Heat storage air conditioning apparatus and heat storage estimating method

Abstract

In a heat storage air conditioning apparatus, a power demand time-sequence data collecting unit collects time-sequence data on demand for power; a power demand curve estimating unit estimates a power demand curve obtained as a result of analysis of the power demand time-sequence data collected by the power demand time-sequence data collecting unit; a thermal energy load demand estimating unit estimates thermal energy load demand from the power demand curve estimated by the power demand curve estimating unit; an operation unit of a thermal-energy source feeds cooling/heating energy; a heat accumulating unit stores the cooling/heating energy supplied from the operation unit therein; a cold/hot air discharging unit discharges the thermal energy stored in the heat accumulating unit; a cooling/heating energy quantity recognizing unit recognizes the quantity of cooling or heating energy dissipated from the cold/hot air discharging unit; and a converting unit converts the quantity of cooling/heating energy into the quantity of electric power, the converted quantity of electric power being supplied to the power demand time-sequence data collecting unit.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus comprising: 
 power demand time-sequence data collecting means for collecting time-sequence data on demand for power;    power demand curve estimating means for estimating a power demand curve obtained as a result of analysis of the power demand time-sequence data collected by said power demand time-sequence data collecting means;    thermal energy load demand estimating means for estimating thermal energy load demand from the power demand curve estimated by the power demand curve estimating means;    operation means of a thermal-energy source for feeding cooling/heating energy;    heat accumulating means for storing the cooling/heating energy supplied from said operation means therein;    cold/hot air discharging means for discharging the thermal energy stored in said heat accumulating means;    cooling/heating energy quantity recognizing means for recognizing the quantity of cooling or heating energy dissipated from said cold/hot air discharging means; and    converting means for converting the quantity of cooling/heating energy into the quantity of electric power, the converted quantity of electric power being supplied to said power demand time-sequence data collecting means.    
     
     
         2 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 1   , wherein said cooling/heating energy quantity recognizing means is detecting means for detecting the quantity of cooling or heating energy dissipated from said cold/hot air discharging means.  
     
     
         3 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 1   , wherein said cooling/heating energy quantity recognizing means is calculating means for calculating the quantity of cooling or heating energy dissipated from said cold/hot air discharging means.  
     
     
         4 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 1   , further comprising: 
 stored thermal-energy utilizing operation means for utilizing the thermal energy stored in said heat accumulating means; and    operation control means for controlling said thermalenergy storage o peration means to cause said heat accumulating m eans to store the quantity of cooling/heating energy corresponding to the thermal-energy load demand on the basis of the thermal-energy load demand estimated by. the thermal-energy load demand estimating means during the night, and for controlling the stored thermal-energy utilizing operation means to cause said heat accumulating means to supply the stored thermal energy to the cold/hot air discharger on the basis of the estimated power demand curve during air-conditioning periods.    
     
     
         5 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 4   , further comprising: 
 stored data amount determination means for determining the amount of data stored by the power demand time-sequence data collecting means and sending pseudo data to the power demand time-sequence data collecting means if a predetermined amount of stored data has not been reached yet;    wherein said power demand curve estimating means estimates a power demand curve by analyzing the pseudo data or the power demand time-sequence data collected by said power demand time-sequence data collecting means; and    said operation means of a thermal-energy source stores the thermal energy, which is equivalent to the thermal energy load demand estimated by said thermal energy load demand estimating means, said heat storage operation means being provided in a heat accumulating means of a heat source.    
     
     
         6 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 1   , further comprising: 
 demand control time-period setting means for setting a control time-period during which thermal-energy load is covered by the thermal energy stored in said heat accumulating means on the basis of the power demand curve estimated by said power demand curve estimating means; and    operation means of the thermal-energy source for feeding the quantity of thermal energy from other than said heat accumulating means during the time period previously set in an air-conditioning period, and for feeding the quantity of an electric power at this time period to said power demand time-sequence data collecting means;    wherein said cold/hot air discharging means discharges the thermal energy stored in said heat accumulating means and the heat supplied by said operation means of the thermal-energy source; and    said cooling/heating energy quantity recognizing means is cooling/heating energy quantity calculating means that calculates the quantity of cooling/heating energy, which is supplied from said heat accumulating means and is dissipated from the cold/hot air discharging means, from the quantity of thermal energy remaining in said heat accumulating means.    
     
     
         7 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 4   , wherein said operation control means performs control operations to complete cooling/heating energy storage operations to be carried out during the night immediately before cooling/heating operations are started.  
     
     
         8 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 5   , wherein said stored data amount determination means deals with practical data as the most current data among the pseudo data every time the practical data are obtained as a result of the air-conditioning operations, and deletes the oldest data corresponding to the amount of the most current data.  
     
