JPH0771809A - Automatic address controller for air conditioning system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] In a multi-air conditioning system in which multiple outdoor units and multiple indoor units are connected by a single communication network, the correspondence relationship between the outdoor unit and multiple indoor units having the same refrigerant system is omitted. Personnel will be promptly and surely decided to improve the efficiency of air conditioning system installation work. [Structure] In an air conditioning system in which a plurality of outdoor units 1a, 1b and respective control units 50 of a plurality of indoor units 2a-2f are connected by a single communication network 3, a distribution system is provided for each indoor unit 2a-2f. The installed indoor heat exchanger temperature detecting means 29a, 29b, 29c, and the control devices 50 described above.
The outdoor units 1a and 1b which are arranged in the interior and receive the temperatures of the indoor heat exchangers, respectively, and are connected by the same refrigerant system.
Receiving the self-addresses of the same refrigerant system determining means for recognizing the same and the outdoor units 1a in each of the same refrigerant systems, and a plurality of indoor units 2a, 2b, 2c corresponding to the self-address numbers.
It has an outdoor unit address automatic shift means 53 for shifting to a self address.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic address controller for an air conditioning system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2, one outdoor unit 1 and a plurality of indoor units 2a, 2b, 2 are provided.
An air conditioning system is known in which multiple air conditioners, in which c is connected by a refrigerant pipe, are connected by a communication network 3. Here, each air conditioner 1, 2a, 2b, 2c (outdoor unit,
When expressing indoor units without distinction)
Unique numbers (self-addresses) 4, 4a, 4 respectively
b and 4c are set. This self-address enables communication between the air conditioners 1, 2a, 2b, 2c through the communication network 3. As shown in FIG. 3, each of the air conditioners 1, 2a, 2b, 2c is provided with a control device 10 connected via a communication network 3. That is, the control device 10 includes a microprocessor (CPU) 11 for executing various control operations, a serial communication interface 12, an address switch 13 for issuing a manual setting and an automatic setting command of its own address, and an automatic address setting means 14 (outdoor unit). (Not located in the controller). The CPU 11 transmits / receives data to / from the communication network 3 through the serial communication interface 12. Further, the CPU 11 recognizes the self-address manually set by the address switch 13. Further, when the address switch 13 sends an automatic address setting command, the automatic address setting means 1
4 receives the automatic setting command via the CPU 11,
Self-addresses 4a, 4b of each indoor unit 2a, 2b, 2c,
4c is set as, for example, "01, 02, 03".
Regarding the internal configuration and operation of the automatic address setting means 14, as an example thereof, Japanese Patent Application No. 02-305303.
No. 305304 is known. By the way, when the air-conditioned building becomes large and the number of outdoor units becomes plural, as shown in FIG. 4, the communication networks 3a and 3b are connected to the air conditioner group of the same refrigerant system (in the figure, the outdoor unit 1a, the indoor units 2a and 2b, Two
c, an outdoor unit 1b, and indoor units 2d, 2e, and 2f) are divided into independent air conditioning systems, and an air conditioning system in which all air conditioners are connected by a single communication network 3 as shown in FIG. Are known.

[0003]

Each outdoor unit 1 shown in FIG.
In the air conditioning system configured by the independent communication networks 3a and 3b for a and 1b, the indoor units 2a to 2b
The self addresses 4a to 4f of f correspond to the respective outdoor units, and the indoor units 2a, 2b, and 2c that share the outdoor unit 1a and the communication network 3a by the automatic address setting means 14 provided in each control device 10 are used. For example, "01,0
2, 03 "is, for example," 01, "in the indoor units 2d, 2e, 2f that share the communication network 3b with the outdoor unit 1b.
02, 03 "are automatically set. (Since the two outdoor units 1a, 1b are independent for each communication network 3a, 3b, it is not necessary to set different self addresses locally, Own address is "4
However, in order to automatically set the self-address, the worker confirms on the refrigerant circuit which outdoor unit 1a, 1b each indoor unit 2a-2f is connected to. However, the wiring work must be performed so that the refrigerant system and the communication network system are the same, which is a troublesome work particularly as the number of outdoor units increases, and human error may occur. If the system and the communication network system do not match, naturally, normal communication control of the system becomes impossible, and as shown in Fig. 5, all the air conditioners 1a, 1a.
In the air conditioning system in which b, 2a to 2f are configured by the single communication network 3, the wiring work is easy, but the conventional indoor unit automatic address setting in which the self addresses of the outdoor units 1a and 1b are not set locally is performed. Is no longer applicable. In this case, at the installation site of the air conditioner, a worker manually operates each address switch 13 for each air conditioner to set the self address of each air conditioner. In the figure, each outdoor unit 1a, 1b has its own self-address 5a, 5b, for example, "01, 02".
Is set. Further, the self-addresses of the indoor units 2a to 2f are composed of 6a to 6f for shifting the self-addresses of the outdoor units having the same refrigerant system and their own self-addresses 4a to 4f, for example, "0101, 0102, 0103, 0".
However, since the work of setting the address as described above by the operation of the address switch 13 is extremely difficult work, the address may be set incorrectly. Since it takes a long time, it is a factor that reduces the efficiency of the installation work of the air-conditioning system Note that if the address is set incorrectly, normal communication control cannot be performed.

