JP2000146256A - Demand monitor/control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a demand control system in which a construction period is decreased and a conventional workability is maintained when an existing air conditioner system is reformed to a demand control system. SOLUTION: This demand monitor/control system comprises an equivalent operating part 6 by which an operation input equal to the operating part of an existing air conditioner system can be performed and a load control part 5 for receiving a control signal 42A for controlling a denamd from a demand monitor unit and controlling the existing air conditioner system in accordance with a set input to the equivalent operating part. The load control part 5 is provided with continuation control parts 45, 46 and 47 for controlling the equivalent operating part to continue the set and inputted operation matters.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a demand monitoring and control system, and more particularly to a demand monitoring and control system suitable for modifying an existing air conditioner system so that the amount of electric power used becomes equal to or less than a target power value.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 8 is a system configuration diagram of a conventional general air conditioner system ACS100. As shown in FIG. 8, the air conditioner system ACS100 includes a power supply 10
1 is connected to air conditioners 110a and 110b via a control unit 102 that performs various controls of the air conditioner. Reference numeral 103 denotes an operation stop button for completely stopping the operation, a fan start button for operating only the blower without operating the cooler, a cooler start button for operating both the blower and the cooler, and the like. This is an operation unit for inputting.

The air conditioner 110a has a compressor control circuit 1
11, outdoor unit control circuit 112, and cooling water pump control circuit 1
13, cooling tower control circuit 114, and air supply device control circuit 115
And an exhaust device control circuit 116. 121-1
Reference numeral 26 denotes a driving device including a motor and the like driven under the control of the control circuits 111 to 116. Further, under the control of the compressor control circuit 111, the air supply device control circuit 115, and the exhaust device control circuit 116, a blower (fan) not shown
Is performed. The blower (fan) is installed in, for example, a classroom (school) or a hospital room (hospital) to be cooled. In the air conditioner system ACS100, the user operates the operation unit 10
When the start, stop, air blow, and the like of the air conditioner system are input to the control unit 3, the control unit 102 controls the air conditioning of each room according to the setting items.

On the other hand, the aforementioned air conditioner system ACS10
An air conditioner system using a demand control method that sets a target value of power consumption and realizes power-saving operation based on current power consumption is known as an air conditioner system one step further from 0.

FIG. 9 shows an example of an air conditioner system ACS200 using the demand control system (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Sho 62).
-37018). In FIG. 9, 131 is a demand control device, 133 and 134 are air conditioners to be subjected to demand control, and stop control is performed by a command from the demand control device 131. 135 and 136 are rooms in which an air conditioner is installed, 137 and 138 are temperature detectors for detecting the temperature of each room, and 139 and 141 are humidity detectors for detecting the humidity of each room. Information on the temperature and humidity of each room 135, 136 is provided. 1
Reference numeral 42 denotes a watt hour meter (combined meter) that detects the amount of power of the entire load, and provides the current power consumption information to the demand control device 131.

Next, the operation will be described. A consumer (user) determines a contract power as an available power with a power company. The demand control device 131 performs the power meter 1 several times within a predetermined time period (for example, 30 minutes).
From 42, the current power amount of the entire load is fetched, and each time, the available power within the remaining time period (for example, 16 minutes) of the contract power is calculated. When the calculated current power continues to be consumed and the available power exceeds the calculated power, the demand control device 131 outputs the air conditioner 133
A stop command is output to a unit having a lower priority, and the air conditioner is stopped to reduce power consumption. The number of air conditioners to be stopped increases until the current power is within the available power.

[0007] However, some consumers having the old-style air conditioner system ACS100 shown in FIG. 8 have the installed air conditioner system ACS100 as the same as the demand-controlled air conditioner system ACS200. Some people are hoping to upgrade to an air conditioner system with high performance (especially power saving operation).

As a demand monitoring unit capable of responding to such a remodeling request, a demand monitoring control device (for example, DM-300, DM-300P, etc., manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation) is sold alone (excluding an air conditioner and the like). I have. This demand monitoring and control device capable of remodeling includes a pulse detection unit for detecting a pulse corresponding to the power consumption generated by a transaction instrument (combined instrument, watt hour meter) installed by an electric power company, and an output of the pulse detector. And a demand monitoring control unit that outputs a control signal for power-saving operation based on the above.

