for example, about 30%) for a specific period (for example, 3 minutes or more).

  The second determination criterion is a criterion for determining that the drying of the object to be dried is completed when the value of the detected rate of change in absolute humidity falls below a predetermined value. This determination criterion is a criterion that is easy to apply when performing a drying determination on a relatively wide variety of objects to be dried. For example, even when the object to be dried changes for each drying operation, the operation is continued until the rate of change in absolute humidity falls below a predetermined value (for example, 0.0001 KG / KG ′ / min). Since it is operated until the humidity component is properly reduced, it is possible to prevent an erroneous determination that makes a dry determination before the drying of the object to be dried is completed, and it is automatically dried at the end of drying. It is possible to end the operation. However, if the rate of change in absolute humidity in the bathroom 3 falls momentarily below the reference value and the end of drying is determined, if an error occurs in the detection value of each sensor, an erroneous detection of the end of drying is detected. Therefore, when the estimated rate of change in absolute humidity falls below a specific value for a specific period (for example, 3 minutes or more), it is desirable to determine that the drying has ended. In this case, as the drying state of the object to be dried, a tendency of over-drying appears relatively. However, when priority is given to the drying of the object to be dried, it becomes a standard that is easy to apply.

  The third determination criterion is a criterion for determining that the drying of the object to be dried is completed when the value of the detected rate of change in relative humidity falls below a predetermined value. Similar to the case of absolute humidity described above, this criterion is also a standard that is easy to apply when performing dryness determination on a relatively wide variety of objects to be dried, but unlike the case of absolute humidity, the ambient temperature of the bathroom 3 Therefore, it is possible to determine the end of drying at an earlier stage. However, depending on the installation method of the object to be dried in the bathroom 3 and the type of the object to be dried, the relative humidity in the bathroom 3 may be lowered before the drying is completed, so care must be taken in applying the standard.

  It is desirable to apply the three determination criteria described above by switching the determination criteria according to the state in which the drying operation is performed at the time of application. For example, since the possibility of completion of drying of the object to be dried is relatively low for a specific period from the start of the drying operation (for example, about one hour from the start of operation), the second and third determination criteria with higher accuracy are set. It is desirable to apply. However, it is desirable to apply the first determination criterion, which is a simpler determination criterion, because the possibility of completion of drying of the object to be dried becomes relatively high after a certain period (for example, about 1 hour) has passed. .

  In addition, it is desirable to apply the second criterion in the operation that places more importance on the drying state of the object to be dried. Conversely, in the case of an operation that emphasizes the operation time required for the drying operation, the third determination is applied. It is desirable to apply standards. As described above, it is desirable that the actual determination criterion is switched according to the condition for the object to be dried and the desire of the user.

  Next, the cooling operation mode will be described. In the cooling operation mode, the heat used as the condenser 20 during heating by switching to the damper position in the heating operation mode and switching the four-way valve 41 provided on the refrigerant circuit 26 to reverse the refrigerant flow direction. The air conditioning target space is cooled by using the exchanger as the evaporator 24 and the heat exchanger used as the evaporator 24 during heating as the condenser 20.

  When the cooling operation is performed, the state where the temperature of the evaporator 24 is the lowest can be said to be a desirable state from the viewpoint of reducing the temperature of the air to be conditioned. For this reason, it is desirable to adjust the amount of pressure reduction of the expansion valve 28 so that the temperature of the evaporator 24 becomes the lowest as the operation during the cooling operation. Therefore, the evaporator 24 is provided with an evaporator temperature sensor 40 for detecting the temperature of the evaporator 24, and the opening degree of the expansion valve 28 is determined based on the value obtained by the evaporator temperature sensor 40. . At this time, since a lot of condensed water exists on the surface of the evaporator 24, the opening degree of the expansion valve 28 is controlled in a range where the condensed water does not freeze on the surface of the evaporator (for example, 0 ° C. or more).

