Weather predicting method, weather predicting apparatus, and air utilizing apparatus

A weather predicting apparatus for predicting the weather by conducting weather simulations in order to design an air utilizing apparatus which is placed outdoors under the influence of surrounding weather conditions and which utilizes air as one of a heating energy source and a reactant, the weather predicting apparatus comprising:

• a storage section that stores therein a plurality of items of weather information which are related to areas and times and which include at least temperature data;
• and
• a processor that selects, from the plurality of items of weather information, a plurality of weather information sets related to a plurality of times over a fixed period concerning a first area containing a location at which the air utilizing apparatus is placed, that generates a plurality of first narrow-area weather information sets related to a plurality of second areas which are disposed within the first area and which are smaller than the first area, by solving, with the use of the selected plurality of weather information sets as input data, differential equations expressing the weather information based on analysis models used for conducting weather simulations, that selects a second narrow-area weather information set concerning a second area containing the location of the air utilizing apparatus from among the generated plurality of first narrow-area weather information sets, and that generates a temperature cumulative frequency distribution or a temperature exceedance probability distribution during the fixed period by using temperature data contained in the second narrow-area weather information set in order to calculate a design temperature of the air utilizing apparatus;
• wherein the processor calculates meteorological field information concerning an area smaller than the second area corresponding to the second area corresponding to the second narrow-area weather information by computing the second narrow-area weather information by using three-dimensional fluid dynamic equations;
• wherein the processor calculates, by using the meteorological field information, a flow in which heated air discharged from the air utilizing apparatus is returned to and recirculates in a suction unit of the air utilizing apparatus.

An air utilizing apparatus which is placed outdoors under the influence of surrounding weather conditions and which utilizes air as one of a heating energy source and a reactant, the air utilizing apparatus comprising:

• a suction unit that sucks the air;
• an operation unit that performs one of heat exchange and reaction by using the air sucked by the suction unit;
• and
• a discharge unit that discharges gas emitted through one of operations of heat exchange and reaction, wherein
• from a plurality of items of weather information which are related to areas and times and which include at least temperature data, a plurality of weather information sets related to a plurality of times over a fixed period concerning a first area containing a location at which the air utilizing apparatus is placed are selected,
• by solving, with the use of the selected plurality of weather information sets as input data, differential equations expressing the weather information based on analysis models used for conducting weather simulations, a plurality of first narrow-area weather information sets related to a plurality of second areas which are disposed within the first area and which are smaller than the first area are generated,
• a second narrow-area weather information set concerning a second area containing the location of the air utilizing apparatus is selected from among the generated plurality of first narrow-area weather information sets,
• a temperature cumulative frequency distribution or a temperature exceedance probability distribution during the fixed period is generated by using temperature data contained in the second narrow-area weather information set in order to calculate a design temperature of the air utilizing apparatus, and
• the air utilizing apparatus is designed on the basis of a design temperature selected from,
• (a) a temperature at which a cumulative frequency indicated by the temperature cumulative frequency distribution exceeds at least 50%,
• (b) a temperature at which an exceedance probability indicated by the temperature exceedance probability distribution is smaller than at least 50%, and
• (c) a temperature obtained by adding a temperature margin to the temperature at which the cumulative frequency exceeds 50% or the temperature at which the exceedance probability is smaller than 50%;
• wherein the air utilizing apparatus is designed on the basis of a design temperature obtained by calculating, by using the meteorological field information, a flow in which heated air discharged from the air utilizing apparatus is returned to and recirculates in a suction unit of the air utilizing apparatus and by deciding the temperature margin on the basis of the flow.