     
         9 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 5   , wherein said stored data amount determination means suspends the output of pseudo data to said power demand time-sequence data collecting means immediately after the amount of practical data obtained as a result of the air-conditioning operations has reached the amount that allows estimate-based control operations.  
     
     
         10 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 5   , wherein said thermal-energy storage means completes a thermal-energy storage operation of the thermal-energy source immediately before the time period during which a cooling or heating operation is started.  
     
     
         11 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 1   , wherein said operation control means performs control operations to complete cooling/heating energy storage operations to be carried out during the night immediately before cooling/heating operations are started.  
     
     
         12 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 6   , wherein said operation control means performs control operations to complete cooling/heating energy storage operations to be carried out during the night immediately before cooling/heating operations are started.  
     
     
         13 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 1   , further comprising: 
 demand control time setting means for setting a control time period during which thermal energy load is covered by the thermal energy of said heat accumulating means on the basis of the power demand curve estimated by said power demand curve estimating means;    stored thermal-energy utilizing operation means for utilizing the thermal energy stored in said heat accumulating means; and    operation control means for controlling the operation means of the thermal-energy source so as to cause said heat accumulating means to store the quantity of cooling/heating energy corresponding to the thermal-energy load demand on the basis of the thermal-energy load demand estimated by the thermal-energy load demand estimating means during the night; determining an operation pattern for use in air-conditioning periods on the basis of the estimated power demand curve and the control time period; that controls the operation means of the thermal-energy source so as to directly supply cooling/heating energy to the cold/hot air discharger on the basis of the operation pattern during a preset time period within the air-conditioning period; sending the quantity of electric power dissipated from the thermal-energy source at this time to the power demand time-sequence data collecting means; and controlling the stored thermal-energy utilizing operation means so as to supply the stored thermal energy of said heat accumulating means to the cold/hot air discharger during the control time period within the air-conditioning period;    wherein said thermal-energy load demand estimating means estimates thermal-energy load demand for use during the control time period on the basis of the control time period and the power demand curve;    said cold/hot air discharging means dissipates the thermal energy received from said heat accumulating means and/or the operation means of the thermal-energy source; and    said cooling/heating energy quantity recognizing means recognizes the quantity of cooling/heating energy, which has been received from said heat accumulating means and dissipated from said heat accumulating means, from the thermal energy remaining in said heat accumulating means.    
     
     
         14 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 13   , wherein said cooling/heating energy quantity recognizing means is detecting means for detecting the quantity of cooling or heating energy dissipated from said cold/hot air discharging means.  
     
     
         15 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 13   , wherein said cooling/heating energy quantity recognizing means is calculating means for calculating the quantity of cooling or heating energy dissipated from said cold/hot air discharging means.  
     
     
         16 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 13   , further comprising: 
 stored data amount determination means for determining the amount of data stored by said power demand time-sequence data collecting means, and sending pseudo data to said power demand time-sequence data collecting means if a predetermined amount of stored data has not been reached yet;    wherein said power demand curve estimating means estimates a power demand curve by analyzing the pseudo data or the power demand time-sequence data collected by the power demand time-sequence data collecting means.    
     
     
         17 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 13   , further comprising: 
 stored data amount determination means for determining the amount of data stored by the power demand time-sequence data collecting means; and outputing a data shortage signal as well as instructing said power demand time-sequence data collecting means to suspend an output to a control system if a predetermined amount has not been reached yet; and    forcible operation controlling means for controlling said operation means during air-conditioning periods to cause said operation means to directly supply cooling/heating energy to said cold/hot air discharging means if the data shortage signal is received from said stored data amount determination means, and sending the quantity of electric power dissipated from the thermal-energy source at this time to said power demand time-sequence data collecting means.    
     
     
         18 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 13   , wherein the control time period set said the demand control time setting means is previously set to a specific time period.  
     
     
         19 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 13   , wherein a threshold value is set on the power demand curve, and the control time period set by said demand control time setting means is set in the time period during which the power demand curve is in excess of the threshold value.  
     
     
         20 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 13   , wherein the control time period set by said demand control time setting means is previously set to a specific time period; a threshold value is set on the power demand curve; and the control time period is set in the time period during which the power demand curve is in excess of the threshold value.  
     
     
         21 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 13   , further comprising: 
 stored thermal energy utilization determination means for determining the state of utilization of the stored thermal energy during the control period within the air-conditioning period on the basis of the quantity of cooling/heating energy which has been received from said heat accumulating means and discharged from said cold/hot air discharging means and the thermal-energy load demand estimated by the thermal-energy load demand estimating means;    wherein said operation control means performs dissipating operations using a surplus of accumulated thermal energy during a time period subsequent to the control time period of the air-conditioning periods set by said demand control time setting means if a surplus of thermal energy arises as a result of consumption of the thermal energy accumulated in the heat accumulating means.    
     
