Modularly-attachable air conditioner four-season residual-heat and residual-cool dual-recovery device and control method

CN122792802APending Publication Date: 2026-09-22四川绿阳公盈科技集团有限公司
View PDF 0 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
CN202611019579.5
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2026-07-09
Publication Date
2026-09-22

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

[0010]本发明所要解决的技术问题在于,提供一种结构巧妙、可模块化安装的空调余冷余热回收装置,以克服现有技术中空调能源浪费严重、热回收方案无法后期加装或功能单一的缺陷,该装置实现普通分体空调低成本改造、四季冷热能量同步回收、闲置空调热泵复用产热水与冷源,大幅降低用户综合用能能耗与碳排放

Benefits of technology

[0057]1.本发明可极为简单的对现有热泵空调系统进行改造,只需在原有空调系统中的“空调外机与节流装置”、“空调内机与节流装置”、“空调内机与四通阀”之间铜管截断,然后串入本发明的装置即可完成系统改装。

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure CN122792802A_ABST
    Figure CN122792802A_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of HVAC and energy recovery technology, and discloses a modularly installable dual-recovery device and control method for waste heat and cold recovery in air conditioning systems throughout the four seasons. It solves the problems of serious energy waste in existing air conditioning systems, the inability to retrofit heat recovery solutions later, or their limited functionality. The device is suitable for installation in existing air conditioning systems containing compressors, four-way valves, heat exchangers, and throttling devices, and includes a heat recovery module, an energy-consuming unit, and a valve control system. The heat recovery module contains two high-efficiency tank heat exchangers with refrigerant and coolant flow channels; the energy-consuming unit includes a hot water tank and a cold storage unit; the valve control system is located in the refrigerant main circuit and the coolant circuit. When switching between cooling and heating modes, the system changes the order in which the refrigerant flows through the two high-efficiency tank heat exchangers and simultaneously switches the coolant circuit, so that the two high-efficiency tank heat exchangers are respectively connected to the hot water tank or the cold storage unit to recover condensation waste heat and evaporation waste cold.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of HVAC and energy recovery technology, and provides a modularly installable dual recovery device for waste cooling and waste heat in air conditioning systems throughout the four seasons, as well as a control method therefor. Background Technology

[0002] Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) is a major energy-consuming equipment in the building sector. Both residential and commercial fixed-frequency / variable-frequency split air conditioners operate based on the reverse Carnot cycle, resulting in two major pain points: severe one-way energy emission and seasonal equipment idleness during year-round operation.

[0003] In cooling mode, the compressor outputs high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant into the outdoor unit condenser, and a large amount of condensation waste heat is directly dissipated into the atmosphere, which not only wastes low-grade heat energy, but also exacerbates the urban heat island effect. In heating mode, the outdoor unit acts as an evaporator to absorb ambient heat, and low-temperature waste cold forms on the heat exchange surface. This part of the cold energy has no recovery path and is completely lost to the outdoor air.

[0004] During the spring and autumn transition seasons, indoor cooling and heating are not required, and conventional air conditioners are often shut down and idle for extended periods, resulting in extremely low equipment asset utilization. However, users still have ongoing needs for domestic hot water and low-temperature cold sources (refrigerators, small freezers, and fresh food cold storage) during the same period. Currently, separate electric water heaters, gas water heaters, and independent refrigeration equipment are required to meet these needs, which, combined with additional energy consumption, leads to relatively high overall energy costs.

[0005] Existing air conditioning energy recovery technologies are mainly divided into two categories, both of which have significant technical shortcomings:

[0006] 1. Integrated heat recovery heat pump: This type of equipment has a built-in waste heat exchange circuit at the factory, allowing for the recovery of condensation heat to produce domestic hot water during cooling. However, as an integrated unit, it is only suitable for new installations and cannot be adapted to the vast number of existing split-type air conditioners on the market. It only recovers waste heat and lacks the functions of waste cooling collection and cold source supply, making simultaneous cooling and heating impossible. The air conditioning unit cannot be reused in spring and autumn, leaving the equipment idle. The overall purchase cost is high, and its adaptability for retrofitting is poor.

[0007] 2. Single waste heat recovery external retrofit accessories: A small number of air conditioner external heat recovery devices on the market are only for refrigeration and condensation heat recovery, and can only produce hot water, without waste heat recovery branches; they lack four-way reversing linkage control logic, and cannot switch between refrigeration and heat recovery modes according to the air conditioner's seasonal operating conditions; they lack independent cold capacity output pipelines, and cannot be connected to refrigeration or freezing terminals; moreover, the integration of the heat exchange circuit and the air conditioner refrigerant pipeline is low, the pipeline modification during retrofit is large, it does not support rapid modular installation, ordinary users cannot easily install it, and the promotion is greatly limited.

[0008] Other fresh air heat recovery and condensate waste cooling recovery solutions only target shallow energy recovery of air and condensate, and cannot be directly coupled with the main circulation of air conditioning refrigerant. The temperature difference recovery and heat exchange efficiency are low, and it is impossible to use idle air conditioners in spring and autumn as independent heat pumps to simultaneously produce hot water and cold source. The overall energy utilization rate throughout the year is low.

[0009] In summary, existing technologies lack integrated recovery devices that can be adapted to existing ordinary air conditioners, can be quickly and modularly installed on-site, can simultaneously recover waste heat from cooling and waste cold from heating, can adapt to seasonal switching, and can drive idle air conditioners to simultaneously supply domestic hot water and low-temperature cold sources in spring and autumn. There is a huge market demand and environmental value for energy-saving retrofitting. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an air conditioning waste heat recovery device with a clever structure and modular installation, so as to overcome the defects of serious energy waste in air conditioning, the inability to retrofit heat recovery schemes later or the single function in the prior art. The device realizes low-cost transformation of ordinary split air conditioners, simultaneous recovery of cold and heat energy in all seasons, and reuse of idle air conditioner heat pumps to produce hot water and cold source, which greatly reduces the user's overall energy consumption and carbon emissions.

[0011] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention employs the following technical means:

[0012] This invention provides a modularly installable air conditioning system with year-round waste cooling and waste heat recovery, for installation in an air conditioning system comprising a compressor, a four-way valve, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a throttling device.

[0013] The heat recovery module includes a first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger and a second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger, each of which has a refrigerant flow channel and a coolant flow channel;

[0014] Energy-consuming units include hot water tanks for storing hot water and cold storage units for providing cooling capacity;

[0015] The valve control system includes a refrigerant valve group and a refrigerant valve group. The refrigerant valve group has a refrigerant interface for connecting to the refrigerant main circuit of the air conditioning system. The refrigerant valve group is disposed in the refrigerant circuit between the heat recovery module and the energy-consuming unit.

[0016] The valve control system is configured to change the order in which the refrigerant flows through the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger when switching between air conditioning cooling mode and heating mode, and to simultaneously switch the refrigerant circuit, such that:

[0017] In cooling mode, the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger is connected to the hot water tank to recover condensation waste heat, and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger is connected to the cold storage unit to recover evaporation waste cold.

