Heat pump driven refrigerant piping network type tall space thermal management system and control method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of heat pump driven refrigerant pipe network type high and large space thermal management system and its control method, at least one set mode controllable refrigerant system, mode controllable refrigerant system includes inner circulation refrigerant loop and outer circulation refrigerant loop;Inner circulation refrigerant loop, outer circulation refrigerant loop and high and large space building are respectively connected by the heat exchange of refrigerant coil in first indoor unit and / or second indoor unit.It is compared with prior art, the present application is connected with heat pump energy grade promotion characteristics, energy recyclable characteristics, energy cascade utilization characteristics and air density physical characteristics with temperature variation in space and time two big scales, can be realized in the best state of open source throttling to complete the refinement layering dynamic thermal management of high and large space building.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a heat pump system, and more particularly to a heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-ceiling space thermal management system. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of China's urban economy and people's consumption levels, the demand for tall, spacious buildings with large spans and high-scale functional spaces is becoming increasingly strong, such as airports, train stations, large conference halls, and tall factories. These buildings are characterized by their height and large spans, with the activity areas often located at the bottom, while the top typically does not have strict temperature requirements. However, these buildings exhibit unique thermophysical properties, namely the chimney effect. During the use of tall, spacious buildings, the indoor hot air, due to its lower density, rises continuously, easily creating a large longitudinal temperature gradient. This results in higher temperatures at the top and lower temperatures in the activity areas at the bottom, further increasing the temperature and pressure difference between the top and the outdoor environment, causing extremely adverse natural outward convection. This poses a significant challenge to the energy-efficient and high-performance design of air conditioning systems for tall, spacious buildings.

[0003] In terms of indoor heating, air conditioners typically deliver hot air from the bottom of the building, allowing the air to rise naturally throughout the space for slow heating. However, in tall buildings, the chimney effect causes hot air to rapidly accumulate at the top, with a large amount of unused heat leaking out through the ceiling or skylights. This results in significant heat loss and energy waste, and the large vertical temperature gradient within the building also drastically reduces thermal comfort, creating a "hotter at the top, colder at the bottom" phenomenon, leading to excessively low temperatures in areas near the ground where people are active. In contrast, for indoor cooling, the cold air delivered by the air conditioner naturally sinks to the bottom of the building, so the focus is primarily on covering the lower areas where people are active. The chimney effect has a relatively minor impact on cooling performance, and cooling can even be enhanced by accelerating heat dissipation. Therefore, the design of air conditioning systems to address these issues in tall spaces, especially for heating in cold and frigid regions, is crucial.

[0004] Patent CN 218469179 U discloses a tiered air conditioning system for large-span, high-ceilinged spaces. This system utilizes air conditioning ducts with lifting mechanisms installed on both sides of the long side of the high-ceilinged space to allow for free adjustment of the air supply height and angle. The technology employs a position-adjustable, non-isothermal, high-speed jet airflow. In summer cooling conditions, energy savings can be achieved by dividing the entire high-ceilinged space into air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned zones. However, in winter heating conditions, this technology does not consider the significant heat accumulation and outward heat dissipation in the non-air-conditioned area at the top due to the chimney effect, resulting in substantial waste of heat transferred to the upper space.

[0005] Patent CN 211854195 U discloses an environmental system for large spaces. By installing insulated return air ducts in the upper and lower parts of the space and connecting them to an air conditioning unit, and using a fan and supply / return air louvers to switch between supply and return air modes, it can ultimately achieve summer cooling (supplying cold air from the top) and winter heating (supplying hot air from the bottom). However, due to the low density of hot air and the fact that people's activity areas in large spaces are often located at lower levels, the fixed installation of the top air vents in this technology must consider both the high ground clearance for absorbing hot air in winter and the low ground clearance for delivering cold air in summer. It cannot be adjusted in height according to usage patterns, significantly reducing the energy-saving performance of the environmental control system in large spaces.

[0006] In summary, most existing technological innovations aimed at improving energy consumption in temperature control of large spaces focus on the division between air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned areas and the optimization of circulating air composition and workflow. They have not considered starting from the structure of the heat pump air conditioning system itself, adding indoor coils to promptly recover and utilize waste heat from the building's roof. This would mitigate the chimney effect and allow the heat pump system to simultaneously utilize both outdoor ambient air and indoor rooftop hot air as heat sources, significantly reducing energy consumption from external sources. Furthermore, due to the varying functions of temperature-controlled areas at different heights in large buildings, the temperature requirements of each area differ. When the function of a particular area changes, its temperature requirements (i.e., heat load requirements) also change. Therefore, the development of waste heat recovery technology for the rooftops of large buildings and thermal management technologies capable of meeting the differentiated dynamic temperature requirements of different temperature zones at different heights in large buildings is urgently needed. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology and provide a heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-ceiling space thermal management system and its control method. By combining the characteristics of heat pump energy quality improvement, energy recovery, energy cascade utilization, and the physical characteristics of air density change with temperature on both spatial and temporal scales, reliable technical solutions are provided from the aspects of structural configuration and control method.

[0008] In terms of structural configuration, based on the traditional heat pump system that only uses ambient air as a heat source, this invention adds an indoor heat exchange coil that uses the large amount of hot air accumulated at the top as a second heat source, taking into account the chimney effect characteristics of high-ceilinged spaces. This proposes a dual-heat-source heat pump system and establishes a complete refrigerant piping network. In terms of control methods, since the actual temperature and thermal comfort requirements of different areas in high-ceilinged buildings vary at different stages of use, this invention proposes a full-cycle operation stage control method. By controlling the opening and closing of valves and the connection status of different interfaces of the four-way reversing valve, the switching of the operation stage of the high-ceilinged space under different needs is completed. Ultimately, this invention can achieve refined, layered, and dynamic thermal management of high-ceilinged buildings in an optimal state of increasing supply and reducing waste.

[0009] The objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0010] This invention primarily protects a heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network-type thermal management system for tall spaces. Due to the unique chimney effect of tall buildings, a large amount of hot air rapidly accumulates at the top of the space during use, resulting in a persistently high temperature at the top and a low temperature at the bottom. This significant longitudinal temperature gradient leads to extremely poor thermal comfort. Therefore, this invention designs a heat pump structure that can simultaneously utilize indoor and outdoor coils. It can use both ambient outdoor air and hot air from the top of the space as heat sources, recovering waste heat from the top to control the temperature of the lower areas where people are active. Furthermore, by using hot air from the top as one of the heat sources, the longitudinal temperature gradient within tall buildings can be improved, mitigating the significant heat loss caused by the chimney effect.

[0011] Furthermore, the thermal management system comprises a complete set of mode-controllable refrigerant systems; and in terms of spatial arrangement, the thermal management system includes both outdoor and indoor installations.

[0012] Furthermore, in terms of system composition, the complete set of mode-controllable refrigerant system includes two parts: an internal circulation refrigerant loop and an external circulation refrigerant loop.

[0013] The internal refrigerant loop includes a second indoor unit, a first compressor, a second shut-off valve, a second four-way reversing valve, and a first throttle valve, which are connected in sequence by copper pipes.

[0014] The external refrigerant loop includes an outdoor heat exchanger, a first four-way reversing valve, a second compressor, a third shut-off valve, a first indoor unit, a second four-way reversing valve, and a second throttle valve, all connected in sequence by copper pipes. Port A of the first four-way reversing valve is connected to one end of the refrigerant heat exchange channel of the outdoor heat exchanger; port B is connected to the exhaust port of the second compressor; port C is connected to the third shut-off valve; and port D is connected to the suction port of the second compressor. Similarly, port A of the second four-way reversing valve is connected to the second throttle valve; port B is connected to the first throttle valve; port C is connected to one end of the refrigerant heat exchange coil of the first indoor unit; and port D is connected to one end of the refrigerant heat exchange channel of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0015] Furthermore, in terms of system composition, the internal circulation refrigerant loop and the external circulation refrigerant loop can be interconnected through the opening and closing actions of the first shut-off valve, the third shut-off valve, and the second four-way reversing valve; the internal circulation refrigerant loop and the external circulation refrigerant loop are both connected to the interior of tall, spacious buildings through heat exchange connections via refrigerant coils in the indoor unit.

