Ventilation control device

A ventilation control device configured to control operation of one or more ventilators communicably connected to the ventilation control device, the ventilation control device comprising a processor and memory configured to:

• store a target total exhaust volume that is a target total volume of exhaust to be discharged within a predetermined time;
• store an exhaust capacity of each of the one of more ventilators connected to the ventilation control device;
• acquire an already-discharged exhaust volume discharged from each of the one or more ventilators connected to the ventilation control device;
• calculate a total already-discharged exhaust volume by adding up the already-discharged exhaust volumes of the one or more ventilators;
• and
• to, based on the calculated total already-discharged exhaust volume, the stored target total exhaust volume, a remaining time until an elapse of the predetermined time, and the stored exhaust capacity of each of the one or more ventilators, control each of the one or more ventilators connected to the ventilation control device to achieve exhaust in the target total exhaust volume within the remaining time,
• wherein
• the processor and the memory are configured to:
• calculate a shortest exhaust time required for achieving the target total exhaust volume at the exhaust capacity;
• calculate a total remaining exhaust volume that is a total exhaust volume required to reach the target total exhaust volume, based on the target total exhaust volume and the calculated total already-discharged exhaust volume at a timing at least the shortest exhaust time earlier than a time reaching the predetermined time, and
• set a turn-on time for each of the one or more ventilators connected to the ventilation control device, based on the calculated total remaining exhaust volume, the turn-on time being a time length in which the ventilator is operated, and
• wherein the processor calculates a control pattern for the one or more ventilators based on (i) the remaining time and (ii) an energy efficiency per unit time and an exhaust volume corresponding to the energy efficiency of each of the one or more ventilators, the control pattern achieving exhaust in the target total exhaust volume within the remaining time and maximizing the energy efficiency, and
• the processor controls at least one of the one or more ventilators connected to the ventilation control device, based on the calculated control pattern.