  At this time, similarly to the heating operation described above, when a high-temperature and high-humidity space such as the bathroom 3 is used as the air-conditioning target space, the amount of pressure reduction in the expansion valve 28 is increased so that the temperature of the evaporator 24 becomes the target temperature. In some cases, the discharge pressure of the compressor 27 reaches the use upper limit pressure before the pressure decreases. Therefore, the current value during cooling, the discharge temperature, the expansion valve opening, the relationship between the intake air temperature and the discharge pressure are obtained from the test results obtained in advance as in the case of heating, and the discharge pressure is estimated from the detected value. When the discharge pressure approaches the use upper limit pressure, control is performed so that the discharge pressure does not exceed the use upper limit pressure by increasing the opening degree of the expansion valve 28 and reducing the pressure reduction amount.

  By performing such control, it is possible to control the amount of pressure reduction in the expansion valve 28 so that the cooling capacity can be most exhibited within the specification range of the compressor 27 even during the cooling operation.

  In each operation mode for driving the compressor 27 described so far, when the expansion valve 28 is controlled as described above, the amount of pressure reduction in the expansion valve 28 is minimized depending on the temperature of the bathroom 3 that is the air-conditioning target space. Despite this, the discharge pressure of the compressor 27 may exceed the upper limit value. In such a case, the operation of the compressor 27 is stopped based on the estimated discharge pressure, and control is performed so that the discharge pressure does not exceed the upper limit value. When a predetermined period (for example, about 5 minutes) elapses after the operation of the compressor 27 is stopped, the operation of the compressor 27 is automatically resumed and the air conditioning is resumed.

  In the drying operation mode, the state in which the compressor 27 is repeatedly stopped and operated is mostly caused by a high temperature in the bathroom 3 as the air-conditioning target space. In such a state, the temperature of the evaporator 24 cannot be lowered to a temperature at which it can be sufficiently dehumidified, and the air in the bathroom 3 cannot be dehumidified. Therefore, in the dry operation mode, when the stop operation of the compressor 27 is repeated a predetermined number of times (for example, about 3 times), the operation of the ventilation fan 12 is started and the outdoor exhaust from the bathroom 3 is performed. Along with the exhaust, relatively cool air (for example, about 20 ° C.) flows into the bathroom 3 from the dressing room 4 and the like, and the temperature in the bathroom 3 gradually decreases. Therefore, when the temperature in the bathroom 3 is lowered to a temperature at which it can be sufficiently dehumidified (for example, about 30 ° C.), the operation of the ventilation fan 12 is stopped and the inflow of absolute humidity into the bathroom 3 is stopped. By performing such an operation, it becomes possible to continuously supply dry air to the object to be dried, and to shorten the drying time of the object to be dried.

  As described above, with the configuration and operation described above, the ventilation air-conditioning apparatus of the present embodiment dries the object to be dried by installing the object to be dried such as clothes in an air-conditioning target space such as a bathroom and supplying dry air. In the drying operation, it is possible to estimate the humidity in the air-conditioning target space by a relatively easy means, and it is possible to estimate the dry state of the target to be dried from the estimated humidity. It is possible to automatically end the drying operation at the end of drying.

  In addition, by having a plurality of criteria for determining the completion of drying of an object to be dried, it is possible to perform a drying completion determination that meets a variety of situations and user needs.

  The contents described above are only described for one mode for carrying out the invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

  For example, in the present embodiment, the bathroom is described as an example of the air-conditioning target space. However, any space can be used as long as the object to be dried can be installed and the drying operation can be performed, and the operational effect is different. Does not occur. Desirably, it is desirable that the space has an appropriate volume according to the amount of the object to be dried. In addition, it is desirable that the space has a low humidity component in and out due to the characteristics of the drying operation by reheat dehumidification. .

  In the present embodiment, the application method of the determination criterion for determining the completion of drying has been described as an example. However, even if the application method of the determination criterion is switched according to the user's application, there is no difference in the effect. For example, in the present embodiment, the first determination criterion is applied after a specific period (for example, about 1 hour), but the second and second cases are used when the drying determination is performed more accurately. There is no problem even if the three criteria are applied.