FIG. 10 is a connection diagram when a demand monitoring control device (DM-300 or DM-300P manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric) is applied to a power facility such as an air conditioner system, and FIG. 11 is a demand monitoring control device. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation principle of DM. As is clear from FIG. 10, the connection recommended in the conventional catalog sends a load control signal via a relay panel, and connects the power lines of the control A and control B to be controlled using large contacts. It was directly on and off (please check). As for the operation unit, a dedicated operation unit separate from the existing operation unit had to be used.
Therefore, the operation method of the existing operation unit and the dedicated operation unit may be different (please confirm).

As for the demand control, as is apparent from FIG. 11, a predicted demand R is calculated based on the current demand P at a time limit (time after starting the demand control) t. And at the end of the period (for example, 30 minutes)
Control to reach the target value (target demand Q).

[0011]

However, in the case where the existing power equipment such as an air conditioner system is modified by using the demand monitoring control device DM to realize a power saving operation, the construction for the modification is required. There is a strong demand from users to reduce costs and equipment costs, shorten the construction period, and maintain the conventional operability. It should be noted that, even if the remodeling method described in the instruction manual / catalog of the manufacturer that sells the remodeling-capable demand monitoring control device is adopted as it is, it is possible to meet the demand for maintaining the driving operability etc. for the above-mentioned reason. May not be possible.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a demand monitoring and control system that requires a short construction period and maintains the conventional operability when an existing air conditioner system is converted to a demand control system.

[0013]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention relates to a demand monitoring control system for performing demand control by adding a commercially available demand monitoring unit to an existing air conditioner system. The monitoring control system receives a control signal for demand control from the demand monitoring unit and an equivalent operation unit capable of performing an operation input equivalent to the operation unit of the existing air conditioner system, and performs setting to the equivalent operation unit. A load control unit that receives the input and controls the existing air conditioner system, and the load control unit includes a continuation control unit that continues the operation items already set and input to the equivalent operation unit. It is characterized by.

With this configuration, since the load control unit has the same operation unit as the same operation as the existing air conditioner system, the user can perform the power saving operation by the demand control of the air conditioner by the same operation as before. Below, a comfortable environment can be maintained.

Further, if the load control unit is integrally formed in advance as a unit, only a small number of additional components such as a demand monitoring unit and a load control unit unit are used.
Additional work can be done in a short period of time.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the already described portions, and redundant description is omitted.

[I] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an air conditioner system ACS1 to which the demand control device of the present embodiment is applied, and FIG. 2 is a detailed diagram of a load control circuit constituting the system ACS1. Diagram,
FIG. 3 is a connection diagram showing a connection between the operation unit and the air conditioner, and FIG. 4 is a time chart showing a demand control operation of the air conditioner.

(1) Description of Configuration In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a power supply / supply complex meter installed by a power company, which monitors the total power consumption used by the air conditioner system and outputs pulses corresponding to the power consumption. (See FIG. 10). 2 is a pulse detector for detecting the pulse, 3 is a pulse detected by the pulse detector 2,
This is a pulse conversion unit that converts a pulse signal suitable for the demand control unit 4 described below.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a demand control unit comprising a commercially available demand monitoring control device (for example, DM-300P manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation). The demand control unit 4 receives a signal from the pulse conversion unit 3 and sets, inputs and predicts a target value for demand management. It calculates the demand value, displays and prints out various items, and generates a load control signal (control A signal) for demand control (see FIG. 10).

Reference numeral 5 denotes a load control unit for controlling an air conditioner, which is a load. The load control unit 5 inputs a setting input signal from the operation unit 6 (such as starting of a cooling machine) and a control A signal from the demand control unit 4. And the air conditioners 110a, 110b
Compressor control circuit 111, outdoor unit control circuit 112, cooling water control circuit 113, cooling tower control circuit 114 in accordance with the control characteristics of the control circuits 111 to 116 (for example, the blowing characteristics of the fan and the cooling characteristics of the cooling pump). , Air supply device control circuit 1
15. Send a cutoff signal (stop signal) and a make signal (operation start signal) (described below) to the exhaust device control circuit 116, respectively.

An operation unit 6 is an "equivalent operation unit".
An operation button capable of performing the same operation (equivalent operation) as the operation unit 103 (see FIG. 8) of the existing air conditioner is provided (described in detail below).

Various control circuits 11 such as the air conditioner 110a
The magnet contactors (MC) 11 and 12 which operate in response to a load control signal from the operation unit 6 include:
Make contact 11 for operating a cooler of the contactor for turning on / off a three-phase three-wire power line (R, S, T) 10
a, 11b and make contacts 12a-1 for blower operation
Install 2d.