[0018] In heating mode, the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger is connected to the cold storage unit to recover evaporation waste heat, and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger is connected to the hot water tank to recover condensation waste heat.

[0019] In the above scheme, the refrigerant valve assembly includes a first three-way valve and a second three-way valve;

[0020] The refrigerant valve assembly includes a third three-way valve, a fourth three-way valve, a fifth three-way valve, and a sixth three-way valve;

[0021] In the refrigerant circuit, the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve are configured to be connected in series in the main circuit between the compressor and the throttling device of the air conditioning system, and are used to guide the refrigerant to selectively flow through the second heat exchanger of the air conditioning system or bypass the second heat exchanger and directly enter the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger.

[0022] In the refrigerant circuit, the fourth three-way valve and the sixth three-way valve are respectively connected to the refrigerant inlet and outlet of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger; the third three-way valve and the fifth three-way valve are respectively connected to the refrigerant outlet and inlet of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger.

[0023] By switching between six three-way valves, the fluid path can be changed between cooling and heating modes.

[0024] The above scheme also includes a first bypass pipe, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve.

[0025] When the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve are switched to connect to the first bypass pipe, the refrigerant bypasses the second heat exchanger of the air conditioning system and directly enters the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger for heat exchange; wherein, when the air conditioning system is in heating mode, the refrigerant flows downward to connect to the first bypass pipe to realize the hot water tank's rapid hot water production mode, and when the air conditioning system is in cooling mode, the refrigerant flows downward to connect to the first bypass pipe to realize the cold storage unit's rapid cooling mode.

[0026] The above scheme also includes a second bypass pipe and a third bypass pipe;

[0027] A seventh three-way valve and an eighth three-way valve are sequentially installed on the pipeline between the first heat exchanger and the four-way valve. Port A of the eighth three-way valve is connected to the four-way valve, and port C is connected to port C of the seventh three-way valve. Port B of the seventh three-way valve is connected to the suction end of the compressor, and port A is connected to one end of the first heat exchanger.

[0028] The other end of the first heat exchanger is connected to port A of the ninth three-way valve; port B of the ninth three-way valve is connected to port B of the thirteenth three-way valve, and port C is connected to port C of the eleventh three-way valve; port C of the thirteenth three-way valve is connected to port B of the eighth three-way valve, and port A is connected to port A of the eleventh three-way valve via the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger and the throttling device; port B of the eleventh three-way valve is connected to the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger.

[0029] The second bypass pipe is configured to form an independent hot water production circuit that returns to the compressor via the four-way valve, the eighth three-way valve, the thirteenth three-way valve, the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger, the throttling device, the eleventh three-way valve, the ninth three-way valve, the first heat exchanger, and the seventh three-way valve by switching the aforementioned three-way valves.

[0030] The third bypass pipe is configured to form a series conductive circuit that connects to the original air conditioning indoor unit circuit via the four-way valve, the eighth three-way valve, the seventh three-way valve, the first heat exchanger, the ninth three-way valve, the thirteenth three-way valve, the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger, the throttling device, the eleventh three-way valve, and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger by switching the aforementioned three-way valves.

[0031] In the above scheme, the refrigerant circuit further includes a first circulation pump and a second circulation pump;

[0032] Port A of the sixth three-way valve is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger via the first circulating pump, Port B is connected to the inlet of the hot water tank heat exchange coil in the hot water tank via the first three-way connector, and Port C is connected to the inlet of the cold storage unit heat exchange coil in the cold storage unit via the second three-way connector.

[0033] Port A of the third three-way valve is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger via the second circulating pump, Port B is connected to the inlet of the hot water tank heat exchange coil via the first three-way connector, and Port C is connected to the inlet of the cold storage unit heat exchange coil via the second three-way connector.

[0034] Port A of the fourth three-way valve is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger, port B is connected to the outlet of the hot water tank heat exchange coil through the third three-way connector, and port C is connected to the outlet of the cold storage unit heat exchange coil through the fourth three-way connector.

[0035] Port A of the fifth three-way valve is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger, port B is connected to the outlet of the hot water tank heat exchange coil through the third three-way connector, and port C is connected to the outlet of the cold storage unit heat exchange coil through the fourth three-way connector.

[0036] In the above scheme, both the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger are shell-and-tube heat exchangers or plate heat exchangers, wherein the refrigerant flows in the jacket or between the plates, and the coolant flows on the other side of the inner tube or between the plates to form countercurrent heat exchange.

[0037] The above solution also includes an intelligent control unit, which is electrically connected to the hot water temperature sensor installed in the hot water tank, the cold storage unit temperature sensor installed in the cold storage unit, the actuator in the valve control system, and the refrigerant circulation pump.

[0038] The intelligent control unit is configured to control the start and stop of the refrigerant circulation pump based on the feedback signals from the hot water temperature sensor and the cold storage unit temperature sensor, so as to achieve on-demand heating or cooling.

[0039] The refrigerant circulation pump consists of a first circulation pump and a second circulation pump.

[0040] This invention also provides a control method for a modularly installable air conditioning system with year-round waste cooling and waste heat recovery, comprising the following steps:

[0041] Step S1: Detect the current operating mode of the air conditioner and user needs;

[0042] Step S2: If the air conditioner is in cooling mode, control the refrigerant valve group so that the refrigerant flows through the first heat exchanger and then into the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger, then through the throttling device into the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger, and then returns to the compressor through the second heat exchanger and the four-way valve of the air conditioning system.

[0043] At the same time, control the refrigerant valve group to connect the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger to the hot water tank and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger to the cold storage unit;

[0044] Step S3: If the air conditioner is in heating mode, control the four-way valve to switch directions, so that the refrigerant flows through the second heat exchanger and then into the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger, and then through the throttling device into the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger, and then returns to the compressor through the first heat exchanger of the air conditioning system and the four-way valve.

[0045] Simultaneously, the refrigerant valve group is controlled to connect the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger to the cold storage unit, and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger to the hot water tank.

[0046] When the indoor unit is not supplying cooling or heating to the room, the refrigerant does not pass through the second heat exchanger of the indoor unit, but is directly connected to the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger through the bypass pipe.

[0047] In the above scheme, based on the heating mode in step S3, a rapid hot water generation mode for the hot water tank is also included:

[0048] When it is detected that the indoor unit of the air conditioner does not need to work, but hot water needs to be heated, the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve in the refrigerant valve group are switched to connect to the first bypass pipe. The refrigerant is controlled to bypass the second heat exchanger, so that the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor directly enters the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger. Then, the water in the hot water tank is heated by heat exchange through the refrigerant.

[0049] In the above scheme, based on the cooling mode of step S2, a rapid cooling mode for the cold storage unit is also included:

[0050] When it is detected that the indoor unit of the air conditioner does not need to work, but cooling is required for the cold storage unit, the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve in the refrigerant valve group switch to connect to the first bypass pipe, so that the refrigerant bypasses the second heat exchanger. In conjunction with the refrigerant flow direction of the indoor unit of the air conditioner in cooling mode, the refrigerant is concentrated in the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger to evaporate and absorb heat, thereby quickly cooling the cold storage unit.

