Intelligent synergistic coupling container and multi-unit distributed air energy cooling and heating combined supply system

Abstract

The application provides a kind of intelligent synergistic coupling container and multi-unit distributed air energy cooling and heating combined supply system. 3-12 groups of independent inlet and outlet headers are arranged in the coupling container tank, which are respectively connected to air source heat pump units to realize hydraulic decoupling; the central mixing chamber converges the medium and the load side return water, and the built-in sensor module is communicatively connected to the intelligent controller. The system is composed of the coupling container, 3-12 units, the controller and the terminal pipe network. The controller automatically starts and stops the units, rotates the operation, switches the cooling / heating mode according to the outdoor temperature and humidity and load prediction, and maintains the terminal temperature difference of 3-5°C through the frequency conversion of the secondary pump. The control method includes mode determination, load rate calculation, unit rotation and temperature difference closed-loop regulation. The application eliminates the hydraulic disturbance of multi-unit parallel connection, improves the energy efficiency by 30%-200% under partial load, covers an area of 20,000-350,000 square meters, and is suitable for large building group cooling and heating supply.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and building energy conservation technology, and in particular to an intelligent efficiency-enhancing coupling container that can be adapted to 3-12 air source heat pump units and adopts a distributed independent connection method, as well as a centralized large-area high-efficiency energy-saving summer cooling and winter heating system constructed by the container and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Air source heat pumps are widely used in the heating and cooling supply of large, centralized buildings due to their environmentally friendly and energy-saving characteristics. However, existing technologies have significant drawbacks: A single air source heat pump unit has a limited capacity and cannot meet the cooling and heating needs of a large area. If multiple units are simply connected in parallel, hydraulic coupling interference will occur between the units, resulting in a large temperature difference between the near and far branches and an imbalance in flow distribution.

[0003] Traditional coupling tanks are only volumetric mixing structures, lacking interfaces for "independent connection" of 3-12 units, and also lacking intelligent control functions, making it impossible to optimize the number and status of operating units based on real-time load.

[0004] Under partial load conditions, all units are forced to operate at low frequency simultaneously or start and stop frequently, causing a sharp drop in the coefficient of performance (COP) and resulting in wasted electricity.

[0005] Switching between summer cooling and winter heating modes relies on manual valve operation, which is prone to misoperation, and the system lacks automatic antifreeze and overheat protection mechanisms.

[0006] Existing systems struggle to balance "centralized, large-area deployment" with "high efficiency and energy saving," resulting in poor end-user comfort.

[0007] Therefore, the development of a coupled container and system that integrates intelligent control, multi-unit decoupling, and dual-mode heating and cooling has become an urgent need in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide an intelligent efficiency-enhancing coupling container and a multi-unit distributed air-source heat pump system for heating and cooling.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an intelligent efficiency-enhancing coupling container, comprising a tank. The internal structure of the tank is as follows: Multiple independent inlet manifolds: The number is 3-12 sets, each set receives water from an air source heat pump unit, and the inlet manifolds are hydraulically isolated from each other and do not interfere with each other.

[0010] Multiple independent outlet manifolds: The number corresponds to the inlet manifolds, returning the medium to the inlet of each unit, forming a one-to-one independent connection channel for each section.

[0011] Central mixing chamber: The inlet manifold flows into this chamber, which also receives the return flow from the load side, achieving hydraulic decoupling and temperature equalization between the primary and secondary sides.

[0012] Secondary pump extraction port: Located in the central mixing chamber, it connects the secondary pump and the building's terminal piping network, and is used to transport the mixed medium to the end.

[0013] Sensor module: Includes temperature sensor, pressure sensor and flow sensor, which can be embedded in either the tank wall or the manifold. The output end is connected to an external intelligent controller via wired or wireless communication.

[0014] Furthermore, a dynamic flow guiding component may be installed inside the tank. The dynamic flow guiding component is one or a combination of an electric regulating valve or a multi-hole water distributor, used to guide the medium flow field to be evenly distributed in the central mixing chamber, eliminating short-circuiting and dead zones.

[0015] Furthermore, the inlet manifold and outlet manifold are symmetrically distributed on the tank body, and each group of manifolds is equipped with an independent detachable flange interface or quick-connect fitting, so as to facilitate the isolated maintenance of a single unit without affecting the operation of other units.