[0016] Furthermore, in terms of spatial arrangement, the outdoor installation includes the installation of all equipment in the system except for the indoor unit and their connecting pipes; all equipment can be integrated and installed in a reasonable outdoor location to allow for centralized control of the system.

[0017] Furthermore, in terms of spatial arrangement, the indoor installation includes the installation of all indoor units and their associated valves and connecting pipes; the first indoor unit and its associated equipment are installed at the bottom of the building to complete the temperature control of the bottom activity area where temperature requirements are required; the second indoor unit and its associated equipment are installed at the top of the building to recover a large amount of excess heat accumulated in the top area where there are no temperature requirements, reduce the heat loss to the outside through the roof, and also complete the migration of heat accumulated at the top to the bottom.

[0018] Furthermore, in terms of the system composition of this invention, the number of sets of the complete set of mode-controllable refrigerant systems is unlimited; there can be only one set or more than one set. Regarding the overall functional use of tall, spacious buildings, the functional requirements generally differ across different height areas, thus the temperature requirements also vary. Therefore, this invention needs to divide the temperature control zones by height based on the real-time indoor temperature and the temperature requirements of each floor. One indoor unit is set up for each zone. Finally, through refrigerant pipelines, according to the standard of minimizing heat recovery temperature and heating temperature, multiple indoor units in areas with no temperature requirements and areas with temperature requirements are divided into multiple sets of mode-controllable refrigerant systems. Each system includes only one indoor unit in the area with no temperature requirements and one indoor unit in the area with temperature requirements. Thus, this invention can achieve refined, layered thermal management covering the entire area of ​​a tall, spacious building by having multiple mode-controllable refrigerant systems working collaboratively at different temperatures.

[0019] Furthermore, the heat pump driven piping network in the system of the present invention is not limited to the refrigerant piping network (i.e., the refrigerant in the heat pump system flows directly into the heat exchange coil of the indoor unit to exchange heat with the indoor air). In actual use, depending on the site conditions, the heat pump driven refrigerant piping network (i.e., the refrigerant system is set up independently outdoors, and the refrigerant enters the heat exchange coil of the indoor unit to exchange heat with the indoor air) or the heat pump driven air piping network (i.e., the refrigerant system and the air handling system are both set up outdoors, the refrigerant enters the heat exchange coil of the air handling unit to exchange heat with the return air from the indoor unit, and the air is treated before being sent into the indoor unit) can be used for partial or complete replacement. In the end, a heat pump driven refrigerant-refrigerant-air mixed piping network thermal management system can be formed.

[0020] The second objective of this invention is to protect a control method for a heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network-type thermal management system for large spaces. Since the internal temperature of a large space remains stable and consistent with the external environment when it is not in use for extended periods, the chimney effect has little impact. Therefore, during the initial use of the building, there is not much waste heat at the top for heat recovery. At this time, it is unnecessary to turn on the indoor units in areas without temperature requirements for heat recovery; only heating of the bottom areas with temperature requirements is needed. However, as the bottom indoor units continue to operate, a large amount of hot air will rapidly accumulate at the top of the space. When the heat exceeds a certain threshold, it is necessary to turn on the indoor units in areas without temperature requirements for heat recovery and zone temperature control. Therefore, this invention designs a full-cycle operation phase control method to address the dynamic heat recovery needs of large spaces during heating.

[0021] Furthermore, the full-cycle operation phase control method controls the opening and closing actions and connection status of the shut-off valve and the four-way reversing valve, and completes the full-cycle efficient heating of the entire tall space building interior by periodically switching between the following four major operation phases:

[0022] 1. External circulation heating operation phase: When a tall, spacious building has not been used for a long time and is about to start indoor heating for the first time, its initial indoor temperature is in a stable state consistent with the outside ambient temperature, that is, the indoor temperature is equal to the outside ambient temperature and lower than the thermal comfort lower limit temperature set for areas with temperature requirements; at this time, in terms of valve control, the third shut-off valve is opened, and the first shut-off valve and the second shut-off valve are closed; in the first four-way reversing valve, ports A and D are kept connected, and ports B and C are kept connected; in the second four-way reversing valve, ports A and C are kept connected, and ports B and D are closed;

[0023] During this stage, the external circulation refrigerant loop in the controllable refrigerant system is in operation, the internal circulation refrigerant loop is in a stopped state, the system has only outdoor air as a heat source, and only the bottom first indoor unit in the indoor unit heats the space to quickly raise the indoor temperature.

[0024] 2. Synchronous Operation Stage of Internal and External Circulation Heat Recovery: After the system has been operating in the external circulation heating stage for a period of time, the indoor temperature of the high-ceilinged space continues to rise. Due to the chimney effect, hot air in the space rapidly accumulates at the top, and the higher the location, the faster the temperature rises. Therefore, the temperature rise rate is fastest in the high-ceilinged areas without temperature requirements. When the temperature reaches the heat recovery set temperature, the second and third shut-off valves are opened, and the first shut-off valve is closed. In the first four-way reversing valve, ports A and D remain connected, and ports B and C remain connected. In the second four-way reversing valve, ports A and C remain connected, ports B and C remain connected, and port D is closed.

[0025] During this stage, both the external circulation refrigerant loop and the internal circulation refrigerant loop in the controllable refrigerant system are in operation. The system uses outdoor air and hot air from the top of the room as heat sources. In addition to the bottom first indoor unit heating the space to raise the temperature of areas with temperature requirements, the top second indoor unit can recover waste heat from the top, which weakens the chimney effect and reduces the energy demand from the outside.

[0026] 3. Internal circulation heat recovery operation phase: Specifically, after the system has been operating in the internal and external circulation heat recovery synchronous operation phase for a period of time, the temperature of the bottom area with temperature requirements gradually rises, and the heat load demand gradually decreases accordingly; when the heat load demand of this area can be met by recovering heat from the top area without temperature requirements, in terms of valve control, the second shut-off valve is opened, and the first shut-off valve and the third shut-off valve are closed; the first four-way reversing valve is completely closed; in the second four-way reversing valve, ports B and C remain connected, and ports A and D are closed;

[0027] During this stage, the external circulation refrigerant loop in the controllable refrigerant system is in a stopped state, while the internal circulation refrigerant loop is in a running state. The system uses only the hot air at the top of the room as the sole heat source. The heat output of the first indoor unit at the bottom is the same as the heat recovered by the second indoor unit at the top. The heating demand of the area with temperature requirements at the bottom of the room is met in the internal heat circulation without the need for external energy input.

[0028] 4. Intermittent Operation Phase: After the system operates in the above-mentioned phase for a period of time, under the combined effect of external circulation heating and internal circulation heat recovery, the temperature of the area with temperature requirements at the bottom continuously rises. When it reaches the upper limit of thermal comfort temperature, the entire system shuts down until the temperature of the area with temperature requirements drops to the lower limit of thermal comfort temperature. At this point, the valve control switches to the same mode as the external circulation heating mode. The difference is that the initial temperature of the area with temperature requirements changes from the ambient temperature to the lower limit of thermal comfort temperature. During this phase, intermittent heating can be achieved for tall, spacious buildings, significantly reducing heating energy consumption while meeting thermal comfort requirements.

[0029] This invention's system achieves flexible matching of dynamic heat recovery needs in high-ceilinged spaces under heating mode by cyclically switching between the aforementioned working stages. Furthermore, it should be noted that during the use of a high-ceilinged space, when the function of a certain area changes, the corresponding temperature requirement for that area will also change. To meet this change, this invention can control the operating temperature and refrigerant flow rate in the refrigerant system to match the real-time heat load of different areas. Finally, when the high-ceilinged space is no longer in use or there is no immediate heating demand, all valves are closed. Thus, the entire cycle of indoor heating for the high-ceilinged building is completed.

