The present disclosure presents techniques for improving operational efficiency of climate control systems. A climate control system may include climate control equipment, a sensor that measures temperature in a building, and a control system that controls operation of the equipment using a first temperature schedule, which associates each time step with a temperature setpoint, when the building is occupied. When not occupied, the control system determines an expected return time based on historical occupancy data associated with the building, determines the temperature setpoint associated with the expected return time, determines candidate schedules each expected to result in the inside air temperature meeting the temperature setpoint, determines efficiency metrics each associated with one of the candidates based on historical performance data resulting from previous operation of the climate control system, and controls operation of the equipment based on a second temperature schedule selected from the candidates based on associated efficiency metrics.

Provided are a control method and apparatus for increasing the amount of a circulating refrigerant, and an air conditioner. The control method includes: when a refrigerating capacity need is equivalent to a heating capacity need in the operation of an air-conditioning system, determining whether the discharge temperature of a compressor is greater than a preset safety alert value; if the discharge temperature of the compressor is greater than the safety alert value, adjusting the frequency of a fan of an outdoor heat exchanger; and when the discharge temperature of the compressor is not greater than the safety alert value, controlling to stop the adjustment of the frequency of the fan, and maintaining the air-conditioning system to operate at the adjusted current frequency of the fan.

During an initial period of time, an HVAC controller stores a record of an energy demand of the HVAC system that corresponds to an amount of energy used to operate the HVAC system. For a future time period, an anticipated energy demand of the HVAC system is determined. The controller then recursively determines, for each of a plurality of time points within the future time period, an anticipated indoor humidity value using the anticipated energy demand and the record of the energy demand. The HVAC system is operated based at least in part on the anticipated indoor humidity value.

During an initial period of time, an HVAC controller stores a record of an energy demand of the HVAC system that corresponds to an amount of energy used to operate the HVAC system. For a future time period, an anticipated energy demand of the HVAC system is determined. The controller then recursively determines, for each of a plurality of time points within the future time period, an anticipated indoor humidity value using the anticipated energy demand and the record of the energy demand. The HVAC system is operated based at least in part on the anticipated indoor humidity value.

The invention relates to a process air dehumidification system (2) comprising a process air dehumidifier unit (4) comprising a moisture absorbing agent (6), the process air dehumidification system (2) further comprising a moisture absorbing agent regeneration system (8) comprising a closed regeneration air loop (10) arranged to pass through the process air dehumidifier unit (4) and comprising regeneration air flow generating means (12) for generating a regeneration air flow (14) in the closed regeneration air loop (10) and comprising a heat pump (16) comprising a condenser (18) and an evaporator (20) and a heat pump refrigerant (22), where the closed regeneration air loop (10) is arranged to pass through the condenser (18) and the evaporator (20) to exchange heat between regeneration air (24) and heat pump refrigerant (22), where the dehumidification system (2) comprises a complementary regeneration air moisture removal system (26) arranged downstreams of the evaporator (20) and upstreams of the condenser (18) and a regeneration air heat bypass system (28) arranged to exchange heat from inlet regeneration air (30) upstreams of the dehumidifier unit (4) and down-streams of the condenser (18) to outlet regeneration air (32) downstreams of the dehumidifier unit (4) and upstreams of the evaporator (20) and means (34) arranged to activate and deactivate the complementary regeneration air moisture removal system (26) and the regeneration air heat bypass system (28). The invention also relates to a method for dehumidification of process air.

The invention relates to a process air dehumidification system (2) comprising a process air dehumidifier unit (4) comprising a moisture absorbing agent (6), the process air dehumidification system (2) further comprising a moisture absorbing agent regeneration system (8) comprising a closed regeneration air loop (10) arranged to pass through the process air dehumidifier unit (4) and comprising regeneration air flow generating means (12) for generating a regeneration air flow (14) in the closed regeneration air loop (10) and comprising a heat pump (16) comprising a condenser (18) and an evaporator (20) and a heat pump refrigerant (22), where the closed regeneration air loop (10) is arranged to pass through the condenser (18) and the evaporator (20) to exchange heat between regeneration air (24) and heat pump refrigerant (22), where the dehumidification system (2) comprises a complementary regeneration air moisture removal system (26) arranged downstreams of the evaporator (20) and upstreams of the condenser (18) and a regeneration air heat bypass system (28) arranged to exchange heat from inlet regeneration air (30) upstreams of the dehumidifier unit (4) and down-streams of the condenser (18) to outlet regeneration air (32) downstreams of the dehumidifier unit (4) and upstreams of the evaporator (20) and means (34) arranged to activate and deactivate the complementary regeneration air moisture removal system (26) and the regeneration air heat bypass system (28). The invention also relates to a method for dehumidification of process air.

According to one embodiment, an air conditioner with two or more outdoor units and one or more indoor units, which are connected to a single refrigerant pipe in parallel, the air conditioner comprising a controller configured to determine, based on driving performance of the two or more outdoor units, a driving priority order of the two or more outdoor units. The controller switches the driving priority order of the two or more outdoor units between a descending order of the driving performance of the outdoor units and an ascending order of the driving performance of the outdoor units at certain intervals.

According to one embodiment, an air conditioner with two or more outdoor units and one or more indoor units, which are connected to a single refrigerant pipe in parallel, the air conditioner comprising a controller configured to determine, based on driving performance of the two or more outdoor units, a driving priority order of the two or more outdoor units. The controller switches the driving priority order of the two or more outdoor units between a descending order of the driving performance of the outdoor units and an ascending order of the driving performance of the outdoor units at certain intervals.

In an air-conditioning system including an outside air processing device and an air-conditioning device, an operation of either one of the outside air processing device or the air-conditioning device is stopped if a temperature/humidity state that is at least either the temperature or humidity of air in a target space is within a predetermined range and if the load factor of at least one of the outside air processing device or the air-conditioning device is below a predetermined lower limit.

In an air-conditioning system including an outside air processing device and an air-conditioning device, an operation of either one of the outside air processing device or the air-conditioning device is stopped if a temperature/humidity state that is at least either the temperature or humidity of air in a target space is within a predetermined range and if the load factor of at least one of the outside air processing device or the air-conditioning device is below a predetermined lower limit.