The present invention has been proposed in view of such circumstances, and in a multi-air conditioning system in which a plurality of outdoor units and a plurality of indoor units are connected by a single communication network, the outdoor unit and the refrigerant system are the same. It is an object of the present invention to provide an economical automatic address control device for an air conditioning system, which quickly and surely determines the correspondence relationship between a plurality of indoor units, which requires labor and labor saving, and improves the efficiency of installation work of the air conditioning system.

[0005]

To this end, the present invention provides an air conditioning system in which a plurality of outdoor units and a plurality of indoor unit control devices are connected by a single communication network. The indoor heat exchanger temperature detecting means provided and the same refrigerant which is arranged in each of the control devices, receives the indoor heat exchanger temperatures, and recognizes the outdoor units connected in the same refrigerant system. System determination means,
The outdoor unit address automatic shift means for receiving the self address of the outdoor unit in each of the same refrigerant systems and shifting the self address number to a plurality of indoor unit self addresses corresponding thereto is provided.

[0006]

According to such a configuration, in the multi-air conditioning system (FIG. 5) in which the control devices for a plurality of outdoor units and a plurality of indoor units are connected by a single communication network, By operating the units one by one, the temperature change of the heat exchanger of the indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit in the same refrigerant system is detected, and all the air conditioners connected to the communication network are connected to the same refrigerant system. It can be automatically divided into air conditioner groups. In this way, since the group of air conditioners connected to the same refrigerant system is revealed in the communication data, the conventional automatic address setting method can be applied to each group. That is, you can automatically set your own address. Also,
In the first half of the indoor unit self address, the outdoor unit self address can be automatically shifted from the outdoor unit through the communication network. As described above, even in the air conditioning system as shown in FIG. 5, the self address can be automatically set for each air conditioner.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the entire system.

In the upper figure, the upper half shows the refrigerant circuit diagram of the multi-air conditioner, and the lower half shows the schematic internal structure of the controller 50. In the present embodiment, the air conditioning system shown in FIG. 5 may be implemented in a form in which each air conditioner is provided with the control device 50 shown in the lower half of FIG. A plurality of indoor units 2 (3 units in the figure) in one outdoor unit 1
a, 2b, 2c are connected in parallel via a refrigerant pipe. The outdoor unit 1 includes a compressor 21, an outdoor heat exchanger 22, a four-way switching valve 23, an expansion valve 24, a check valve 25, and the like. In addition, the indoor units 2a, 2b, and 2c have expansion valves 26a,
26b, 26c; check valves 27a, 27b, 27c; indoor heat exchangers 28a, 28b, 28c, and the same heat exchange is performed in the outlet pipes (cooling cycle) of each indoor heat exchanger 28a, 28b, 28c. Temperature thermostats 29a, 29b, 29c for detecting the temperature of the container are attached.