[0030] Furthermore, when the heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-ceiling space thermal management system of the present invention switches to the external circulation heating operation stage, its working process is as follows:

[0031] When the external refrigerant loop is opened, the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas flowing out of the refrigerant heat exchange channel of the outdoor heat exchanger first enters the second compressor through the first four-way reversing valve. Then, the compressed high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas flows from the first four-way reversing valve through the third shut-off valve into the refrigerant coil of the first indoor unit. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas transfers heat to the low-temperature indoor air driven by the fan in the first indoor unit in the refrigerant heat exchange coil, completing the heating effect in the area with temperature requirements. Next, the cooled low-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant subcooled liquid flows through the second four-way reversing valve into the second throttling valve and is throttled and depressurized into a low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase refrigerant. Then, the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant enters the refrigerant heat exchange channel of the outdoor heat exchanger, absorbs heat from the outdoor air, and evaporates into superheated refrigerant gas. Finally, the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas enters the second compressor again through the first four-way reversing valve to complete the external refrigerant loop, realizing the absorption of heat from the outdoor air to complete the heating effect in the area with temperature requirements.

[0032] Furthermore, when the heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-ceiling space thermal management system of the present invention switches to the stage of simultaneous operation of internal and external circulation heat recovery, its working process is as follows:

[0033] When the external refrigerant loop is opened, its working process is consistent with that of the external refrigerant heating operation phase, which can absorb heat from the outdoor air and transfer it to the room to complete the heating; the difference is that during this phase, the internal refrigerant loop is switched from closed to open.

[0034] When the internal refrigerant loop is opened, the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas flowing out of the refrigerant heat exchange channel of the second indoor unit first enters the first compressor. Then, the compressed high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas, along with the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas from the outlet of the second compressor in the external refrigerant loop, enters the refrigerant heat exchange coil of the first indoor unit through the second shut-off valve. All the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas transfers heat to the low-temperature indoor air driven by the fan in the first indoor unit within the refrigerant heat exchange coil, achieving the heating effect in areas with temperature requirements. Following this, a portion of the cooled low-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant subcooled liquid... One portion of the refrigerant flows through the second four-way reversing valve into the second throttle valve to complete the external circulation refrigerant loop. The other portion of the low-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant subcooled liquid flows through the second four-way reversing valve into the first throttle valve. After throttling and pressure reduction, the low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase refrigerant re-enters the refrigerant heat exchange coil of the second indoor unit, absorbing the heat from the high-temperature air at the top of the room driven by the fan in the second indoor unit, thus completing the internal circulation refrigerant loop. This allows the system to recover heat from the hot air accumulated at the top of the high space. As a result, the refrigerant system can use both outdoor air and hot air at the top of the room as heat sources, significantly improving the heating efficiency of areas with temperature requirements.

[0035] Furthermore, when the heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-ceiling space thermal management system of the present invention switches to the internal circulation heat recovery operation stage, its working process is as follows:

[0036] When the internal circulation refrigerant loop is opened, its working process is consistent with the synchronous operation phase of internal and external circulation heat recovery. The difference is that during this phase, the external circulation refrigerant loop is switched from open to closed, and the system ultimately uses only the hot air at the top of the room as the sole heat source. The heat output of the bottom first indoor unit is the same as the heat recovered by the top second indoor unit.

[0037] Furthermore, it should be noted that the above describes the workflow and control methods for high-ceilinged spaces in heating mode. The system of this invention can achieve flexible switching between heating and cooling modes by switching the connection states of different ports of the four-way reversing valve in the refrigerant loop and controlling the opening and closing action of the shut-off valve.

[0038] Furthermore, when the system of the present invention switches to the cooling mode, it is only necessary to open the first and third shut-off valves and close the second shut-off valve; in the first four-way reversing valve, ports A and B remain connected, and ports C and D remain connected; in the second four-way reversing valve, ports A and C remain connected, and ports B and D remain connected; through the above valve operation, it is possible to achieve that the refrigerant coil in the first indoor unit and the refrigerant coil in the second indoor unit operate as evaporators, while the outdoor heat exchanger operates as a condenser. This ensures that the refrigerant entering the indoor unit and exchanging heat with the indoor air is low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant. The refrigerant absorbs heat at both the top and bottom of the tall building and is finally discharged by the outdoor heat exchanger, which can significantly improve the indoor cooling efficiency.

[0039] This invention aims to protect a heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network-based thermal management system for large spaces and its control method. Its thermal management functions cover both spatial and temporal scales. Furthermore, under the control method of this invention, the system can also achieve both energy conservation and energy saving. To achieve the above effects, this invention has made the following designs in terms of structural configuration and control scheme, and obtained corresponding beneficial effects:

[0040] 1. In terms of structural configuration, due to the unique chimney effect of tall, open-air buildings, a large amount of hot air will rapidly accumulate at the top of the space during use, resulting in a persistently high temperature at the top and a low temperature at the bottom, creating a significant longitudinal temperature gradient within the building. Therefore, this invention designs and employs a heat pump structure that can simultaneously utilize indoor and outdoor coils, proposing a dual-heat-source heat pump air conditioning system that can use both outdoor ambient air and hot air from the top of the interior as heat sources, and constructing a complete heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network.

[0041] On the one hand, this invention can improve the chimney effect caused by the accumulation of hot air by recovering waste heat from the top of tall spaces, reduce the ineffective loss of heat to the outside, and reduce the vertical temperature gradient inside the room, thereby improving indoor thermal comfort. At the same time, it can also transfer excess heat from the upper part of the room to the lower part of the space where temperature requirements are required, significantly reducing the energy consumption of heat pump heating and achieving the effect of increasing revenue and saving energy. On the other hand, by introducing hot air from the top of the room as a second heat source, since its temperature is higher than that of ambient air, it can significantly reduce the average compression ratio of the compressor in the entire system compared to traditional heat pump air conditioning systems that only use ambient air as the sole heat source, thereby improving the system's operating performance and achieving greater energy-saving effects.

[0042] 2. In terms of structural configuration, the functional uses of high-ceilinged buildings differ across different height zones, resulting in varying optimal temperature ranges. The lower levels of the space, often designated for work and activity, have particularly strong heating and cooling requirements. Therefore, this invention proposes and employs a heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network for indoor thermal management. First, this invention defines temperature control zones by dividing the space vertically based on real-time indoor temperature and the temperature requirements of each floor. One indoor unit is installed in each zone. Finally, using refrigerant piping, multiple indoor units in areas with and without temperature requirements are divided into multiple mode-controllable refrigerant systems, based on the standard of minimizing heat recovery and heating temperatures. Each system includes only one indoor unit from the area without temperature requirements and one from the area with temperature requirements. Thus, this invention allows multiple mode-controllable refrigerant systems to work collaboratively at different temperatures, achieving refined, layered thermal management covering the entire high-ceilinged space.

[0043] On the one hand, the system can adjust the opening and closing of the shut-off valve and the connection status of the four-way reversing valve in the refrigerant system according to the real-time temperature of each area. While meeting the heating and cooling needs of each temperature zone, it can also reduce the heat exchange temperature difference between the air and the corresponding indoor unit heat exchange coil by controlling the operating temperature and refrigerant flow of each mode controllable refrigerant system, flexibly matching the heat load required by different areas, and ultimately greatly improving the overall working efficiency of the system and reducing energy consumption. On the other hand, the invention adopts a direct expansion heat pump in which the refrigerant is directly input into the room for heat exchange with the air. Compared with heat pumps that use water or other refrigerants as intermediate media, the direct expansion heat pump's single-stage heat exchange makes its high heat exchange efficiency advantage more significant. At the same time, since it reduces the complex equipment such as cooling towers and water pumps required by traditional air conditioning water systems, the direct expansion heat pump only has an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The model is compact, the indoor footprint is small, and the later installation and maintenance costs are lower.