[0051] The above scheme also includes a switching control step based on the second bypass pipe and the third bypass pipe: when it is necessary to heat the hot water tank separately, the seventh three-way valve, the eighth three-way valve, the ninth three-way valve, the thirteenth three-way valve and the eleventh three-way valve are controlled to switch to conduct the second bypass pipe, so that the refrigerant forms an independent hot water circuit returning to the compressor via the four-way valve, the eighth three-way valve, the thirteenth three-way valve, the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger, the throttling device, the eleventh three-way valve, the ninth three-way valve, the first heat exchanger and the seventh three-way valve; when it is necessary to restore the original air conditioning cooling or heating operation, the above three-way valves are controlled to switch to conduct the third bypass pipe, so that the refrigerant forms a series conducting circuit connected to the original air conditioning indoor unit circuit via the four-way valve, the eighth three-way valve, the seventh three-way valve, the first heat exchanger, the ninth three-way valve, the thirteenth three-way valve, the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger, the throttling device, the eleventh three-way valve and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger.

[0052] In the above scheme, the logic of the intelligent control unit controlling the start and stop of the refrigerant circulation pump is specifically as follows:

[0053] In cooling mode, when the water temperature in the hot water tank is lower than the preset upper limit, the first circulation pump connected to the hot water tank circuit is started; when the temperature in the cold storage unit is higher than the preset lower limit, the second circulation pump connected to the cold storage unit circuit is started.

[0054] In heating mode, when the water temperature in the hot water tank is lower than the preset value, the second circulation pump connected to the hot water tank circuit is activated; when the temperature in the cold storage unit is higher than the preset value, the first circulation pump connected to the cold storage unit circuit is activated.

[0055] When the preset temperature threshold is reached, the corresponding circulation pump is stopped to avoid inefficient energy transfer.

[0056] Because the present invention employs the above-mentioned technical means, it has the following beneficial effects:

[0057] 1. This invention can very simply modify existing heat pump air conditioning systems. It only requires cutting the copper pipes between the "outdoor air conditioner and throttling device", "indoor air conditioner and throttling device", and "indoor air conditioner and four-way valve" in the original air conditioning system, and then inserting the device of this invention to complete the system modification.

[0058] 2. Comprehensive energy utilization with significant energy-saving effect: This invention is the first to realize the simultaneous recovery of waste heat and waste cooling from air conditioning in a modifiable device, converting the originally waste energy into free hot water and cooling capacity, greatly improving the overall energy efficiency ratio of the system and reducing the energy consumption of users.

[0059] 3. Modular design with strong applicability: This device can be designed as a standardized "energy recovery module", which facilitates the later upgrading and transformation of a large number of existing air conditioners without replacing the entire air conditioning system. It has extremely high economic value and market promotion value.

[0060] 4. Integrated functions, multi-functional: By adding this device, an ordinary air conditioner can be upgraded into a comprehensive energy device with four functions: cooling, heating, hot water supply and auxiliary refrigeration, which increases the added value of the equipment and its ease of use.

[0061] 5. Optimize the refrigeration cycle and extend equipment life: In refrigeration mode, the liquid refrigerant is further cooled by the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (refrigeration mode) or the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (heating mode) before entering the throttling device (i.e., increasing subcooling, which is the difference between the saturated liquid temperature and the actual temperature of the refrigerant). This ensures that there is still enough liquid to continue absorbing heat after throttling, reduces the occurrence of harmful flashing, effectively improves refrigeration efficiency and prevents flashing.

[0062] 6. Adaptive anti-reverse matching for hot and cold sources (solves the pain point of mode switching failure)

[0063] Existing conventional air conditioners emit condensation heat during cooling and evaporation cold during heating, resulting in significant energy waste. Most existing heat recovery solutions are factory-integrated and cannot be retrofitted to the vast existing stock of air conditioners. Furthermore, when existing retrofit solutions switch between cooling and heating modes (four-way valve reversal), the physical reversal of the high and low pressure sides (condensation / evaporation sides) of the refrigerant causes the heat exchanger, originally connected to the hot water tank, to become the heat-absorbing end (instead cooling the hot water), leading to system malfunction or reverse energy waste.

[0064] To this end, the present invention provides the following technical means:

[0065] Method A (Refrigerant-side topology): Connect the first and second high-efficiency tank heat exchangers in series to the main circuit, and arrange them across the throttling device (located in the high-pressure condensing section and the low-pressure evaporating section, respectively).

[0066] Method B (Refrigerant Side Logic): The refrigerant valve group switches the connection between the heat exchange section and the energy consumption end synchronously and cross-switches with the air conditioning four-way valve.

[0067] Using only A (without B): When the four-way valve of the air conditioner reverses, the high and low pressure attributes of the two heat exchangers are interchanged, causing the one that was originally heating to become cooling, and the one that was originally cooling to become heating, causing the system to completely collapse (for example, when heating, it actually draws heat away from the hot water tank).

[0068] Using only B (without A): Without the series arrangement of the cross-throttling device, the system cannot simultaneously obtain a high-temperature heat source and a low-temperature cold source at the same time.

[0069] Synergistic Effect: This results in a novel "adaptive anti-reverse matching of heat and cold sources." Regardless of the air conditioner's operating condition, the system automatically ensures that the "high-pressure side heat exchanger" connects to the "heat storage end," and the "low-pressure side heat exchanger" connects to the "cold storage unit." This solves the fatal defect of heat source reversal during mode switching, enabling a fixed set of hardware to seamlessly adapt to both winter and summer operating conditions. This system-level dynamic thermodynamic matching effect is unpredictable and unachievable by simply adding heat exchangers or valves.

[0070] 7. Cross-industry restructuring of system attributes (breaking down inherent industry biases)

[0071] Method C (Refrigerant-side bypass): Install a bypass component to selectively short-circuit the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner.

[0072] Method D (refrigerant side on demand distribution): Combined with energy-consuming units and independent circulation pumps.

[0073] Using C or D alone: ​​only for routine flow regulation or heat transfer.

[0074] Synergistic Effect: This technology breaks through the industry's inherent technical bias that traditional heat recovery "must rely on the operation of indoor air conditioning." When there is no need to supply cooling or heating to the indoor unit throughout the year (primarily spring and autumn), by bypassing the indoor unit and combining it with the refrigerant circuit, a regular air conditioner is directly reconfigured into an "independent heat pump water heater" or "independent refrigerator," while utilizing the outdoor unit as a buffer for system pressure balance. This is not simply "adding a bypass," but rather a significant leap in equipment usage scenarios, enabling air conditioning to be used year-round.

[0075] 8. By setting up a second bypass pipe and a third bypass pipe, and coordinating the switching of the seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh three-way valves, the present invention achieves the following beneficial effects:

[0076] Expanding independent heating function and improving annual energy efficiency: The second bypass pipe constructs an independent hot water circuit that does not rely on the indoor unit. This allows the device to use the air conditioner compressor and outdoor unit as heat pump heat sources to independently produce domestic hot water during the spring and autumn transition seasons or when indoor cooling / heating is not required. This completely solves the problem of traditional air conditioners being idle and wasting energy during non-cooling / heating seasons, and significantly improves the system's overall energy efficiency throughout the year. Attached Figure Description

[0077] Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the device added to this invention;

[0078] Figure 2 The diagram shows the installation of the device of the present invention on an existing air conditioning system. The left side shows the existing air conditioning refrigeration circuit, and the right side shows the diagram after the device of the present invention has been installed. The red dotted line in the diagram indicates the location where the copper pipe of the original refrigeration circuit is cut off.