In such a multi-air-conditioner control system, when the outdoor unit 1 is cooled, the compressor 21 rotates and the discharged gas refrigerant enters the outdoor heat exchanger 22 through the four-way switching valve 23, where the outdoor It exchanges heat with air and becomes condensed and liquefied. This liquefied refrigerant is passed through the check valve 25 and the indoor units 2a, 2
The expansion valves 26a, 26b, and 26c of b and 2c enter in parallel and are adiabatically expanded therein to become low-temperature two-phase refrigerants of gas and liquid. This refrigerant is used in the indoor heat exchangers 28a, 28b, 28
c, where the room air is cooled and vaporized. Then, this gas refrigerant returns to the compressor 1. This is the flow of the refrigerant in the cooling cycle, and the dashed arrow shown by the solid arrow in FIG. 1 indicates the flow of the heating cycle, and the description thereof will be omitted.

For example, in the cooling operation, the temperature of the temperature thermostats 29a, 29b, 29c for detecting the temperature of the heat exchangers 28a, 28b, 28c of each indoor unit becomes a low temperature of about 0 ° C., and in the heating operation, 80 It becomes a high temperature of about ℃ (this temperature changes if the mounting location of the temperature thermostat changes, so the above values are only examples). As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 50 is connected to one communication network 3 in the air conditioning system shown in FIG. An automatic address control device 51 is arranged in the control device 50,
Inside the same refrigerant system determination means 52, outdoor unit address automatic shift means 53 and automatic address setting means 14
(52, the same as the conventional one shown in FIG. 3)
53 is not arranged in the outdoor unit control device). To the same refrigerant system determining means 52, temperature detecting temperature thermostats 29a, 29b, 29c of the indoor heat exchanger are connected, respectively.
Other configurations and operations are similar to those of the conventional one shown in FIG.
Corresponding members are given the same reference numerals.

In the air conditioning system shown in FIG. 5, however, first, when one outdoor unit 1a is operated, the indoor units 2a and 2b in the same refrigerant system as that of the refrigerant circuit are clear, as is clear from the description of the refrigerant circuit. , 2c heat exchangers 28a, 28b,
The temperature of 28c changes, decreases in the cooling operation, and rises in the heating operation. This temperature change is due to the temperature thermo 2 attached to the indoor heat exchanger outlet pipe (cooling cycle).
It is detected by 9a, 29b and 29c. Each indoor unit 2a
The same refrigerant system determining means 52 in the control device 50 arranged in the 2 to 2f stores a predetermined judgment standard in advance, and compares this with a temperature change of the heat exchanger received from the temperature thermo 29a, for example, Whether or not the same refrigerant system is connected to the outdoor unit 1a during operation (YES) (N
O). Further, the same refrigerant system determination unit 52 holds the automatic address setting command received from the address switch 13 via the CPU 11, and the self-determination means YES.
Only when the determination is made, the automatic address determination means 14 is called and the automatic address determination means 14 is activated. As a result, the address of the indoor unit itself (the latter half of the indoor unit self-address) among the indoor units 2a, 2b, 2c in which the automatic address determination means 14 is operated.
4a, 4b, 4c are automatically set, for example, "01, 02, 03".

On the other hand, the self-address 5a of the outdoor unit 1a is automatically set to, for example, "01" by the automatic address determining means 14 in the outdoor unit controller 50. This self-address setting "01" of the outdoor unit 1a is communicated. It is transmitted to each indoor unit 2a to 2f through the network 3. Then, the outdoor unit address automatic shift means 53 accepts the outdoor unit self address “01” of the communication network 3 only when receiving the YES signal from the same refrigerant system determination means 52,
Self-address first half 6a of the indoor units 2a, 2b, 2c,
Shift to 6b and 6c. As a result, the self-address first half portions 6a, 6b, 6c of the indoor units 2a, 2b, 2c having the same refrigerant piping system as the outdoor unit 1a are automatically set to the same number as the self-address of the outdoor unit 1a, for example, "01". In this way, the self-address first half portions 6a4a, 6b4b, 6c4c of the indoor units 2a, 2b, 2c are, for example, "01".
01, 0102, 0103 "is automatically set.

Next, when the outdoor unit 1a is stopped and the other outdoor unit 1b is operated, similarly, the self address 5b of the outdoor unit 1b is the number "02" next to the self address "01" of the outdoor unit 1a. This number is shifted to the self-address first half portions 6d, 6e, 6f of the indoor units 2d, 2e, 2f having the same refrigerant piping system as the outdoor unit 1b. Further, the self-address latter half portions 4d, 4e, 4f of the indoor units 2d, 2e, 2f are the indoor units 2a, 2 set previously.
The serial numbers "04, 05, 06" that do not overlap with the settings "01, 02, 03" of b and 2c are automatically set. In this way, the self-addresses 6d4d, 6 of the indoor units 2d, 2e, 2f
e4e, 6f4f is "0204,0205,0206"
It is automatically set like.