  When performing a drying operation using a refrigeration cycle in an air conditioner installed in an air-conditioning target space such as a bathroom, it becomes possible to determine the drying state of the object to be dried by estimating the humidity of the air-conditioning target space. The present invention is not limited to this, and can be used as a control method for an air conditioner or the like in a space that needs drying in a general residence or a non-residential space.

Schematic showing an installation example in the living space of the present invention (A) is the schematic of the air path structure which looked at the inside of the main body 6 of the air conditioner provided with the ventilation function in embodiment of this invention from the top, (b) is the air conditioner provided with the same ventilation function. Schematic diagram of the air passage structure when the main body 6 is attached to the bathroom 3 as seen from the side. Schematic diagram of refrigerant circuit used in the air conditioner Conceptual diagram of relational expression used for same discharge pressure estimation Conceptual diagram of relational expression used for the same humidity estimation Schematic of the main body configuration in a conventional air conditioner

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Living space 2 Living 3 Bathroom 4 Dressing room 5 Toilet 6 Main body 7 First exhaust duct 8 First exhaust port 9 Second exhaust duct 10 Second exhaust port 11 Third exhaust duct 12 Ventilation fan 13 Air supply port 14 Air conditioner 15 Door 16 Suction port 17 Air outlet 18 Filter 19 First air passage 20 Condenser 21 Circulating fan 22 Second air passage 23 First ventilation port 24 Evaporator 25 Ventilation air outlet 26 Refrigerant circuit 27 Compressor 28 Expansion valve 29 Discharge temperature sensor DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 30 Suction temperature sensor 31 Control means 32 Current sensor 33 1st damper 34 2nd damper 35 Dehumidification air path 36 Dehumidification damper 37 2nd inlet 38 3rd damper 39 Suction temperature sensor 40 Evaporator temperature sensor 41 Four-way valve 101 Indoor unit 102 Condenser 103 Circulating fan 104 Outdoor unit 105 Evaporator 106 Blower fan 107 Compressor 108 expansion valve 109 refrigerant circuit

Claims (15)

Refrigeration cycle using a compressor, a condenser, a decompression mechanism, an evaporator, a condenser fan for blowing air from an air-conditioning target room to the condenser, and an evaporator fan for blowing heat absorption target air to the evaporator An air conditioner that air-conditions the air-conditioning target room by using the discharge pressure of the compressor and the temperature of the air in the air-conditioning target space to estimate the humidity of the air-conditioning target space. The humidity in the air-conditioning target space is estimated based on a relational expression of the humidity in the air-conditioning target space with respect to the discharge pressure based on the characteristics acquired in advance and the temperature of the air in the air-conditioning target space. Air conditioner. The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the relational expression used for estimating the humidity includes a parameter of a pressure reduction amount in the pressure reduction mechanism. 4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the relational expression used for estimating the humidity includes a parameter of the suction pressure of the compressor. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the discharge pressure of the compressor is estimated from a current value input to the compressor. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the suction pressure of the compressor is estimated from a current value input to the compressor. The air conditioning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a parameter for discharge temperature of the compressor is included in the relational expression used for estimating the humidity. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the relational expression used for estimating the humidity includes a parameter of the suction temperature of the compressor. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the humidity is estimated in accordance with the amount of air blown by the condenser fan and the evaporator fan. The air conditioning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a drying end time of an object to be dried in the air conditioning target space is determined based on the estimated humidity value. The air conditioner according to claim 10, wherein when the estimated humidity value falls below a predetermined relative humidity, it is determined that the drying of the object to be dried is completed. 11. The air conditioner according to claim 10, wherein when the estimated humidity value falls below a predetermined relative humidity for a predetermined period of time, it is determined that the drying of the object to be dried is completed. The air conditioner according to claim 10, wherein when the rate of change in absolute humidity falls below a predetermined value among the estimated humidity values, it is determined that the drying of the object to be dried is completed. The air conditioner according to claim 10, wherein when the rate of change in relative humidity is less than a predetermined value among the estimated humidity values, it is determined that the drying of the object to be dried has been completed. 11. The air conditioner according to claim 10, wherein when the estimated change rate of the humidity value is continuously lower than a predetermined value for a predetermined period, it is determined that the drying of the object to be dried is completed.

Images