[0079] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the piping system after the present invention is connected to an existing air conditioning refrigeration circuit;

[0080] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling mode of the indoor air conditioner when the present invention is applied. In the diagram, the red line represents heat and the blue line represents cold. The hot and cold are relative concepts and there is no need to focus on the specific temperature values.

[0081] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the heating mode of the air conditioner indoor unit when the present invention is applied;

[0082] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the rapid cooling mode of the present invention;

[0083] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the rapid heating mode of the present invention;

[0084] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of Embodiment 9 of the present invention;

[0085] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of Example 12;

[0086] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of Example 12 operating on the existing refrigerant circuit of an existing air conditioner.

[0087] In the diagram: 1-Compressor, 2-Four-way valve, 3-First heat exchanger (outdoor unit), 4-Second heat exchanger (indoor unit), 5-First high-efficiency tank heat exchanger, 6-Second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger, 7-Hot water tank, 7-1-Hot water tank heat exchange coil, 8-Cold storage unit, 8-1-Cold storage unit heat exchange coil, 9-First three-way valve, 10-Second three-way valve, 11-Third three-way valve, 12-Fourth three-way valve, 13-Fifth three-way valve, 14-Sixth three-way valve, 15-Throttling device, 16-... One bypass pipe, 17-first circulation pump, 18-second circulation pump, 19-first tee connector, 20-second tee connector, 21-third tee connector, 22-fourth tee connector, 23-seventh tee valve, 24-eighth tee valve, 25-ninth tee valve, 26-tenth tee valve, 27-eleventh tee valve, 28-second bypass pipe, 29-third bypass pipe. All tee valves include port A, port B, and port C. Port A is the common end. The tee valves selectively connect ports A and B or ports AC. Detailed Implementation

[0088] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. Although the present invention will be described and illustrated in conjunction with some specific embodiments, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, any modifications or equivalent substitutions made to the present invention should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

[0089] Furthermore, to better illustrate the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be practiced without these specific details.

[0090] This embodiment provides a modularly installable air conditioning system with dual recovery of waste cooling and heat throughout the four seasons. This system can be installed on common existing split-type air conditioners. The original air conditioning system includes a compressor 1, a four-way valve 2, a first heat exchanger 3 serving as an outdoor condenser / evaporator, a second heat exchanger 4 serving as an indoor evaporator / condenser, and a throttling device 15.

[0091] The core components of this recovery device include: a first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5, a second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6, and a valve control system consisting of first to sixth three-way valves. The first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 are preferably existing, mature, high-efficiency coaxial heat exchangers. The refrigerant flows in the interlayer between the inner and outer tubes, while water or a secondary refrigerant flows in the inner tube, forming counter-current heat exchange. This structure is less prone to freezing and scaling, and ensures thorough heat exchange. The cold storage unit is generally preferably a refrigerated cabinet.

[0092] The specific connection relationship is as follows:

[0093] For ease of understanding, we will take the sixth three-way valve 14 as the starting point and describe the connection relationship as follows:

[0094] Port A of the sixth three-way valve 14 is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 through the first circulating pump 17; Port B of the sixth three-way valve 14 is connected to the inlet of the hot water tank heat exchange coil 7-1 in the hot water tank 7 through the first three-way connector 19; and Port C of the sixth three-way valve 14 is connected to the water inlet of the cold storage unit 8 through the second three-way connector 20.

[0095] For ease of understanding, we will take the third three-way valve 11 as the starting point and describe the connection relationship as follows:

[0096] refer to Figure 3 Port A of the third three-way valve 11 is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 through the second circulating pump 18; Port B of the third three-way valve 11 is connected to the inlet of the hot water tank heat exchange coil 7-1 in the hot water tank 7 through the first three-way connector 19; and Port C of the third three-way valve 11 is connected to the inlet of the cold storage unit heat exchange coil 8-1 in the cold storage unit 8 through the second three-way connector 20.

[0097] For ease of understanding, we will take the fourth three-way valve 12 as the starting point and describe the connection relationship as follows:

[0098] Port A of the fourth three-way valve 12 is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5, Port B of the fourth three-way valve 12 is connected to the outlet of the hot water tank heat exchange coil 7-1 in the hot water tank 7 through the third three-way connector 21, and Port C of the fourth three-way valve 12 is connected to the outlet of the cold storage unit heat exchange coil 8-1 in the cold storage unit 8 through the fourth three-way connector 22.

[0099] For ease of understanding, we will take the fifth three-way valve 13 as the starting point and describe the connection relationship as follows:

[0100] Port A of the fifth three-way valve 13 is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6. Port B of the fifth three-way valve 13 is connected to the outlet of the hot water tank heat exchange coil 7-1 in the hot water tank 7 through the third three-way connector 21. Port C of the fifth three-way valve 13 is connected to the outlet of the cold storage unit heat exchange coil 8-1 in the cold storage unit 8 through the fourth three-way connector 22.

[0101] Note that in the following text, "cooling mode" or "heating mode" refers to the flow pattern of the air conditioner refrigerant circuit when it is operating in indoor air conditioning cooling or heating mode.

[0102] Example 1

[0103] refer to Figure 1 The first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 of the device of the present invention is provided with a refrigerant pipeline connector 5-1, and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 is provided with a refrigerant pipeline connector 6-1.

[0104] refer to Figure 2The copper pipe between the first heat exchanger 3 (outdoor unit) and the throttling device 15 in the existing air conditioning equipment's refrigeration circuit is cut off. Then, the copper pipe is connected to the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 via a nut or welding. Similarly, the copper pipe between the second heat exchanger 4 (indoor unit) and the throttling device 15 is cut off, and then connected to the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 via a nut or welding. Specifically, one end of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 is connected to the throttling device 15, and the other end is selectively connected to the second heat exchanger 4 and the first bypass pipe 16 via a first three-way valve. Then, the second heat exchanger 4 and the first bypass pipe 16 are selectively connected via a second three-way valve 10. Finally, port A of the second three-way valve 10 is connected to a four-way valve 2. After the connection is completed, the following steps are performed: Figure 3 The diagram shown is a schematic diagram of the piping system.

[0105] Conventional refrigerant circuits often use a single three-way valve to switch a single tank, or multiple sets of two-way valves for switching, resulting in messy piping, a large number of valves, and many leakage points.

[0106] This invention employs a third three-way valve 11 / a fifth three-way valve 13 corresponding to the inlet and outlet of the second high-efficiency tank, and a fourth three-way valve 12 / a sixth three-way valve 14 corresponding to the inlet and outlet of the first high-efficiency tank. The inlet and outlet are paired with three-way valves, forming two independent sets of high-efficiency tanks that can be quickly switched between the refrigerant flow direction and the hot water tank 7 and the cold storage unit 8. The cold storage unit 8 can be a refrigerator, water tank, cold storage, or other equipment capable of storing cold.