Next, the configuration of the operation unit 6 and the load control unit 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the operation unit 6 includes a stop button 39 having a break contact (b contact) for completely stopping the blower and the cooling device, and a blower start button 40 having a make contact (a contact) for starting only the blower. And a cooling machine start button 41 comprising a make contact for starting the blower and the cooling machine. 4
0b2 is a break contact (b contact) interlocked with the blower start button 40.

In addition, the M1 to M7 terminals are connected to 32b1, 33a1, and 35a1 contacts and external interlocks (for example, if certain conditions are not satisfied,
This is a terminal for external connection for connecting an air conditioner or the like). However, in this embodiment, the external interlock terminals M4 and M5 are short-circuited.

The operation input storage circuit 45 described next will be described.
The break contact 39b1, the make contact 40a1, the break contact 40b1, and the make contact 41a1 are the contacts that are linked to the stop button 39, the blower start button 40, and the cooling start button 41, respectively.

The load control unit 5 is roughly divided into an operation input storage circuit 45 for storing information (such as starting of the blower) set and input by the user from the operation unit 6, and each air conditioner 110.
blower control circuit 46 for controlling the blowers 110a and 110b
And a cooling machine control circuit 47 for controlling a cooling machine of each air conditioner.
And a relay 42 for receiving a control A signal 42A from the demand control unit 4. The circuits 45 to 47 constitute a “continuation control unit”.

A relay 32 is an operation stop signal relay, a relay 34 is a load interruption signal storage relay, and a timer 3
Reference numeral 6 denotes a timer for returning the relay 32. Also, 43
Is a notification device, which can use a commercially available IC (voice memory device) to make a notification such as, for example, "operate the # air conditioner".

Next, the operation of the load control unit 5 and the operation unit 6 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, when the blower start button 40 is turned on, the magnet contactor 12
(FIGS. 1 and 3) and blower operation memory relay 31 (R31)
Is turned on to hold itself, and a blower, an exhaust fan and an air supply fan (not shown) are operated. By simply turning on the blower start button 40, air is simply blown, exhausted, and supplied by a blower or the like, and cooling is not performed. Depending on the size of the air conditioning equipment,
The blower and the air supply fan may be shared (the air supply fan is shown in parentheses).

Next, when the cooling machine start button 41 is turned on, the magnet contactor 11 and the cooling memory relay 30 are turned on.
(R30) is turned on and held by itself, the compressor 121, the outdoor unit 122, and the cooling water pump 123 are operated, and the cooling operation is started. During the cooling operation, the demand control unit 4 executes the demand control according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 and the operation principle diagram shown in FIG.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the demand control unit 4 monitors and monitors the total power consumption of the composite instrument 1 based on the detection signals from the pulse detector 2 and the pulse conversion unit 3 (step S50). ), The total power consumption at the end of the rated time period T (for example, 30 minutes) is predicted from the monitored value, and the predicted demand value P2 is obtained (step S51). The calculated predicted demand value P2 is compared with a preset target power value P1 (step S52). If the predicted demand value P2 is equal to or less than the target power value P1, there is a possibility that the contract power will be exceeded at the current time t. Since there is no power value, monitoring of the power value is continued as it is (step S52: NO).

If the predicted demand value P2 exceeds the target power value P1 (step S52: YES), the demand control unit 4 outputs a control A signal 42A as a load control output (see FIG. 1).
10) is output (step S53). The control A signal 42A turns on the demand control relay 42 (R42) (FIG. 4), cuts off the load at the load shedding section [relay 32 (32R) of the blower control circuit 46], and sets the priority of the demand control that has been set in advance. According to the operation of the air conditioner (blower,
The operation of the air blower, the air supply fan, the compressor, the outdoor unit, and the cooling water pump) is cut off (stopped) (step S54).

When the relay 42 is operated by the control A signal, the timers 36 and 37 (T36 and T37) are sequentially started. That is, the timer 36 is turned on after 1-2 seconds, and the timer 37 is turned on after 1-2 seconds.
When the timer 36 is turned on, the blower restart relay 33 (R
33) is turned on and the blower, the exhaust fan, and the air supply fan resume operation, but the operation of the compressor 121, the outdoor unit 122, and the cooling water pump 123 is continued until the control A signal is turned off.