[0016] This invention provides a multi-unit distributed air-source heat pump system for combined cooling and heating, comprising the aforementioned coupling container, 3-12 air-source heat pump units, an intelligent controller, and a terminal piping network. The intelligent controller executes: 3-12 air source heat pump units, each unit is connected to the corresponding inlet manifold and outlet manifold of the coupling container through pipelines to form an independent heating / cooling cycle loop; The intelligent controller is electrically connected to the sensor module and each air source heat pump unit. The terminal piping network, connected to the secondary pump extraction port, includes at least one of a fan coil unit, a floor heating coil unit, or a radiator.

[0017] The intelligent controller is configured to perform the following: collect outdoor temperature and humidity, terminal load and operating energy efficiency data of each group of units; generate unit start-up and shutdown commands based on load prediction results, so that some units run at high frequency while other units are in hibernation; rotate the operation of units according to a preset cycle to balance service life; and automatically control the electric four-way reversing valve to realize automatic switching between heating and cooling modes according to seasonal temperature.

[0018] Furthermore, the intelligent controller has a built-in antifreeze protection submodule and an overheat protection submodule: when the temperature inside the tank is lower than the set threshold in winter, all units are started; when the high pressure exceeds the standard in summer, the flow guiding component is adjusted.

[0019] This invention provides a control method utilizing the above-described system, comprising the following steps: S1: The intelligent controller reads the outdoor temperature and the user-set mode, determines whether it is summer cooling or winter heating, and controls the electric four-way reversing valve to switch the refrigerant circuit direction accordingly. S2: Calculate the current load rate based on outdoor temperature and humidity, building envelope parameters, and terminal return water temperature; if the load rate is lower than 80% of the full load of a single unit, only N units will be activated for high-frequency operation (3≤N≤12); when the load rate is higher than 80%, all units will be activated. S3: Rotate and replace the activated units according to a fixed cycle to ensure that the cumulative running time of each unit is balanced; S4: Real-time monitoring of the outlet temperature of the central mixing chamber and the temperature difference between the supply and return water at the end, and dynamic adjustment of the secondary pump frequency to maintain the temperature difference at the end within the range of 3-5℃. Beneficial effects

[0020] (1) Thorough hydraulic decoupling: Through the independent connection of multiple independent inlet and outlet manifolds, each unit forms an independent circulation loop, eliminating hydraulic coupling interference when multiple units are connected in parallel. The water temperature of each unit is uniformly mixed before being supplied to the terminal, significantly improving the comfort of the terminal, and the indoor temperature difference can be controlled within 1.2℃.

[0021] (2) Significantly improved energy efficiency under partial load: Only a few units are used at high frequency under low load, so that each unit in operation is in its optimal efficiency range. According to actual measurements, the overall energy efficiency of the system under partial load conditions is 30%-200% higher than that of the traditional system.

[0022] (3) Automatic switching between cooling and heating modes: Through the coordinated control of electric four-way reversing valve and intelligent controller, the system can automatically switch between cooling / heating modes according to seasonal temperature and user settings, without the need for manual valve operation, thus avoiding the risk of misoperation.

[0023] (4) Maintenance without shutting down: Each group of manifolds is equipped with an independent detachable flange interface. When any unit needs to be repaired, only the isolation valve of the corresponding manifold needs to be closed for maintenance. Other units and the entire terminal system are not affected.

[0024] (5) Wide range of applications: A single system can cover the heating and cooling supply of centralized buildings of 20,000 to 350,000 square meters, with a temperature difference control accuracy of ≤5℃. It is especially suitable for large building complexes such as residential communities, nursing homes, schools, and hospitals. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure and process of the present invention; Reference numerals: 1. Tank; 2. Inlet manifold; 3. Outlet manifold; 4. Central mixing chamber; 5. Air source heat pump unit; 6. Secondary pump extraction port; 7. Sensor module; 8. Intelligent controller; 9. Terminal piping network; 10. Secondary pump. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings: Joint energy supply project for nursing homes and residential communities A joint heating project between a nursing home and a neighboring residential community covers a total building area of ​​approximately 45,000 square meters. It is equipped with eight 44kW air-source heat pump units, connected to a smart efficiency-enhancing coupling tank. The smart efficiency-enhancing coupling tank has eight inlets and eight outlets, a tank volume of 1400L, and a design pressure of 1.0MPa.