[0107] This invention employs six three-way valves arranged in two independent valve groups for refrigerant and refrigerant, with the hot and cold media valve groups physically separated and not interfering with each other, eliminating the risk of refrigerant and refrigerant cross-flow. Existing dual-mode heating and cooling systems all use refrigerant circuit and refrigerant circuit linkage control. The linkage valve group logic ensures that when the first / second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger is used as a heat source, the hot water tank is linked to connect, and when the first / second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger is used as a cold source, the cold storage unit 8 is linked to connect.

[0108] Example 2: The air conditioner is operating in cooling mode (reference) Figure 4 )

[0109] In this mode, the user's needs are indoor cooling, while also hoping to use the generated waste heat to heat domestic water and utilize some of the waste cooling to obtain a refrigerated space.

[0110] 1. Refrigerant main circuit:

[0111] Compressor 1 compresses the low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas, which flows through four-way valve 2 to the first heat exchanger 3 (outdoor unit) for condensation. The condensed high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant then enters the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5. Here, the refrigerant undergoes deep heat exchange with the cooling medium, and then the cooling medium is piped to the hot water tank heat exchange coil 7-1, heating the water while being fully subcooled. The subcooled high-pressure liquid flows through the throttling device 15, adiabatically expanding into a low-temperature, low-pressure liquid-gas two-phase mixture. Subsequently, this low-temperature refrigerant enters the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6, absorbing heat from the circulating coolant in the cold storage unit 8 (refrigerated cabinet), providing a cold source for the refrigerator. After this secondary heat absorption, the refrigerant enters the second heat exchanger 4 (indoor unit) to continue evaporating, absorbing indoor heat to cool the room. Finally, the gaseous refrigerant returns to the compressor 1 suction port through four-way valve 2, completing the cycle.

[0112] As one possible implementation, it is worth noting that if the indoor temperature does not reach the expected temperature, the circulation pump between the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 and the self-cooling storage unit 8 is preferably not in operation, and is only recovered when there is excess cold after the indoor cooling needs have been met.

[0113] It is worth noting that the fan speed of the first heat exchanger 3 (outdoor unit) can be adjusted according to the water temperature of the hot water tank 7 to regulate the amount of heat recovery. If the water temperature is low, the fan speed of the outdoor unit will be reduced; if the water temperature is high or the hot water tank does not need to be heated, the fan speed of the outdoor unit will be increased.

[0114] 2. Hot water circulation loop:

[0115] Cold water at the bottom of the hot water tank 7 is sent to the refrigerant inlet of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 through the fourth three-way valve 12. After being heated, it returns to the upper part of the hot water tank 7 from the refrigerant outlet through the first circulation pump 17 and the sixth three-way valve 14.

[0116] 3. Cold storage circulation loop:

[0117] The refrigerant (such as ethylene glycol solution, water, etc.) in the heat exchange coil 8-1 of the cold storage unit 8 is sent to the refrigerant inlet of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 through the fifth three-way valve 13. After being cooled, it returns from the refrigerant outlet to the inlet of the heat exchange coil 8-1 of the cold storage unit 8 through the second circulation pump 18 and the third three-way valve 11.

[0118] Example 3

[0119] Based on Example 2, the hot water tank 7 is equipped with a drain valve and an inlet pipe. When the outdoor temperature is too high and the outdoor unit fan cannot dissipate heat sufficiently, cold water can be introduced into the hot water tank through the inlet pipe. The refrigerant, driven by the first circulation pump, exchanges heat between the heat in the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 and the cold water in the hot water tank, thereby assisting in refrigerant subcooling and ensuring the indoor cooling effect. It is worth noting that the volume of the hot water tank 7 can be set according to actual conditions; a larger tank volume results in a better refrigerant cooling effect.

[0120] Example 4: Air conditioner operating in heating mode (reference) Figure 5 )

[0121] In this mode, the user's demand is indoor heating, and the residual cooling and some heat in the system can still be utilized.

[0122] 1. Refrigerant main circuit:

[0123] When the four-way valve 2 reverses, the high-temperature, high-pressure gas discharged from the compressor 1 directly enters the second heat exchanger 4 (indoor unit) through the four-way valve 2 for condensation and heat release, providing indoor heating. The condensed medium-temperature, medium-pressure liquid refrigerant enters the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 for deep heat exchange with the secondary refrigerant. Then, the secondary refrigerant is piped to the hot water tank heat exchange coil 7-1, where it exchanges heat with water from the hot water tank 7, which can be used for preheating or maintaining the hot water temperature. Subsequently, the refrigerant is throttled and depressurized by the throttling device 15 and enters the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 to absorb heat from the cold storage unit 8 (i.e., for cooling). Finally, the refrigerant enters the first heat exchanger 3 (outdoor unit) to continue absorbing heat from the outdoor air, and after evaporation, returns to the compressor 1 through the four-way valve 2.

[0124] 2. Refrigerant circuit switching:

[0125] At this time, the valve control system activates, with the third three-way valve 11 and the fifth three-way valve 13 connecting the hot water tank heat exchange coil 7-1 to the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6; while the fourth three-way valve 12 and the sixth three-way valve 14 connect the cold storage unit 8 to the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5. This achieves the exchange and docking of energy-consuming equipment.

[0126] Example 5: Forced Hot Water / Cooling Mode

[0127] The present invention also includes a first bypass pipe 16 connecting the first three-way valve 9 and the second three-way valve 10.

[0128] When forced heating of hot water is required (e.g., in spring and autumn, but not limited to spring and autumn, when indoor heating is not required or hot water is needed), the system can operate in the refrigerant flow direction of the air conditioning indoor heating mode. At this time, both the first three-way valve 9 and the second three-way valve 10 switch to the bypass pipe 16 side, such as... Figure 7As shown. The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from compressor 1 will no longer pass through the second heat exchanger 4 (indoor unit), but will directly enter the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 through the first bypass pipe 16, using almost all of the heat to heat the water in the hot water tank 7. At this time, the system is equivalent to a high-efficiency water heater. At the same time, depending on the temperature of the cold storage unit 8, the second circulation pump 18 is selectively started to perform cold recovery.

[0129] Similarly, when it is necessary to force cooling of the cold storage unit, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the system can operate in the refrigerant flow direction of the air conditioning indoor cooling mode, and use the bypass pipe 16 to bypass the second heat exchanger 4 (indoor unit), so that the refrigerant can be concentrated to evaporate and absorb heat in the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6, thereby achieving rapid and powerful cooling of the cold storage unit 8. At the same time, the second circulation pump 18 can be selectively started to recover heat according to the water temperature in the hot water tank 7.