[0044] 3. Regarding the control method, since the internal temperature of a large space remains stable and consistent with the outside temperature when it is not used for a long time, the chimney effect has little impact. Therefore, in the initial stage of building use, there is not much waste heat at the top for heat recovery. At this time, it is not necessary to turn on the indoor units in areas without temperature requirements for heat recovery; only heating / cooling is needed in the bottom areas with temperature requirements. As the bottom indoor units continue to operate, a large amount of hot air will quickly gather at the top of the space. When the heat exceeds a certain threshold, the top indoor units need to be turned on for heat recovery and zone temperature control. Therefore, this invention designs and adopts a full-cycle operation phase control method for the dynamic heat recovery needs during the use of large spaces. Under the control method of this invention, the start-up and shutdown actions of the indoor units can cycle through four operation phases according to the real-time temperature of each area of ​​the building, instantly matching the heat recovery state under different environments to maintain the balance of the indoor temperature gradient, thereby completing the dynamic and efficient thermal management of the entire large space.

[0045] 4. Regarding the control method, in tall, spacious buildings, the temperature requirements of temperature-controlled zones at different heights vary due to differences in their functions. Furthermore, when the function of a particular zone changes, its temperature requirements also change. Therefore, this invention employs a multi-mode controllable refrigerant system working collaboratively. By controlling the operating temperature and refrigerant flow rate of each system, it is possible to flexibly match the heat load of different zones, ultimately achieving layered, differentiated, and dynamic thermal management for each temperature-controlled zone. Attached Figure Description

[0046] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structural principle of a heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-ceiling space thermal management system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the operating principle of a heat pump driven refrigerant pipeline type high-rise space thermal management system in Embodiment 1 of the present invention (heating mode - external circulation heating operation stage).

[0048] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the operating principle of a heat pump driven refrigerant pipeline type high-ceiling space thermal management system in Embodiment 1 of the present invention (heating mode - synchronous operation stage of internal and external circulation heat recovery).

[0049] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the operating principle of a heat pump driven refrigerant pipeline type high-rise space thermal management system in Embodiment 1 of the present invention (heating mode - internal circulation heat recovery operation stage).

[0050] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram (cooling mode) illustrating the operating principle of a heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-ceiling space thermal management system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structural principle of a heat pump driven refrigerant pipeline type high-ceiling multi-temperature stratified thermal management system in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram (heating mode) illustrating the operating principle of a heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-ceiling multi-temperature stratified thermal management system in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structural principle of a heat pump driven hybrid pipe network type high-space multi-temperature stratified thermal management system in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram (heating mode) of the operating principle of a heat pump driven hybrid pipe network type high-ceiling multi-temperature stratified thermal management system in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0055] Figures 1 to 5 In the diagram, 1 is the first indoor unit; 2 is the second indoor unit; 3 is the outdoor heat exchanger; 4 is the first compressor; 5 is the second compressor; 6 is the first throttle valve; 7 is the second throttle valve; 8 is the first four-way reversing valve; 9 is the second four-way reversing valve; 10 is the first shut-off valve; 11 is the second shut-off valve; and 12 is the third shut-off valve.

[0056] Figures 6 to 7 In the diagram, 1 represents the first mode controllable heat pump box; 2 represents the second mode controllable heat pump box; 3 represents the third mode controllable heat pump box; 4 represents the first indoor unit; 5 represents the second indoor unit; 6 represents the third indoor unit; 7 represents the fourth indoor unit; 8 represents the fifth indoor unit; 9 represents the sixth indoor unit; and 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 represent refrigerant copper pipes.

[0057] Figures 8 to 9 In this diagram, 1 is a variable refrigerant flow heat pump box; 2 is a refrigerant pipe; 3 is a second refrigerant coil indoor unit; 4 is a refrigerant pipe; 5 is a first refrigerant coil indoor unit; 6 is a variable refrigerant flow heat pump box; 7 is a refrigerant copper pipe; 8 is a second refrigerant coil indoor unit; 9 is a refrigerant copper pipe; 10 is a first refrigerant coil indoor unit; 11 is a variable air volume heat pump box; 12 is a refrigerant copper pipe; 13 is a second air handling unit; 14 is a top air inlet duct; 15 is a top air inlet; 16 is a top return air inlet; 17 is a top return air duct; 18 is a refrigerant copper pipe; 19 is a first air handling unit; 20 is a bottom air inlet duct; 21 is a bottom air inlet; 22 is a bottom return air inlet; and 23 is a bottom return air duct. Detailed Implementation

[0058] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Component models, material names, connection structures, control methods, algorithms, and other features not explicitly described in this technical solution are considered common technical features disclosed in the prior art.

[0059] Example 1

[0060] See Figure 1 This embodiment is a heat pump driven refrigerant pipeline type high-space thermal management system, which includes a complete set of mode controllable refrigerant system in terms of system composition, and includes two parts in terms of spatial layout: outdoor installation and indoor installation.

[0061] In terms of system composition, a complete set of mode-controllable refrigerant systems includes two parts: an internal circulation refrigerant loop and an external circulation refrigerant loop.

[0062] The internal refrigerant loop includes a second indoor unit 2, a first compressor 4, a second shut-off valve 11, a first indoor unit 1, a second four-way reversing valve 9, and a first throttle valve 6, which are connected in sequence by copper pipes.

[0063] The external refrigerant loop includes an outdoor heat exchanger 3, a first four-way reversing valve 8, a second compressor 5, a third shut-off valve 12, a first indoor unit 1, a second four-way reversing valve 9, and a second throttling valve 7, all connected in sequence by copper pipes. Port A of the first four-way reversing valve 8 is connected to one end of the refrigerant heat exchange channel of the outdoor heat exchanger 3, port B is connected to the exhaust port of the second compressor 5, port C is connected to the third shut-off valve 12, and port D is connected to the suction port of the second compressor 5. Port A of the second four-way reversing valve 9 is connected to the second throttling valve 7, port B is connected to the first throttling valve 6, port C is connected to one end of the refrigerant heat exchange coil of the first indoor unit 1, and port D is connected to one end of the refrigerant heat exchange channel of the outdoor heat exchanger 3.

[0064] In terms of system composition, the internal circulation refrigerant loop and the external circulation refrigerant loop can be interconnected through the opening and closing actions of the first shut-off valve 10, the third shut-off valve 12 and the second four-way reversing valve 9; the internal circulation refrigerant loop and the external circulation refrigerant loop are connected to the interior of tall and spacious buildings through heat exchange through the refrigerant coils in the indoor units 1 and 2.

[0065] In terms of spatial arrangement, outdoor installation includes the installation of all equipment in the system and their connecting pipes, except for indoor units 1 and 2; all equipment can be integrated and installed in a reasonable outdoor location for centralized control of the system.

[0066] In terms of spatial arrangement, the indoor installation includes the installation of all indoor units 1 and 2 and their associated valves and connecting pipes; the first indoor unit 1 and its associated equipment are installed at the bottom of the building to complete the temperature control of the bottom activity area where temperature requirements are required; the second indoor unit 2 and its associated equipment are installed at the top of the building to recover a large amount of excess heat accumulated in the top area where there are no temperature requirements, reduce the heat loss to the outside through the roof, and also complete the migration of heat accumulated at the top to the bottom.

[0067] Because the internal temperature of a tall, spacious space remains stable and consistent with the outside temperature when it is not in use for extended periods, the chimney effect has little impact. Therefore, during the initial use of the building, there is not much waste heat at the top for heat recovery. At this time, it is not necessary to turn on the indoor units in areas without temperature requirements for heat recovery; only heating of the bottom areas with temperature requirements is needed. However, as the bottom indoor units continue to operate, a large amount of hot air will rapidly accumulate at the top of the space. When the heat exceeds a certain threshold, it is necessary to turn on the indoor units in areas without temperature requirements for heat recovery and zone temperature control. Therefore, this invention designs a full-cycle operation phase control method to address the dynamic heat recovery needs of tall, spacious spaces during heating.