     
         22 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 13   , wherein said operation control means performs control operations so as to complete cooling/heating energy accumulating operations to be carried out during the night immediately before cooling/heating operations are started.  
     
     
         23 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 16   , wherein said stored data amount determination means deals with practical data as the most current data among the pseudo data every time the practical data are obtained as a result of the air-conditioning operations, and deletes the oldest data corresponding to the amount of the most current data.  
     
     
         24 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 16   , wherein said stored data amount determination means suspends the output of pseudo data to said power demand time-sequence data collecting means immediately after the amount of practical data obtained as a result of the air-conditioning operations has reached the amount that allows estimate-based control operations.  
     
     
         25 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 16   , wherein the control time period set by the demand control time setting means is previously set to a specific time period.  
     
     
         26 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 16   , wherein a threshold value is set on the power demand curve, and the control time period set by said demand control time setting means is set in the time period during which the power demand curve is in excess of the threshold value.  
     
     
         27 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 16   , wherein the control time period set by said demand control time setting means is previously set to a specific time period; a threshold value is set on the power demand curve; and the control time period is set in the time period during which the power demand curve is in excess of the threshold value.  
     
     
         28 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 16   , further comprising: 
 stored thermal energy utilization determination means for determining the state of utilization of the stored thermal energy during the control period within the air-conditioning period on the basis of the quantity of cooling/heating energy which has been received from said heat accumulating means and discharged from said cold/hot air discharging means and the thermal-energy load demand estimated by the thermal-energy load demand estimating means;    wherein said operation control means performs dissipating operations using a surplus of accumulated thermal energy during a time period subsequent to the control time period of the air-conditioning periods set by said demand control time setting means if a surplus of thermal energy arises as a result of consumption of the thermal energy accumulated in the heat accumulating means.    
     
     
         29 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 17   , wherein the control time period set by the demand control time setting means is previously set to a specific time period.  
     
     
         30 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 17   , wherein a threshold value is set on the power demand curve, and the control time period set by said demand control time setting means is set in the time period during which the power demand curve is in excess of the threshold value.  
     
     
         31 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 17   , wherein the control time period set by said demand control time setting means is previously set to a specific time period; a threshold value is set on the power demand curve; and the control time period is set in the time period during which the power demand curve is in excess of the threshold value.  
     
     
         32 . A heat storage air conditioning apparatus according to    claim 17   , further comprising: 
 stored thermal energy utilization determination means for determining the state of utilization of the stored thermal energy during the control period within the air-conditioning period on the basis of the quantity of cooling/heating energy which has been received from said heat accumulating means and discharged from said cold/hot air discharging means and the thermal-energy load demand estimated by the thermal-energy load demand estimating means;    wherein said operation control means performs dissipating operations using a surplus of accumulated thermal energy during a time period subsequent to the control time period of the air-conditioning periods set by said demand control time setting means if a surplus of thermal energy arises as a result of consumption of the thermal energy accumulated in the heat accumulating means.    
     
     
         33 . A heat storage estimating method comprising the steps of: 
 recognizing the quantity of cooling/heating energy that is equivalent to the quantity of thermal energy to be accumulated;    converting the quantity of thermal energy to be accumulated, which is recognized in said recognizing step, into the quantity of electric power;    collecting time-sequence data on power demand, taking the quantity of the power converted in said converting step as the power demand;    estimating a power demand curve by analyzing the power demand time-sequence data collected in said collecting step; and    estimating thermal-energy load demand from the power demand curve estimated in said power demand curve estimating step.    
     
     
         34 . A heat storage estimating method according to    claim 33   , wherein, in said recognizing step, the quantity of cooling/heating energy that is equivalent to the quantity of thermal energy to be accumulated is detected.  
     
     
         35 . A heat storage estimating method according to    claim 33   , wherein, in said recognizing step, the quantity of cooling/heating energy that is equivalent to the quantity of thermal energy to be accumulated is calculated.  
     
     
         36 . A heat storage estimating method according to    claim 33   , wherein, said thermal-energy load demand estimating step comprising the steps of: 
 setting the control time period during which thermalenergy load is covered by the accumulated thermal energy, on the basis of the power demand curve estimated in said power demand curve estimating step; and    estimating thermal-energy load demand during the control time period set in the control time-period setting step.    
     
     
         37 . A heat storage estimating method according to    claim 36   , wherein said setting step is a step in which the control time period is previously set to a specific time period.  
     
     
         38 . A heat storage estimating method according to    claim 36   , wherein said setting step is a step for setting a threshold value in the power demand curve and setting the control time period to the time period during which the power demand curve is in excess of the threshold value.  
     
     
         39 . A heat storage estimating method according to    claim 36   , wherein said setting step is a step for previously setting the control time period to a specific time period, setting a threshold value in the power demand curve, and setting the control time period to the time period during which the power demand curve is in excess of the threshold value.