[0130] Example 6: Independent hot water / cooling mode

[0131] For example, in spring and autumn (but not limited to spring and autumn), the indoor air does not need air conditioning for heating or heating but needs hot water. The hot water tank needs to keep hot water for a long time, and the refrigerator needs to keep food fresh for a long time. At this time, based on Example 5, the first heat exchanger 3 (air conditioner outdoor unit) is turned off to reduce heat exchange with the air. The heat and cold balance is mainly achieved through the cold storage unit 8 and the hot water tank 7. That is, the heat of the refrigerator is used to maintain the heat of the hot water tank (because in actual use, the cold generated by heating the hot water will be greater than the cold demand of the refrigerator). When the cold storage unit 8 does not need to be cold, but the hot water tank 7 needs to be hot, the air conditioner outdoor unit can be turned on and it can work in the forced hot water (powerful heating water) state described in Example 5.

[0132] Example 7: Implementation of the Intelligent Control Unit

[0133] The device of the present invention preferably further includes an intelligent control unit. This control unit may be implemented by a microcontroller (MCU) or a programmable logic controller (PLC), which integrates the necessary input / output interfaces.

[0134] Input: The control unit is connected to multiple sensors, including but not limited to: a hot water temperature sensor installed in the hot water tank 7, a cold storage unit temperature sensor installed in the cold storage unit 8, and a mode selection switch or touch screen for receiving user commands.

[0135] Output: The output of the control unit is connected to the solenoid coils of the first to sixth three-way valves and the refrigerant circulation pump.

[0136] Control Logic: The control unit has a pre-set control program, the basic logic of which is as follows:

[0137] Mode determination: The current working mode is determined based on the user's selection (cooling / heating / forced hot water / forced cooling) and the air conditioner's own operating status (by monitoring the status of the compressor and four-way valve).

[0138] Valve control: Based on the determined working mode, the output signal precisely controls the six three-way valves to switch to the preset fluid passage position (as described in Examples 1 and 2).

[0139] Intelligent start / stop of circulating pumps: In cooling mode, when the reading of the hot water temperature sensor in the hot water tank 7 is lower than the preset upper limit (e.g., 55℃), the first circulating pump 17 is started; when the temperature reaches the upper limit, the first circulating pump stops. Similarly, when the reading of the temperature sensor in the cold storage unit is higher than the preset lower limit (e.g., 5℃), the second circulating pump 18 is started; when the temperature reaches the lower limit, the second circulating pump stops. This on-demand operation logic effectively avoids inefficient energy transfer and excessive heating / cooling.

[0140] In heating mode, the refrigerant pipeline connection is switched in the same way to achieve heat and cold recovery.

[0141] By introducing this intelligent control unit, the device of the present invention can achieve fully automatic and intelligent operation without human intervention, which greatly improves the user experience and operational reliability.

[0142] Example 8

[0143] To facilitate a better understanding of the technical concept of this invention by those skilled in the art, the pipe connection relationships of the air conditioner in different operating modes are further described in detail below:

[0144] When the air conditioner is in cooling mode:

[0145] The air conditioning refrigerant circuit is as follows:

[0146] Compressor 1 → Four-way valve 2 → First heat exchanger 3 (air conditioner outdoor unit) → First high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 → Throttling device 15 → Second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 → First three-way valve 9 → Second heat exchanger 4 (air conditioner indoor unit) → Second three-way valve 10 → Four-way valve → Compressor 1.

[0147] The refrigerant outlet of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 → the first circulating pump 17 → the sixth three-way valve 14 → the hot water tank heat exchange coil 7-1 → the fourth three-way valve 12 → the refrigerant inlet of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5.

[0148] The refrigerant outlet of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 → the second circulation pump 18 → the third three-way valve 11 → the heat exchange coil 8-1 of the cold storage unit → the fifth three-way valve 13 → the refrigerant inlet of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6.

[0149] It also includes a first bypass pipe 16 that connects the first three-way valve 9 and the second three-way valve 10. When it is necessary to quickly cool down the cold storage unit 8 and heat the water in the hot water tank 7, the refrigerant does not pass through the second heat exchanger (air conditioner indoor unit). At this time, the first three-way valve 9 is directly connected to the second three-way valve 10. The cooling capacity is mainly transferred to the cold storage unit 8 through the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6, and the heat is transferred to the hot water tank 7 through the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5. Since the main purpose of this mode is cooling, the air conditioner outdoor unit fan needs to be turned on to exchange heat with the air and make the refrigerant subcool (dissipate heat into the air).

[0150] When the air conditioner is in heating mode:

[0151] The air conditioning refrigerant circuit is as follows:

[0152] Compressor 1 → Four-way valve 2 → Second three-way valve 10 → Second heat exchanger 4 (air conditioner indoor unit) → First three-way valve 9 → Second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 → Throttling device 15 → First high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 → First heat exchanger 3 (air conditioner outdoor unit) → Four-way valve → Compressor 1.

[0153] The refrigerant outlet of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 → the first circulating pump 17 → the sixth three-way valve 14 → the heat exchange coil 8-1 of the cold storage unit of the refrigerator → the fourth three-way valve 12 → the refrigerant inlet of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5.

[0154] The refrigerant outlet of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 → the second circulation pump 18 → the third three-way valve 11 → the hot water tank heat exchange coil 7-1 → the fifth three-way valve 13 → the refrigerant inlet of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6.

[0155] When the hot water tank needs to provide rapid heating, the refrigerant does not pass through the second heat exchanger (indoor unit of the air conditioner). At this time, the first three-way valve 9 is directly connected to the second three-way valve 10 through the first bypass pipe 16. The heat is mainly transferred to the hot water tank 7 through the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6, and the cold energy is transferred to the cold storage unit 8 through the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5. Since the main purpose at this time is heat recovery, it is necessary to open the outdoor unit of the air conditioner to allow the outdoor unit to release the excess cold energy into the air to ensure the heating effect.

[0156] Example 9

[0157] Remove the heat exchange coil 7-1 from the hot water tank 7 and use the water in the hot water tank directly as the refrigerant.

[0158] Example 10

[0159] For the original air conditioning refrigerant circuit, after cutting the refrigerant copper pipe, a refrigerant quick-connect fitting is welded on. Similarly, the connection part of the device of this invention is also equipped with a corresponding refrigerant quick-connect fitting. This allows the device of this invention to be connected via a plug-in connection, which facilitates better subsequent equipment and maintenance. The refrigerant quick-connect fitting is a mature existing technology, and its structure will not be described in detail here.

[0160] Example 11

[0161] An electronic expansion valve can also be installed on the first bypass pipe 16 to adjust the opening degree in real time according to the air conditioning load and temperature changes, and control the refrigerant flow.

[0162] Example 12

[0163] A seventh three-way valve 23 and an eighth three-way valve 24 are sequentially installed on the connecting pipe between the first heat exchanger 3 (air conditioner outdoor unit) and the four-way valve 2. The components are connected in the following manner:

[0164] The four-way valve 2 is connected to port A of the eighth three-way valve 24;

[0165] The C port of the eighth three-way valve 24 is connected to the C port of the seventh three-way valve 23;

[0166] The B port of the seventh three-way valve 23 is connected to the suction end of the compressor, and the A port of the seventh three-way valve 23 is connected to one end of the first heat exchanger 3.