[0068] See Figures 2 to 4 This embodiment describes a full-cycle operation control method for a heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-rise space thermal management system. This method controls the opening and closing actions and connection status of the shut-off valve and the four-way reversing valve, thereby performing cyclical switching of the following four major operation stages to achieve efficient full-cycle heating of the entire high-rise space building interior:

[0069] 1. External circulation heating operation phase: When a tall, spacious building has not been used for a long time and is about to start indoor heating for the first time, its initial indoor temperature is in a stable state that is consistent with the outside ambient temperature, that is, the indoor temperature is equal to the outside ambient temperature and lower than the thermal comfort lower limit temperature set for areas with temperature requirements; at this time, in terms of valve control, the third shut-off valve 12 is opened, and the first shut-off valve 10 and the second shut-off valve 11 are closed; in the first four-way reversing valve 8, ports A and D are kept connected, and ports B and C are kept connected; in the second four-way reversing valve 9, ports A and C are kept connected, and ports B and D are closed;

[0070] During this stage, the external circulation refrigerant loop in the mode-controllable refrigerant system is in operation, while the internal circulation refrigerant loop is in a stopped state. The system has only outdoor air as a heat source, and only the bottom first indoor unit 1 in the indoor units heats the space to quickly raise the indoor temperature.

[0071] 2. Synchronous Operation Stage of Internal and External Circulation Heat Recovery: After the system has been operating in the external circulation heating stage for a period of time, the indoor temperature of the high space continues to rise. Due to the chimney effect, hot air in the space rapidly accumulates at the top, and the higher the location, the faster the temperature rises. Therefore, the temperature rise rate is fastest in the high-altitude areas without temperature requirements. When the temperature reaches the heat recovery set temperature, the second shut-off valve 11 and the third shut-off valve 12 are opened, and the first shut-off valve 10 is closed. In the first four-way reversing valve 8, ports A and D remain connected, and ports B and C remain connected. In the second four-way reversing valve 9, ports A and C remain connected, ports B and C remain connected, and port D is closed.

[0072] During this stage, both the external circulation refrigerant loop and the internal circulation refrigerant loop in the mode controllable refrigerant system are in operation. The system uses outdoor air and hot air from the top of the room as heat sources. In addition to the bottom first indoor unit 1 heating the space to raise the temperature of areas with temperature requirements, the top second indoor unit 2 can recover waste heat from the top, which weakens the chimney effect and reduces the energy demand from the outside.

[0073] 3. Internal circulation heat recovery operation phase: Specifically, after the system has been operating in the internal and external circulation heat recovery synchronous operation phase for a period of time, the temperature of the bottom area with temperature requirements gradually rises, and the heat load demand gradually decreases accordingly; when the heat load demand of this area can be met by recovering heat from the top area without temperature requirements, in terms of valve control, the second shut-off valve 11 is opened, and the first shut-off valve 10 and the third shut-off valve 12 are closed; the first four-way reversing valve 8 is completely closed; in the second four-way reversing valve 9, ports B and C remain connected, and ports A and D are closed;

[0074] During this stage, the external circulation refrigerant loop in the mode-controllable refrigerant system is in a stopped state, while the internal circulation refrigerant loop is in a running state. The system uses only the hot air at the top of the room as the sole heat source. The heat output of the first indoor unit 1 at the bottom is the same as the heat recovered by the second indoor unit 2 at the top. The heating demand of the area with temperature requirements at the bottom of the room is met in the internal heat circulation without the need for external energy input.

[0075] 4. Intermittent Operation Phase: After the system operates in the above-mentioned phase for a period of time, under the combined effect of external circulation heating and internal circulation heat recovery, the temperature of the area with temperature requirements at the bottom continuously rises. When it reaches the upper limit of thermal comfort temperature, the entire system shuts down until the temperature of the area with temperature requirements drops to the lower limit of thermal comfort temperature. At this point, the valve control switches to the same mode as the external circulation heating mode. The difference is that the initial temperature of the area with temperature requirements changes from the ambient temperature to the lower limit of thermal comfort temperature. During this phase, intermittent heating can be achieved for tall, spacious buildings, significantly reducing heating energy consumption while meeting thermal comfort requirements.

[0076] This embodiment achieves flexible matching of dynamic heat recovery needs in high-ceilinged spaces under heating mode by cyclically switching between the above-mentioned working stages. Furthermore, it should be noted that during the use of the high-ceilinged space, when the function of a certain area changes, the corresponding temperature requirement of that area will also change. To meet this change, this embodiment can control the operating temperature and refrigerant flow rate in the refrigerant system to match the heat load of different areas. Finally, when the high-ceilinged space is no longer in use or there is no immediate heating demand, all valves are closed. Thus, the indoor heating of the entire high-ceilinged building throughout its entire lifecycle is completed.

[0077] See Figure 2 In this embodiment, when the heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-ceiling space thermal management system switches to the external circulation heating operation stage, its workflow is as follows:

[0078] When the external refrigerant loop is opened, the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas flowing out of the refrigerant heat exchange channel of the outdoor heat exchanger 3 first enters the second compressor 5 through the first four-way reversing valve 8. Then, the compressed high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas flows from the first four-way reversing valve 8 through the third shut-off valve 12 into the refrigerant coil of the first indoor unit 1. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas transfers heat to the low-temperature indoor air driven by the fan in the first indoor unit 1 in the refrigerant heat exchange coil, completing the heating effect in the area with temperature requirements. Next, the cooled low-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant subcooled liquid flows through the second four-way reversing valve 9 into the second throttling valve 7 and is throttled and depressurized into a low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase refrigerant. Then, the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant enters the refrigerant heat exchange channel of the outdoor heat exchanger 3, absorbs heat from the outdoor air, and evaporates into superheated refrigerant gas. Finally, the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas enters the second compressor 5 again through the first four-way reversing valve 8 to complete the external refrigerant loop, realizing the absorption of heat from the outdoor air to complete the heating effect in the area with temperature requirements.

[0079] See Figure 3 In this embodiment, when the heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-rise space thermal management system switches to the internal and external circulation heat recovery synchronous operation stage, its workflow is as follows:

[0080] When the external refrigerant loop is turned on, its working process is consistent with that of the external refrigerant heating operation stage, which can absorb heat from the outdoor air and transfer it to the room to complete the heating; the difference is that during this stage, the internal refrigerant loop is switched from closed to open.

[0081] The internal refrigerant loop is opened, and the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas flowing out of the refrigerant heat exchange channel of the second indoor unit 2 first enters the first compressor 4; then, the compressed high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas, along with the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas from the outlet of the second compressor 5 in the external refrigerant loop, enters the refrigerant heat exchange coil of the first indoor unit 1 through the second shut-off valve 11; all the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas transfers heat to the low-temperature indoor air driven by the fan in the first indoor unit 1 in the refrigerant heat exchange coil, completing the heating effect in the area with temperature requirements; immediately afterwards, the cooled low-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant subcooled liquid... Part of the refrigerant flows into the second throttle valve 7 via the second four-way reversing valve 9 to complete the external circulation refrigerant loop. The other part of the low-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant subcooled liquid flows into the first throttle valve 6 via the second four-way reversing valve 9. After throttling and pressure reduction, the low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase refrigerant re-enters the refrigerant heat exchange coil of the second indoor unit 2, absorbing the heat from the high-temperature air at the top of the room driven by the fan in the second indoor unit 2, thus completing the internal circulation refrigerant loop and realizing the recovery of heat from the hot air accumulated at the top of the high space. As a result, the refrigerant system can use both outdoor air and hot air at the top of the room as heat sources at the same time, which greatly improves the heating efficiency of indoor areas with temperature requirements.

[0082] See Figure 4 In this embodiment, when the heat pump-driven refrigerant piping type high-rise space thermal management system switches to the internal circulation heat recovery operation stage, its workflow is as follows:

[0083] When the internal refrigerant loop is turned on, its working process is consistent with the synchronous operation phase of internal and external refrigerant heat recovery. The difference is that during this phase, the external refrigerant loop is switched from being turned on to being turned off. In the end, the system uses only the hot air at the top of the room as the only heat source, and the heat output of the first indoor unit 1 at the bottom is the same as the heat recovered by the second indoor unit 2 at the top.