In the present embodiment, the case where the number of outdoor units is 2 and the number of indoor units is 3 for each outdoor unit, that is, 6 units in total, is described as an example, but the number of these units is not limited. Further, in this embodiment, the temperature thermostats 29a, 29b, 29 for detecting the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger are provided.
Although the example in which c is attached to the outlet pipe (cooling cycle) of the heat exchanger has been described, the temperature thermostat may be attached to the most preferable place so as to detect the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger. (Exit pipe of heat exchanger) is not particularly limited. The above description is based on the example in which the self-address of the outdoor unit is automatically set. However, it is also possible to manually set the address, and it is arbitrary whether the automatic setting or the manual setting is performed.

According to such a system, the following effects can be obtained. (1) In an air conditioning system (FIG. 5) configured by one communication network and a plurality of outdoor units, a unit and an outdoor unit that automatically classify all air conditioners into a group of air conditioners connected to the same refrigerant system. By providing a means for automatically shifting the self-address setting number of to the self-address of the indoor unit, the conventional automatic address setting means can be applied,
It is possible to automatically set the self-address for each air conditioner. This can eliminate the need for manual address setting in the air conditioning system as shown in FIG. (2) Since the conventional automatic address setting device is applied, the air conditioning system (FIG. 4) in which the communication network is divided for each refrigerant system can be eliminated. Therefore, erroneous address setting operation can be eliminated, and reliable and efficient address setting can be realized. This makes it possible to ensure reliable operation of the air conditioning system and improve the efficiency of the installation work of the air conditioning system.

[0016]

In summary, according to the present invention, in an air conditioning system in which a plurality of control units for outdoor units and a plurality of control units for indoor units are connected by a communication network of one system, they are arranged in each indoor unit. Indoor heat exchanger temperature detecting means and the same refrigerant system determining means which is arranged in each of the control devices, receives the indoor heat exchanger temperatures, and recognizes the outdoor units connected by the same refrigerant system. And an outdoor unit address automatic shift means for receiving the self address of the outdoor unit in each of the same refrigerant systems and shifting the self address number to a plurality of corresponding indoor unit self addresses, thereby providing a plurality of outdoor units. In a multi-air-conditioning system that connects multiple indoor units with multiple indoor units via a single communication network, labor and labor can be saved for the correspondence between the outdoor unit and multiple indoor units that share the same refrigerant system. Determined quickly and reliably, the from getting automatic address control device for economical air-conditioning systems to improve the efficiency of the installation operation of the air conditioning system, the present invention is extremely useful industrially.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an overall control system showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a conventional multi-air conditioner system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional control device attached to each indoor unit in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a conventional multi-air conditioning system having two outdoor units and two communication networks.

5 is a block diagram showing another multi-air conditioning system having two outdoor units and one communication network different from the one shown in FIG. 4. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a, 1b outdoor unit 2a-2f indoor unit 3 communication network 11 CPU 12 communication I / F 13 address switch 14 automatic address setting means 21 compressor 22 outdoor heat exchanger 23 four-way switching valve 24 expansion valve 25 check valve 26a, 26b , 26c Expansion valve 27a, 27b, 27c Check valve 28a, 28b, 28c Indoor heat exchanger 29a, 29b, 29c Temperature detection temperature thermostat 50 for indoor heat exchanger 50 Controller 51 Automatic address controller 52 Same refrigerant system determination means 53 Outdoor unit address automatic shift means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an air conditioning system in which a plurality of outdoor units and a plurality of control units for indoor units are connected by a single communication network, indoor heat exchanger temperature detection provided in each indoor unit. Means, the same refrigerant system determining means, which is arranged in each of the control devices, receives the indoor heat exchanger temperatures, and recognizes the outdoor units connected by the same refrigerant system, and the same refrigerant system. An automatic address control device for an air-conditioning system, comprising: an outdoor unit address automatic shift means for receiving the self address of the outdoor unit and shifting the self address number to a plurality of corresponding indoor unit self addresses.