[0167] The other end of the first heat exchanger 3 is connected to port A of the ninth three-way valve 25;

[0168] The B port of the ninth three-way valve 25 is connected to the B port of the eleventh three-way valve 26, and the C port of the ninth three-way valve 25 is connected to the C port of the eleventh three-way valve 27.

[0169] The C port of the thirteenth-way valve 26 is connected to the B port of the eighth three-way valve 24;

[0170] The A port of the 13th-way valve 26 is connected to one end of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5, the other end of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 is connected to the throttling device 15, the other end of the throttling device 15 is connected to the A port of the 11th-way valve 27, and the B port of the 11th-way valve 27 is connected to one end of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6.

[0171] When it is necessary to heat the hot water tank 7 separately, such as Figure 9The green section in the middle indicates the flow direction of the refrigerant in the pipeline. After the refrigerant comes out of the compressor discharge port, it passes through the four-way valve 2, the eighth three-way valve 24, the thirteenth three-way valve 26, the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5, the throttling device 15, the eleventh three-way valve 27, the ninth three-way valve 25, the first heat exchanger 3, the seventh three-way valve 23, and the compressor suction port in sequence.

[0172] At this time, the hot water tank 7 exchanges heat with the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5. The piping connections between the hot water tank 7 and the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 are as follows: Figure 9 As shown by the red line in the middle.

[0173] In this embodiment, if the refrigerant path operates on the existing refrigerant circuit of an existing air conditioner, its refrigerant connectivity can be referenced. Figure 10 (Taking indoor unit refrigeration as an example), the refrigerant circuit passes through the compressor discharge port in sequence, followed by four-way valve 2, eight three-way valve 24, seven three-way valve 23, first heat exchanger 3, ninth three-way valve 25, eleventh three-way valve 26, first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5, throttling device 15, eleventh three-way valve 27, second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6, first three-way valve 9, second heat exchanger (indoor unit) 4, four-way valve 2, and compressor suction port.

[0174] Example 13

[0175] A bypass line is provided between the inlet and outlet of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 to prevent the refrigerant from flowing through the refrigerant pipeline inside the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5. A bypass line is also provided between the inlet and outlet of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 to prevent the refrigerant from flowing through the refrigerant pipeline inside the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6. The main purpose is to selectively connect the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 5 and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6 to the refrigerant circuit according to the operating conditions.

[0176] For example, based on Example 2, the air conditioner operates in cooling mode (see reference). Figure 4 At this point, the refrigerant flowing out of the first three-way valve 9 is directly connected to the throttling device 15 through a bypass, bypassing the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger 6. This ensures that the refrigerant can absorb more heat from the room, maintaining the original cooling effect of the air conditioning system to a certain extent and reducing the impact of the original cooling effect after the modification. The same principle applies when the indoor unit is heating, and will not be elaborated further.

[0177] Comparative analysis of Embodiment 12 and Embodiment 5 shows that in both cases, the indoor unit does not work, allowing the air conditioning system to primarily operate in the mode of heating the hot water tank. Embodiment 5 has a simpler and more compact structure, saving more valve groups and refrigerant copper pipes.

[0178] The scope of protection of this invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Any equivalent substitutions or obvious modifications made by those skilled in the art under the guidance of this invention should fall within the scope of protection of this invention. For example, a three-way valve can be replaced with a functionally equivalent valve assembly, and the specific structure of the high-efficiency tank heat exchanger can also be other high-efficiency forms such as a plate heat exchanger.

Claims

1. A modularly installable air conditioning system with year-round waste cooling and waste heat recovery capability, characterized in that: include: The heat recovery module includes a first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5) and a second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6), each of which has a refrigerant flow channel and a coolant flow channel; The energy-consuming unit includes a hot water tank (7) for storing hot water and a cold storage unit (8) for providing cooling capacity. The valve control system includes a refrigerant valve group and a refrigerant valve group. The refrigerant valve group has a refrigerant interface for connecting to the refrigerant main circuit of the air conditioning system. The refrigerant valve group is disposed in the refrigerant circuit between the heat recovery module and the energy-consuming unit. The valve control system is configured to change the order in which the refrigerant flows through the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5) and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6) when switching between air conditioning cooling mode and heating mode, and to simultaneously switch the refrigerant circuit, such that: In the cooling mode, the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5) is connected to the hot water tank (7) to recover condensation waste heat, and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6) is connected to the cold storage unit (8) to recover evaporation waste cold; In heating mode, the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5) is connected to the cold storage unit (8) to recover the evaporation waste heat, and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6) is connected to the hot water tank (7) to recover the condensation waste heat.

2. The modularly installable air conditioning system for the dual recovery of waste cooling and heat in all seasons, as described in claim 1, is characterized in that... The refrigerant valve assembly includes a first three-way valve (9) and a second three-way valve (10). The refrigerant valve assembly includes a third three-way valve (11), a fourth three-way valve (12), a fifth three-way valve (13), and a sixth three-way valve (14). In the refrigerant circuit, the first three-way valve (9) and the second three-way valve (10) are configured to be connected in series in the main circuit between the compressor and the throttling device of the air conditioning system, and are used to guide the refrigerant to selectively flow through the second heat exchanger (4) of the air conditioning system or bypass the second heat exchanger (4) and directly enter the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6). In the refrigerant circuit, the fourth three-way valve (12) and the sixth three-way valve (14) are respectively connected to the refrigerant inlet and outlet of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5); the third three-way valve (11) and the fifth three-way valve (13) are respectively connected to the refrigerant outlet and inlet of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6); By switching between six three-way valves, the fluid path can be changed between cooling and heating modes.

3. A modularly installable air conditioning system for the dual recovery of waste cooling and heat throughout the four seasons, as described in claim 2, is characterized in that... The refrigerant circuit also includes a first circulation pump (17) and a second circulation pump (18). The A port of the sixth three-way valve (14) is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5) through the first circulating pump (17), the B port is connected to the inlet of the hot water tank heat exchange coil (7-1) in the hot water tank (7) through the first three-way connector (19), and the C port is connected to the inlet of the cold storage unit heat exchange coil (8-1) in the cold storage unit (8) through the second three-way connector (20). Port A of the third three-way valve (11) is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6) through the second circulating pump (18), Port B is connected to the inlet of the hot water tank heat exchange coil (7-1) through the first three-way connector (19), and Port C is connected to the inlet of the cold storage unit heat exchange coil (8-1) through the second three-way connector (20). Port A of the fourth three-way valve (12) is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5), Port B is connected to the outlet of the hot water tank heat exchange coil (7-1) through the third three-way connector (21), and Port C is connected to the outlet of the cold storage unit heat exchange coil (8-1) through the fourth three-way connector (22). Port A of the fifth three-way valve (13) is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6), Port B is connected to the outlet of the hot water tank heat exchange coil (7-1) through the third three-way connector (21), and Port C is connected to the outlet of the cold storage unit heat exchange coil (8-1) through the fourth three-way connector (22).