[0084] It should be noted that the above describes the workflow and control methods for large spaces in heating mode. In this embodiment, the thermal management system can achieve flexible switching between heating and cooling modes by switching the connection states of different ports of the four-way reversing valve in the refrigerant loop and controlling the opening and closing of the shut-off valve.

[0085] See Figure 5When the heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-rise space thermal management system in this embodiment switches to cooling mode, it is only necessary to open the first shut-off valve 10 and the third shut-off valve 12 and close the second shut-off valve 11; in the first four-way reversing valve 8, ports A and B are kept connected, and ports C and D are kept connected; in the second four-way reversing valve 9, ports A and C are kept connected, and ports B and D are kept connected; through the above valve operation, it is possible to realize that while the refrigerant coil in the first indoor unit 1 and the refrigerant coil in the second indoor unit 2 are operating as evaporators, the outdoor heat exchanger 3 is operating as a condenser, so that the refrigerant entering the indoor units 1 and 2 to exchange heat with the indoor air is low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant. The refrigerant absorbs heat at the top and bottom of the high-rise space building at the same time, and is finally discharged by the outdoor heat exchanger 3 placed outdoors, which can significantly improve the indoor cooling energy efficiency.

[0086] Example 2

[0087] This embodiment describes the system composition of a heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network-type multi-temperature stratified thermal management system for large spaces (see [link]). Figure 6 ) and basic principles (see Figure 7 Similar to Example 1, but with some differences: Firstly, to accommodate tall, high-ceilinged buildings with more complex functions (i.e., different temperature requirements at different heights), the areas with temperature requirements need to be divided according to height. In this example, the areas with temperature requirements are divided into three zones: Zone 1 with temperature requirements, Zone 2 with temperature requirements, and Zone 3 with temperature requirements. Customized energy supply is provided to different zones to match different heat load demands. Secondly, due to the chimney effect in tall spaces, there is a large vertical temperature gradient indoors. The air temperature in areas without temperature requirements changes drastically with height. To make the temperature change more uniform when heat recovery is carried out in areas without temperature requirements and to reduce the impact on adjacent areas with temperature requirements, this example divides the areas without temperature requirements into three zones according to height: Zone 1 without temperature requirements, Zone 2 without temperature requirements, and Zone 3 without temperature requirements. This expands the location and temperature range for heat recovery to balance the temperature gradient changes.

[0088] Therefore, in order to achieve differentiated thermal management for different temperature requirements in different areas of the above-mentioned high-rise space, in this embodiment of a heat pump driven refrigerant network high-rise space multi-temperature stratified thermal management system, compared with embodiment 1, the mode controllable refrigerant system in the thermal management system is increased from one set to three sets.

[0089] In this embodiment, one indoor unit is installed in each of the temperature-controlled zones within a tall, spacious building. Since the actual temperature in areas without temperature requirements increases with height, the optimal heat recovery temperature of the indoor units in these areas also increases with height. Simultaneously, since the actual temperature in areas with temperature requirements generally decreases with height, the optimal heating temperature and heat load of the indoor units in these areas increase with decreasing height. Therefore, in this embodiment, the thermal management system, through refrigerant piping, divides the multiple indoor units in both temperature-required and temperature-required zones into three controllable refrigerant systems based on minimizing heat recovery and heating temperatures. These systems are: the first controllable refrigerant system composed of the first indoor unit 4 and the fourth indoor unit 7; the second controllable refrigerant system composed of the second indoor unit 5 and the fifth indoor unit 8; and the third controllable refrigerant system composed of the third indoor unit 6 and the sixth indoor unit 9.

[0090] Therefore, in this embodiment, the thermal management system can achieve detailed and layered thermal management covering the entire area of ​​a large space by having three sets of controllable refrigerant systems working together at different operating temperatures and refrigerant flow rates.

[0091] In this embodiment, the full-cycle control method of the heat pump-driven refrigerant pipeline network multi-temperature stratified thermal management system for large spaces is basically the same as that in Embodiment 1. Since the internal temperature of a large space is in a stable state consistent with the outside when it is not used for a long time, the chimney effect has no significant impact on it. Therefore, in the early stage of building use, there is not much waste heat at the top for heat recovery. At this time, it is not necessary to turn on the indoor units in the area without temperature requirements at the top for heat recovery. Only the heating of the area with temperature requirements at the bottom is required. However, as the indoor units at the bottom continue to work, a large amount of hot air will quickly gather at the top of the space. When the heat exceeds a certain threshold, the indoor units at the top need to be turned on for heat recovery and zone temperature control. Therefore, in order to meet the dynamic heat recovery needs of large spaces during heating, this embodiment also needs to adopt a full-cycle operation stage control method similar to that in Embodiment 1.

[0092] The difference lies in the fact that, under the full-cycle operation control method in this embodiment, the temperature requirements of different areas in a tall, spacious building vary due to differences in their functions during use. Furthermore, when the function of a certain area changes, its temperature requirements also change. Therefore, this embodiment further incorporates a refined, layered dynamic thermal management control method to address the randomly changing temperature requirements of different areas within a tall, spacious building. Under this control method, by controlling the operating temperature and refrigerant flow of each mode-controllable refrigerant system, the real-time heat load of different areas can be flexibly matched, ultimately achieving layered, differentiated dynamic thermal management for each temperature-controlled area.

[0093] In heating mode, for the indoor unit acting as a condenser in a single-mode controllable refrigerant system, with other parameters remaining constant, the more refrigerant flowing into the indoor unit, the more heat is delivered to the corresponding area, and the greater the temperature rise rate. Simultaneously, with other parameters remaining constant, when the refrigerant system is manipulated to increase its condensing temperature, more heat is delivered to the corresponding area, and the temperature rise rate is also greater. For the indoor unit acting as an evaporator in a single-mode controllable refrigerant system, with other parameters remaining constant, the more refrigerant flowing into the indoor unit, the more heat is absorbed from the corresponding area, and the temperature drop rate is greater. Simultaneously, with other parameters remaining constant, when the refrigerant system is manipulated to decrease its evaporating temperature, more heat is absorbed from the corresponding area, and the temperature drop rate is also greater. This embodiment provides the following four typical control cases to illustrate how to achieve differentiated dynamic thermal management of each temperature control zone under the refined stratified dynamic thermal management control method:

[0094] 1. Increased temperature demand in area 1 with temperature requirements: Under this temperature control requirement, the first set of controllable refrigerant systems only needs to control the increase of condensing temperature or increase the refrigerant flow into the refrigerant heat exchange coil in the first indoor unit 4 within the reasonable operating range of the compressor and other equipment.

[0095] 2. Temperature requirements in area 1 are reduced: Under this temperature control requirement, the first set of controllable refrigerant systems only needs to control the condensing temperature to decrease or reduce the refrigerant flow into the refrigerant heat exchange coil in the first indoor unit 4 within the reasonable operating range of the compressor and other equipment.

[0096] 3. Increased heat recovery demand in area 1 with no temperature requirements: Under this temperature control requirement, the first set of controllable refrigerant systems only needs to control the evaporation temperature to decrease or increase the refrigerant flow rate into the refrigerant heat exchange coil in the fourth indoor unit 7 within the reasonable operating range of the compressor and other equipment.

[0097] 4. Temperature requirements are reduced in area 1 where there are no temperature requirements: Under this temperature control requirement, the first set of controllable refrigerant systems only needs to control the evaporation temperature to rise or decrease the refrigerant flow rate into the refrigerant heat exchange coil in the fourth indoor unit 7 within the reasonable operating range of the compressor and other equipment.