[0028] Winter operating parameters: Set the target value of the mixed water temperature in the tank to 55℃. When the outdoor temperature is -5℃, the building heat load is close to the design maximum value, and the intelligent controller activates all 8 units to operate simultaneously; when the outdoor temperature rises to 10℃, the building heat load drops to about 35%, and the intelligent controller automatically switches to only 3 units to operate at high frequency, while the other 5 units enter a dormant state.

[0029] Summer operating parameters: Set the target temperature of the mixed water in the tank to 7°C. The intelligent controller switches to the cooling mode through the electric four-way reversing valve, and the terminal fan coil unit provides cooling.

[0030] Operational results: Compared with a traditional parallel system of 8 units of the same scale, this system achieves a comprehensive energy saving rate of 50% in one heating season; the temperature difference between the supply and return water of each branch at the end is controlled within 4.2℃, and the indoor temperature difference is only 1.2℃, significantly improving comfort.

[0031] Example 2: Distributed Energy Supply Project in a Large Residential Area A residential community with a total building area of ​​138,000 square meters is equipped with 12 60-horsepower air source heat pump units. Considering that the building is divided into two heating zones, a high-rise zone and a low-rise zone, the system adopts two sets of intelligent efficiency-enhancing coupling tanks, each with 6 inlets and 6 outlets, serving the two zones respectively. Each coupling tank has a volume of 2000L and is designed to withstand a pressure of 1.0MPa.

[0032] Operating Mode: The two sets of coupled tanks operate independently, each equipped with an intelligent controller subsystem, while simultaneously receiving unified management from the host computer. During the winter heating season, the number and frequency of operating units can be independently adjusted based on the occupancy rate and actual heat load differences between the two zones. When the occupancy rate of a certain zone is below 30%, only two units are needed to meet the demand in that zone.

[0033] Example 3: Specific Implementation of the Control Method S1: The intelligent controller 8 reads the outdoor temperature sensor data and the user-set mode, automatically determines the current operating mode, and switches the refrigerant circuit direction of the air source heat pump unit 5.

[0034] S2: The intelligent controller 8 calculates the current real-time building load rate based on the following parameters: outdoor dry-bulb temperature T_out, outdoor relative humidity RH, building envelope heat transfer coefficient K, building volumetric heat capacity C_building, terminal return water temperature T_return, and user-set indoor temperature T_set. Using the heat balance model: Q_load = K × A × (T_set - T_out) + C_building × dT / dt, the current load rate LR = Q_load / Q_rated_total is calculated. If LR < 80%, only N units are activated for high-frequency operation, N = ceil(LR × total number of units / 0.95), and 3 ≤ N ≤ 12. For example, during the transitional season when LR = 60%, the system activates 5 units for full-load operation, while the remaining units are in sleep mode. When LR > 80%, units are gradually activated until all are operational.

[0035] S3: Rotate and replace currently active units according to a preset cycle. Replacement rules: Switch the unit with the longest cumulative running time to hibernation mode, and at the same time put the unit with the longest cumulative hibernation time into operation, ensuring that the cumulative running time deviation of each unit does not exceed 10%, and preventing excessive wear and tear on a single unit.

[0036] S4: The temperature at the outlet of the central mixing chamber is monitored in real time by a temperature sensor inside the coupling container. Combined with the temperature difference ΔT between the supply and return water at the terminal, the operating frequency of the secondary pump 10 is dynamically adjusted. Control logic: When ΔT > 5℃, the secondary pump frequency is increased using PID control with a step size of 2Hz / 10s; when ΔT < 3℃, the secondary pump frequency is decreased with a step size of 2Hz / 10s; when 3℃ ≤ ΔT ≤ 5℃, the current frequency is maintained. Through closed-loop control, the terminal temperature difference is stabilized within the range of 4±1℃.

[0037] Example 4: Implementation of antifreeze and overheat protection Anti-freeze protection: When the water temperature in the central mixing chamber 4 is below 5°C in winter, the anti-freeze protection submodule will immediately start all air source heat pump units 5 to operate at the lowest frequency; when the water temperature rises to above 15°C, it will resume normal operation mode.