4. A modularly installable air conditioning system for the dual recovery of waste cooling and heat throughout the four seasons, as described in claim 3, is characterized in that... It also includes a first bypass pipe (16), the two ends of which are respectively connected to the first three-way valve (9) and the second three-way valve (10). When the first three-way valve (9) and the second three-way valve (10) are switched to connect to the first bypass pipe (16), the refrigerant bypasses the second heat exchanger (4) of the air conditioning system and directly enters the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6) for heat exchange; wherein, when the air conditioning system is in heating mode, the refrigerant flows downward to connect to the first bypass pipe (16) to realize the hot water tank's rapid hot water production mode, and when the air conditioning system is in cooling mode, the refrigerant flows downward to connect to the first bypass pipe (16) to realize the cold storage unit's rapid cooling mode.

5. A modularly installable air conditioning system for the dual recovery of waste cooling and heat in all seasons, as described in any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, It also includes a second bypass pipe (28) and a third bypass pipe (29); A seventh three-way valve (23) and an eighth three-way valve (24) are sequentially installed on the pipeline between the first heat exchanger (3) and the four-way valve (2). The A port of the eighth three-way valve (24) is connected to the four-way valve (2), and the C port is connected to the C port of the seventh three-way valve (23). The B port of the seventh three-way valve (23) is connected to the suction end of the compressor, and the A port is connected to one end of the first heat exchanger (3). The other end of the first heat exchanger (3) is connected to port A of the ninth three-way valve (25); port B of the ninth three-way valve (25) is connected to port B of the thirteenth three-way valve (26), and port C is connected to port C of the eleventh three-way valve (27); port C of the thirteenth three-way valve (26) is connected to port B of the eighth three-way valve (24), and port A is connected to port A of the eleventh three-way valve (27) via the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5) and the throttling device (15); port B of the eleventh three-way valve (27) is connected to the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6). The second bypass pipe (28) is configured to form an independent hot water circuit that returns to the compressor via the four-way valve (2), the eighth three-way valve (24), the tenth three-way valve (26), the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5), the throttling device (15), the eleventh three-way valve (27), the ninth three-way valve (25), the first heat exchanger (3), and the seventh three-way valve (23) by switching the three-way valves mentioned above. The third bypass pipe (29) is configured to form a series circuit that connects to the original air conditioning indoor unit circuit via the four-way valve (2), the eighth three-way valve (24), the seventh three-way valve (23), the first heat exchanger (3), the ninth three-way valve (25), the tenth three-way valve (26), the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5), the throttling device (15), the eleventh three-way valve (27), and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6) by switching the three-way valves mentioned above.

6. A modularly installable air conditioning system for the dual recovery of waste cooling and heat in all seasons, as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, It also includes an intelligent control unit, which is electrically connected to the hot water temperature sensor installed in the hot water tank (7), the cold storage unit temperature sensor installed in the cold storage unit (8), the actuator in the valve control system, and the refrigerant circulation pump. The intelligent control unit is configured to control the start and stop of the refrigerant circulation pump based on the feedback signals from the hot water temperature sensor and the cold storage unit temperature sensor, so as to achieve on-demand heating or cooling. The refrigerant circulation pump consists of a first circulation pump and a second circulation pump.

7. A control method for a modularly installable air conditioning system with year-round waste cooling and waste heat recovery as described in claim 6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step S1: Detect the current operating mode of the air conditioner and user needs; Step S2: If the indoor unit is in cooling mode, control the refrigerant valve group so that the refrigerant flows through the first heat exchanger (3) of the outdoor unit and then into the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5), and then through the throttling device (15) into the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6), and then returns to the compressor through the second heat exchanger and the four-way valve of the air conditioning system; At the same time, control the refrigerant valve group to connect the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5) to the hot water tank (7), and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6) to the cold storage unit (8); Step S3: If the indoor unit is in heating mode, control the four-way valve (2) to switch, so that the refrigerant flows through the second heat exchanger (4) of the indoor unit and then enters the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6), and then enters the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5) through the throttling device (15), and then returns to the compressor through the first heat exchanger of the air conditioning system and the four-way valve; At the same time, control the refrigerant valve group to connect the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5) with the cold storage unit (8), and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6) with the hot water tank (7); When the outdoor unit is in cooling or heating mode and the indoor unit is not heating or cooling, the refrigerant does not pass through the second heat exchanger (4) of the indoor unit.

8. The control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, In addition to the heating mode described in step S3, a rapid hot water generation mode for the hot water tank is also included: When it is detected that the indoor unit of the air conditioner does not need to work, but hot water needs to be heated, the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve in the refrigerant valve group are switched to connect to the first bypass pipe, and the refrigerant bypasses the second heat exchanger (4), so that the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged by the compressor (1) directly enters the second high efficiency tank heat exchanger (6), and then heats the water in the hot water tank (7) through heat exchange of the refrigerant. It also includes a rapid cooling mode for the cold storage unit: When it is detected that the indoor unit of the air conditioner does not need to work, but needs to supply cooling to the cold storage unit (8), the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve in the refrigerant valve group are switched to connect to the first bypass pipe, so that the refrigerant bypasses the second heat exchanger (4). In conjunction with the refrigerant flow direction of the air conditioner indoor unit in cooling mode, the refrigerant is concentrated in the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6) to evaporate and absorb heat, thereby quickly cooling the cold storage unit (8).

9. The control method for a modularly installable air conditioning system with year-round waste cooling and waste heat recovery as described in claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a switching control step based on the second bypass pipe (28) and the third bypass pipe (29): when it is necessary to heat the hot water tank (7) separately, the seventh three-way valve (23), the eighth three-way valve (24), the ninth three-way valve (25), the tenth three-way valve (26) and the eleventh three-way valve (27) are switched to conduct the second bypass pipe (28), so that the refrigerant is formed through the four-way valve (2), the eighth three-way valve (24), the tenth three-way valve (26), the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5), the throttling device (15), the eleventh three-way valve (27), the ninth three-way valve (25), and the first The heat exchanger (3) and the seventh three-way valve (23) return to the compressor's independent hot water circuit; when it is necessary to restore the original air conditioning cooling or heating operation, control the above three-way valves to switch to conduct the third bypass pipe (29), so that the refrigerant forms a series conducting circuit that connects to the original air conditioning indoor unit circuit via the four-way valve (2), the eighth three-way valve (24), the seventh three-way valve (23), the first heat exchanger (3), the ninth three-way valve (25), the tenth three-way valve (26), the first high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (5), the throttling device (15), the eleventh three-way valve (27) and the second high-efficiency tank heat exchanger (6).

10. The control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The logic of the intelligent control unit controlling the start and stop of the refrigerant circulation pump is as follows: In the indoor cooling mode, when the water temperature in the hot water tank (7) is lower than the preset upper limit, the first circulation pump (17) connected to the hot water tank circuit is started; when the temperature in the cold storage unit (8) is higher than the preset lower limit, the second circulation pump (18) connected to the cold storage unit circuit is started. In the indoor heating mode, when the water temperature in the hot water tank (7) is lower than the preset value, the second circulation pump (18) connected to the hot water tank circuit is started; when the temperature in the cold storage unit (8) is higher than the preset value, the first circulation pump (17) connected to the cold storage unit circuit is started. When the preset temperature threshold is reached, the corresponding circulation pump is stopped to avoid inefficient energy transfer.