[0098] In summary, this embodiment demonstrates that the number of sets of mode-controllable refrigerant systems in this invention is unlimited; there can be only one set or more than one set. Furthermore, by varying the number of mode-controllable refrigerant systems, this invention can also meet the needs of flexible matching of different temperature requirements across all areas in large spaces due to differences in functional use within different height ranges.

[0099] Example 3

[0100] The basic principle of the heat pump-driven hybrid pipe network type high-ceiling multi-temperature stratified thermal management system in this embodiment is basically similar to that in Embodiment 2 (see [link]). Figures 8 to 9 In this embodiment, the high-rise building is also divided into multiple temperature-required areas and multiple temperature-free areas to achieve differentiated thermal management for different temperature requirements in each area of ​​the high-rise building. The difference from embodiment 2 is that this embodiment not only uses a heat pump-driven refrigerant network for indoor thermal management (i.e., the refrigerant in the heat pump system flows directly into the heat exchange coil of the indoor unit to exchange heat with the indoor air), but also adds a refrigerant network (i.e., the refrigerant system is independently set up outdoors, and enters the heat exchange coil of the indoor unit through the refrigerant to exchange heat with the indoor air) and an air network (i.e., both the refrigerant system and the air handling system are set up outdoors, the refrigerant enters the heat exchange coil of the air handling unit to exchange heat with the return air from the indoor unit, and the air is treated before being sent into the indoor unit) to work together to complete the thermal management of different areas of the indoor space.

[0101] See Figure 9 In this embodiment, a heat pump-driven hybrid pipe network type high-ceiling multi-temperature stratified thermal management system can be divided into three main parts, including a heat pump-driven refrigerant pipe network, a refrigerant pipe network, and an air pipe network.

[0102] In heating mode, the workflow of the heat management loop of the heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network is as follows: The low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant from the outlet of the variable refrigerant flow heat pump box 6 enters the second refrigerant coil indoor unit 8 through the refrigerant copper pipe 7. The second refrigerant coil indoor unit 8 operates as an evaporator. The low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant absorbs the heat from the hot air in the temperature-unrequired zone 2, which is transported by the fan in the second refrigerant coil indoor unit 8. The refrigerant absorbs heat and evaporates into superheated vapor, simultaneously recovering the waste heat of the temperature-unrequired zone 2. Then, the superheated vapor returns to the variable refrigerant flow heat pump box 6 through the refrigerant copper pipe 9 and enters the compressor. After compression, the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant... Refrigerant vapor flows out from the variable refrigerant flow rate heat pump 6 and enters the first refrigerant coil indoor unit 10 through the refrigerant copper pipe 9. The first refrigerant coil indoor unit 10 operates as a condenser, and the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant transfers heat to the cold air in the temperature-required zone two, which is transported by the fan in the first refrigerant coil indoor unit 10. The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant is condensed, and the heating effect of the temperature-required zone two is achieved at the same time. Finally, the two-phase refrigerant liquid returns to the variable refrigerant flow rate heat pump box 6 through the refrigerant copper pipe 9. After being throttled and depressurized by the internal throttling valve, it becomes a low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant again. Thus, the thermal management loop of the heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network is completed.

[0103] In heating mode, the workflow of the heat management loop in the heat pump-driven refrigerant network is as follows: the low-temperature refrigerant from the outlet of the variable refrigerant flow heat pump box 1 enters the second refrigerant coil indoor unit 3 through the refrigerant pipe 2. The low-temperature refrigerant absorbs the heat from the hot air in the temperature-unrequired zone 3, which is delivered by the fan in the second refrigerant coil indoor unit 3. While being heated, the low-temperature refrigerant also recovers the waste heat from the temperature-unrequired zone 3. Afterward, the heated refrigerant returns to the variable refrigerant flow heat pump box 1 through the refrigerant pipe 2, and the heat is transferred to the refrigerant coil indoor unit 3. The heat is transferred to the high-temperature refrigerant at the outlet of the variable refrigerant flow heat pump box 1; the high-temperature refrigerant enters the first refrigerant coil indoor unit 5 through the refrigerant pipe 4, and delivers heat to the cold air in the temperature-required zone 3, which is supplied by the fan in the first refrigerant coil indoor unit 5. The high-temperature refrigerant is cooled while the heating effect of the temperature-required zone 3 is achieved; finally, the low-temperature refrigerant, after releasing heat, returns to the variable refrigerant flow heat pump box 1 through the refrigerant pipe 4; at this point, the heat management loop of the heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network is completed;

[0104] In heating mode, the thermal management loop of the heat pump driven air duct network is similar to that of the aforementioned heat pump driven refrigerant duct network; the difference is that the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant and the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant from the outlet of the variable air volume heat pump box 11 enter the second air handling unit 13 and the first air handling unit 19 respectively through refrigerant copper pipes 12 and 18, instead of directly entering the interior of the tall building to exchange heat with the air; the outdoor second air handling unit 13 can use a fan to draw hot air from the area without temperature requirements from the top return air inlet 16 and send it into the second air handling unit 13 through the top return air duct 17, where it is heated by the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant flowing in the heat exchange coil. The cooled, low-temperature air is then sent back to the temperature-required area 1 via the top air supply duct 14 and the top return port 15 by a fan, completing the heat recovery of the temperature-required area 1. At the same time, the outdoor first air handling unit 19 can draw the cold air from the temperature-required area 1 through the bottom return air port 22 and send it into the first air handling unit 19 via the bottom return air duct 23, where it is heated by the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant flowing in the heat exchange coil. Then, the heated, high-temperature air is sent back to the temperature-required area 1 via the bottom air supply duct 20 and the bottom return port 21 by a fan, completing the heating effect of the temperature-required area 1. Thus, the heat management loop of the heat pump-driven air duct network is completed.

[0105] In summary, this embodiment demonstrates that the form of heat exchange with indoor air in this invention is not limited to refrigerant piping networks. Depending on the actual site conditions, refrigerant piping networks or air piping networks can be selected for partial or complete replacement, ultimately forming a heat pump-driven refrigerant-refrigerant-air mixed piping network thermal management system.

[0106] It should be noted that relational terms such as "first" and "second" in the above embodiments are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Meanwhile, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion;

[0107] The above embodiments do not fully demonstrate all components of the refrigerant cycle. In practice, the addition of common refrigeration accessories such as high-pressure liquid receivers, gas-liquid separators, filters, and dryers to the refrigerant circuit, or the addition of heat exchangers without departing from the spirit of the technical solution of this invention, shall not be regarded as a substantial improvement to this invention and shall fall within the protection scope of this invention.

[0108] The above description of the embodiments is provided to enable those skilled in the art to understand and use the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to these embodiments, and the general principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without inventive effort. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and any improvements and modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention should be within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type thermal management system for large spaces, characterized in that, It includes at least one mode-controllable refrigerant system, wherein the mode-controllable refrigerant system includes an internal circulation refrigerant loop and an external circulation refrigerant loop; The internal refrigerant loop includes a second indoor unit, a first compressor, a second shut-off valve, a second four-way reversing valve, and a first throttle valve connected in sequence. The external refrigerant loop includes an outdoor heat exchanger, a first four-way reversing valve, a second compressor, a third shut-off valve, a first indoor unit, a second four-way reversing valve, and a second throttle valve connected in sequence. The internal circulation refrigerant loop and the external circulation refrigerant loop are respectively connected to the interior of the tall and spacious building through heat exchange via refrigerant coils in the first indoor unit and / or the second indoor unit; Refined stratified thermal management of the entire area of ​​a large space is achieved through at least one mode-controllable refrigerant system. The implementation method of the refined stratified thermal management is as follows: Temperature control zones are determined by dividing the space vertically based on real-time indoor temperature requirements. Each temperature control zone has an indoor unit. Finally, through refrigerant piping, multiple indoor units in areas with and without temperature requirements are divided into multiple mode-controllable refrigerant systems according to the standard of minimizing heat recovery temperature and heating temperature. Each system includes only one indoor unit in the area without temperature requirements and one indoor unit in the area with temperature requirements. In this way, multiple mode-controllable refrigerant systems work together at different temperatures to achieve detailed stratified thermal management covering the entire area of ​​the high-ceilinged space.