[0038] Overheat protection: When the high-pressure side pressure of the system exceeds 3.0MPa in summer, the overheat protection submodule first adjusts the opening of the dynamic flow guiding component to increase the heat exchange area; if the pressure does not drop within 5 seconds, the unit operating frequency is gradually reduced; if the pressure exceeds 3.5MPa, some units are shut down until the pressure drops back to a safe range.

[0039] Although the invention has been described above with reference to embodiments, various modifications can be made and components can be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, features in the embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in any way, provided there is no structural conflict. The lack of an exhaustive description of these combinations in this specification is merely for brevity and resource conservation. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A smart, efficiency-enhancing coupling container, characterized in that, include: The tank body (1) is divided into multiple independent inlet manifolds (2), multiple independent outlet manifolds (3) and a central mixing chamber (4). The number of independent inlet manifolds (2) and independent outlet manifolds (3) is 3-12 groups. Each group of inlet manifolds (2) and outlet manifolds (3) is connected to an air source heat pump unit (5) respectively, so as to realize the independent connection of multiple air source heat pump units (5). The central mixing chamber (4) is used to collect the heat exchange medium from each inlet manifold (2) and mix it with the return water on the load side; The tank (1) is also provided with a secondary pump extraction port (6) for transporting the mixed medium to the end pipe network (9) of the building. The tank (1) has a built-in sensor module (7), which includes a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor and a flow sensor, and the output of the sensor module (7) is communicatively connected to an external intelligent controller (8).

2. The intelligent efficiency-enhancing coupling container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tank (1) is also equipped with a dynamic flow guiding component, which is either an electric regulating valve or a multi-hole water distributor, used to guide the medium flow field to be evenly distributed in the central mixing chamber (4).

3. The intelligent efficiency-enhancing coupling container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inlet manifold (2) and outlet manifold (3) are symmetrically distributed on the tank body (1), and each group of manifolds is equipped with an independent detachable flange interface to facilitate the isolation and maintenance of a single unit.

4. A multi-unit distributed air-source heat pump system for combined cooling and heating, characterized in that, include: The intelligent efficiency-enhancing coupling container as described in any one of claims 1-3; 3-12 air source heat pump units (5), each unit is connected to the corresponding inlet manifold (2) and outlet manifold (3) of the coupling container through pipelines; The intelligent controller (8) is electrically connected to the sensor module (7) and each air source heat pump unit (5); The terminal pipe network (9) is connected to the secondary pump extraction port (6) and includes fan coil units, floor heating coil units and radiators; The intelligent controller (8) is configured to perform the following operations: Collect outdoor temperature and humidity, terminal load, and energy efficiency data of each unit; Based on load forecast results, start-up and shutdown commands for generating units are generated, causing some units to operate at high frequency while others are in hibernation. The units are rotated according to a preset cycle to balance their service life; The air source heat pump unit automatically switches between cooling and heating modes based on seasonal temperature.

5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The intelligent controller (8) has a built-in antifreeze protection submodule and an overheat protection submodule. When the temperature inside the tank is lower than the set threshold in winter, all units are started. When the high pressure exceeds the standard in summer, the flow guiding component is adjusted.

6. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The system is suitable for large-area centralized buildings, with a single system covering a cooling / heating area of ​​20,000 to 350,000 square meters.

7. A control method for a multi-unit distributed air-source heat pump system as described in claim 5, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: The intelligent controller (8) reads the outdoor temperature and the user-set mode, and determines whether it is summer cooling or winter heating; S2: The intelligent controller (8) calculates the current load rate based on the outdoor temperature and humidity, building envelope parameters and end return water temperature; if the current load rate is lower than 80% of the full load of a single unit, only N units will be activated for high-frequency operation, where N is the minimum integer value to meet the load demand and 3≤N≤12; when the load rate is higher than 80% of the full load of a single unit, all units will be activated for operation. S3: Rotate and replace the activated units according to a fixed cycle to ensure that the cumulative running time of each unit is balanced; S4: The temperature at the outlet of the central mixing chamber and the temperature difference between the supply and return water at the end are monitored in real time by the sensor in the coupling container. The operating frequency of the secondary pump (10) is dynamically adjusted to maintain the temperature difference at the end within the range of 3-5℃. When the temperature difference at the end exceeds 5℃, the frequency of the secondary pump (10) is increased. When the temperature difference at the end is less than 3℃, the frequency of the secondary pump (10) is decreased.

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