After the control A signal is turned off,
After a lapse of seconds, the timer 38 (T38) turns on and the relay 3
Turn 4 off. When the relay 34 is turned off, the timer 3
8 is also turned off. When the control A signal is turned off, the compressor 12
1, since the operation of the outdoor unit 122 and the cooling water pump 123 is restarted, the cooling is restarted. After the cooling operation is continued for a while, the demand control is performed again, and when the control A signal arrives again, "the timer 38 is turned off and the relay 32 is turned on", and the demand control operation is performed in the same manner as described above. The demand control operation as described above is repeatedly performed, and the demand control is continued until the stop button 39 is turned on.

Here, the calculation for controlling the demand device will be described with reference to FIG. Target power value P1Kw, rated demand time period T, current demand value P0 at current time t
Kw, it is assumed that the cooling load operation is being performed. If the total power consumption of the load (air conditioner system ACS1) is predicted to exceed the target power value P1Kw during the demand rated time period T,
In order to keep the demand value at the end of the time limit within the target power value P1Kw, the control unit sends out a control signal to calculate how much power should be cut off or can be turned on and then send a control signal.

That is, the adjusted power value u = (P2−P1) × T
/ (T−t) and u> 0 (step S5
2: YES) performs control to shut off (stop) the air conditioner,
When u ≦ 0 (step S52: NO), control for turning on (continuation of operation) is performed. Accordingly, since the air conditioner loads are controlled according to the priority order of shutting down (stopping) and turning on (continuation of operation) the plurality of air conditioner loads to be controlled, power saving operation can be performed.

As the operation unit, an existing operation unit can be used as it is, or a new one having an existing operation button may be used. Also, if the load control unit 5 (FIG. 1) is configured (assembled) in advance as a single unit, the conventional air conditioner system can be configured by simply adding the demand control unit 4 and the load control unit 5 to the existing air conditioner system. And a demand control type air conditioner system that can perform the same operation as the above. The pulse detector 2 and the pulse converter 3 may be added or not required depending on the specifications of the composite instrument 1.

[II] Second Embodiment FIG. 7 shows a configuration diagram of this embodiment. In FIG. 7, the basic configuration (the load control unit 5 and the operation unit 6) is the same as that of FIG. 1. However, when demand control of a plurality of air conditioner loads is performed, the groups are divided into groups (e.g. Groups A, B,
Demand control is performed by assigning priorities to C). By doing so, the operation of a plurality of air conditioners grouped in advance so as to be suitable for demand control can be controlled so that the power consumption is equal to or less than the target power value.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, starting and stopping can be performed by the same operation as the manual operation section of the existing air conditioner, which is very convenient for the user. In addition, if the load control unit is configured as a unit in advance, the time required for additional work on the existing air conditioner system can be shortened, and the cost for additional work can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an electric circuit diagram of a load control circuit and the like according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a connection between an operation unit and an air conditioner according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a time chart of a load control unit and the like according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of the operation principle of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an overall configuration diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an example of a conventional existing air conditioner system.

FIG. 9 is an overall configuration diagram of an example of a conventional demand control system.

FIG. 10 is a connection diagram of a conventional commercially available demand monitoring control device.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of the operation principle of the demand monitoring control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 ACS Air conditioner system of the first embodiment 1 Composite instrument 2 Pulse detector 3 Pulse conversion unit 4 Demand control unit 5 Load control unit 6 Operation unit 32 Relay for operation stop signal 33 Relay for restarting blower 35 Cooling machine stop Rear restart relay 39 Stop button 40 Blower start button 41 Cooler start button 42A Control A signal from demand control unit 45 Operation input storage circuit 46 Blower control circuit 47 Cooler control circuit 101 Power source 110a, 110b Air conditioner

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A demand monitoring control system for performing demand control by adding a commercially available demand monitoring unit to an existing air conditioner system, wherein the demand monitoring control system comprises an operation unit of the existing air conditioner system. An equivalent operation unit capable of inputting an operation equivalent to the above, and receiving a control signal for demand control from the demand monitoring unit and receiving a setting input to the equivalent operation unit to control the existing air conditioner system. A demand monitoring control system, comprising: a load control unit, wherein the load control unit includes a continuation control unit that continues the operation items that have been set and input to the equivalent operation unit. 2. The equivalent operation unit includes a blower start button for performing only air blowing of the air conditioner system, a cooling start button for performing cooling operation, and a stop button for completely stopping the operating air conditioner system. The demand monitoring control system according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The demand monitoring control system according to claim 1, wherein the equivalent operation unit is an operation unit of an existing air conditioner system. 4. The demand monitoring control system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of load controllers and operation units are connected to one demand monitoring unit.