2. The heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-rise space thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first four-way reversing valve includes four ports: port A is connected to one end of the refrigerant heat exchange channel of the outdoor heat exchanger, port B is connected to the discharge port of the second compressor, port C is connected to the third shut-off valve, and port D is connected to the suction port of the second compressor; the second four-way reversing valve includes four ports: port A is connected to the second throttle valve, port B is connected to the first throttle valve, port C is connected to one end of the refrigerant heat exchange coil of the first indoor unit, and port D is connected to one end of the refrigerant heat exchange channel of the outdoor heat exchanger.

3. The heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-ceiling space thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The internal refrigerant loop and the external refrigerant loop are interconnected through the opening and closing actions of the first shut-off valve, the third shut-off valve, and the second four-way reversing valve.

4. The heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-rise space thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first indoor unit and the second indoor unit are installed inside the tall, spacious building. The first indoor unit is installed at the bottom of the interior of the tall building to control the temperature of the bottom activity area where people need to be in temperature. The second indoor unit is installed at the top of the interior of the tall building to recover excess heat accumulated in the area at the top where there is no temperature requirement, reduce heat loss through the roof and transfer the heat accumulated at the top to the bottom.

5. A heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-ceiling space thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first compressor, the second shut-off valve, the first indoor unit, the second four-way reversing valve, the first throttle valve, the first four-way reversing valve, the second compressor, the third shut-off valve, the second four-way reversing valve, and the second throttle valve are all installed in the interior of the tall, spacious building.

6. A heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-ceiling space thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat pump driven piping network in the thermal management system includes a refrigerant piping network, where the refrigerant in the heat pump system flows directly into the heat exchange coil of the indoor unit to exchange heat with the indoor air; or a heat pump driven refrigerant piping network, where the refrigerant system is independently located outdoors and enters the heat exchange coil of the indoor unit to exchange heat with the indoor air; or a heat pump driven air piping network, where both the refrigerant system and the air handling system are located outdoors, and the refrigerant enters the heat exchange coil of the air handling unit to exchange heat with the return air from indoors, and the air is treated before being sent into the room. This partial or complete replacement forms a heat pump driven refrigerant-refrigerant-air mixed piping network thermal management system.

7. A control method for a heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-rise space thermal management system as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The thermal management system addresses the dynamic heat recovery needs of large spaces during heating by periodically switching between external circulation heating phases, synchronized internal and external circulation heat recovery phases, internal circulation heat recovery phases, and intermittent operation phases. This ensures efficient heating throughout the entire large space building's interior throughout its entire lifecycle. The specific process includes: When the external circulation heating operation phase is in operation, if a tall, spacious building has not been used for a long time and is about to start indoor heating for the first time, the initial indoor temperature of the tall, spacious building is in a stable state that is consistent with the outside ambient temperature. That is, the indoor temperature is equal to the outside ambient temperature and lower than the thermal comfort lower limit temperature set for areas with temperature requirements. In terms of valve control, the third shut-off valve is opened, the first shut-off valve and the second shut-off valve are closed, and ports A and D in the first four-way reversing valve are kept connected, and ports B and C are kept connected. In the second four-way reversing valve, ports A and C are kept connected, and ports B and D are closed. During the external circulation heating operation phase, the external circulation refrigerant loop in the mode controllable refrigerant system is in operation, while the internal circulation refrigerant loop is in a stopped state. There is only one heat source: outdoor air. Among the indoor units, only the bottom first indoor unit heats the space to quickly raise the indoor temperature. During the synchronous operation of the internal and external circulation heat recovery, after the controllable refrigerant system has been operating in the external circulation heating phase for a period of time, the indoor temperature of the high space continues to rise. Due to the chimney effect, the hot air in the space rapidly gathers at the top, and the temperature rise rate is fastest in the high-altitude area without temperature requirements. When the temperature reaches the heat recovery set temperature, the second and third shut-off valves are opened and the first shut-off valve is closed. In the first four-way reversing valve, ports A and D are kept connected, and ports B and C are kept connected. In the second four-way reversing valve, ports A and C are kept connected, ports B and C are kept connected, and port D is closed. During the synchronous operation phase of internal and external circulation heat recovery, both the external circulation refrigerant loop and the internal circulation refrigerant loop in the mode controllable refrigerant system are in operation. The mode controllable refrigerant system uses outdoor air and indoor top hot air as heat sources at the same time. In addition to the bottom first indoor unit heating the space to raise the temperature of areas with temperature requirements, the top second indoor unit can recover the top waste heat, which weakens the chimney effect and reduces the energy demand from the outside. When the internal circulation heat recovery operation phase is in operation, after the controllable refrigerant system has been in the internal and external circulation heat recovery synchronous operation phase for a period of time, the temperature of the bottom area with temperature requirements gradually rises, and the heat load demand gradually decreases. When the heat load demand of the bottom area with temperature requirements can be met by recovering heat from the top area without temperature requirements, in terms of valve control, the second shut-off valve is opened, the first shut-off valve and the third shut-off valve are closed, the first four-way reversing valve is completely closed, and ports B and C of the second four-way reversing valve remain connected, while ports A and D are closed. During the internal circulation heat recovery operation phase, the external circulation refrigerant loop in the mode controllable refrigerant system is in a stopped state, while the internal circulation refrigerant loop is in a running state. The mode controllable refrigerant system uses only the hot air at the top of the room as the sole heat source. The heat output of the first indoor unit at the bottom is the same as the heat recovered by the second indoor unit at the top. In the internal heat circulation without the need for external energy input, the heating demand of the area at the bottom of the room with temperature requirements is met. During the intermittent operation phase, after the mode-controllable refrigerant system has been in operation for the preset time, the temperature of the area with temperature requirements at the bottom will continuously rise under the combined effect of external circulation heating and internal circulation heat recovery. When it reaches the upper limit temperature of thermal comfort, the mode-controllable refrigerant system will shut down completely until the temperature of the area with temperature requirements drops to the lower limit temperature of thermal comfort. The valve control will then switch to the same mode as the external circulation heating operation, and the initial temperature of the area with temperature requirements will change from the ambient temperature to the lower limit temperature of thermal comfort. During intermittent operation, it can achieve intermittent heating for tall, spacious buildings, meeting thermal comfort requirements while significantly reducing heating energy consumption.

8. The control method for a heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-rise space thermal management system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The thermal management system can flexibly match the dynamic heat recovery needs of large spaces under heating mode by cyclically switching between four operating phases. During the use of the high-ceilinged space, when the function of a certain area changes, the corresponding temperature requirement of that area will also change. The thermal management system matches the real-time heat load of different areas by controlling the operating temperature of each mode-controllable refrigerant system and the flow rate of refrigerant entering different indoor units. Finally, when the high-ceilinged space is no longer in use or there is no heating demand, all the valves are closed. Thus, the indoor heating of the entire high-ceilinged space building throughout its entire life cycle is completed.

9. The control method for a heat pump-driven refrigerant piping network type high-rise space thermal management system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The thermal management system achieves the switching of cooling modes by switching the connection states of different ports of the four-way reversing valve in the refrigerant loop and controlling the opening and closing of the shut-off valve. When the thermal management system switches to cooling mode, the first and third shut-off valves are opened, and the second shut-off valve is closed. In the first four-way reversing valve, ports A and B are kept connected, and ports C and D are kept connected. In the second four-way reversing valve, ports A and C are kept connected, and ports B and D are kept connected. This allows the refrigerant coils in the first and second indoor units to operate as evaporators, while the outdoor heat exchanger operates as a condenser. This ensures that the refrigerant entering the indoor unit and exchanging heat with the indoor air is low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant. The refrigerant simultaneously absorbs heat at the top and bottom of tall buildings and is finally discharged through the outdoor heat exchanger, significantly improving indoor cooling efficiency.

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