Air conditioning system

Abstract

The utility model provides an air conditioning system which comprises a main machine, a tail end, a first pipeline and a second pipeline, the first pipeline and the second pipeline are connected between the main machine and the tail end and serve as a liquid supply pipe and a liquid return pipe, one of the first pipeline and the second pipeline is arranged in a sunny area, and the other pipeline is arranged in a shady area. A first branch pipeline used for switching the first pipeline into a liquid return pipe and a second branch pipeline used for switching the second pipeline into a liquid supply pipe are arranged between the first pipeline and the second pipeline. The flow direction of the pipeline can be switched, and the position characteristics of the pipeline are fully utilized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of air conditioning systems, and particularly relates to an air conditioning system that can adjust the liquid flow direction in the pipeline according to the solar irradiation range. Background Art

[0002] Generally, the pipelines of large air conditioners are relatively long. Special pipe design needs to be carried out in the early stage, and the model, length, and position of pipe fittings all need to be designed. Once determined, the position of the pipeline in the later stage is fixed.

[0003] Taking commercial air conditioners as an example, commercial air conditioners are air conditioning systems designed for large buildings and are usually used in public or commercial places such as office buildings, shopping malls, hotels, and hospitals. These systems are usually more complex than household air conditioners, can handle larger loads, and adjust the indoor temperature and humidity over a larger area.

[0004] The basic structure of commercial air conditioners usually includes the following parts.

[0005] Refrigeration / heating unit: When refrigerating, the main unit compresses the refrigerant through a compressor and reduces the temperature of water through a heat exchanger; when heating, the process is reversed.

[0006] Water circulation system: It mainly consists of a chiller, a chilled water pump, pipes, and fan coils, etc. Water circulates in the pipe system, and heat exchange is achieved through the heat exchanger in the fan coil, thereby adjusting the indoor temperature.

[0007] Fan coil: This is the terminal device installed in each room, responsible for sending cold and hot air into the room through a fan to achieve local temperature adjustment. The fan coil adjusts the temperature of the room by controlling the temperature and flow rate of the incoming water.

[0008] Pipe system: The pipe system connects the chiller and the fan coil and is responsible for transporting cold or hot water to each room.

[0009] Control system: Manages and regulates the operation of the entire air conditioning system, including temperature setting, air volume adjustment, pump start and stop, etc.

[0010] From the above introduction, it can be seen that commercial air conditioners have a large number of pipes installed in various rooms of the entire building. For a building, there are sunny sides and shady sides, and the sunny and shady situations in the same location will be different in the morning and afternoon. There will be a temperature difference between the sunny side and the shady side, and the demand for air conditioning cooling (heating) capacity is different. For example, in summer refrigeration, the sunny side has a high demand for cooling capacity and low water temperature, while the shady side has a relatively low demand for cooling capacity and the water temperature can be appropriately higher. In the case of winter heating, the sunny side has a relatively small demand for heat, and the shady side has a relatively high demand for heat.

[0011] Given that once the pipeline of a large air-conditioning system is determined, it is almost never changed, which will cause the water flow direction in the water system not to change, resulting in unnecessary energy loss and also unable to utilize the different external environmental temperatures due to different locations. Summary of the Invention

[0012] The present utility model proposes an air-conditioning system to solve the technical problem in the prior art that the pipeline is fixed, resulting in a fixed flow direction in the pipeline.

[0013] The air-conditioning system proposed by the present utility model includes a main unit, a terminal, and a first pipeline and a second pipeline connecting the main unit and the terminal and serving as a liquid supply pipeline and a liquid return pipeline. One of the first and second pipelines is arranged in the sunny area, and the other is arranged in the shady area. A first branch pipeline for switching the first pipeline to the liquid return pipeline and a second branch pipeline for switching the second pipeline to the liquid supply pipeline are provided between the first and second pipelines.

[0014] Further, the liquid inlet end of the first branch pipeline is connected to one end of the first pipeline far from the terminal through a first valve; the liquid outlet end of the first branch pipeline is connected to one end of the second pipeline close to the terminal.

[0015] Further, the liquid outlet end of the second branch pipeline is connected to one end of the second pipeline far from the terminal through a second valve; the liquid inlet end of the second branch pipeline is connected to one end of the first pipeline close to the terminal.

[0016] Further, the first valve is a three-way valve and / or the second valve is a three-way valve.

[0017] Further, the air-conditioning system further includes a weather information acquisition module, and the control module of the air-conditioning system controls the switching of the first pipeline and the second pipeline according to the weather information collected by the weather information acquisition module and the current working mode.

[0018] Further, the air-conditioning system further includes a light intensity sensor arranged at the first pipeline and / or the second pipeline, and the control module of the air-conditioning system controls the switching of the first pipeline and the second pipeline according to the light intensity information collected by the light intensity sensor and the current working mode.

[0019] Further, the air-conditioning system is a water-cooled air-conditioning system.

[0020] Further, when the control module of the air-conditioning system determines that the first pipeline is in the sunny area and the second pipeline is in the shady area, and the current working mode is the refrigeration mode, it controls the first pipeline to be switched to the liquid return pipeline and the second pipeline to be switched to the liquid supply pipeline.

[0021] Further, if the control module of the air conditioning system determines that the first pipeline is located in the shaded area and the second pipeline is located in the sunny area, and the working mode at this time is the cooling mode, then it controls the first pipeline to switch to the liquid supply pipe and the second pipeline to switch to the liquid return pipe.

[0022] Further, if the control module of the air conditioning system determines that the first pipeline is located in the sunny area and the second pipeline is located in the shaded area, and the working mode at this time is the heating mode, then it controls the first pipeline to switch to the liquid supply pipe and the second pipeline to switch to the liquid return pipe.

[0023] Further, if the control module of the air conditioning system determines that the first pipeline is located in the shaded area and the second pipeline is located in the sunny area, and the working mode at this time is the heating mode, then it controls the first pipeline to switch to the liquid return pipe and the second pipeline to switch to the liquid supply pipe.

[0024] In the present utility model, the first pipeline and the second pipeline of the air conditioning system are separately arranged in the sunny area and the shaded area respectively, and then switched through the first branch pipeline and the second branch pipeline, so that the first pipeline and the second pipeline of the air conditioning system can make full use of the characteristics of the current position to switch into the liquid supply pipe or the liquid return pipe, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the air conditioning system. When the present utility model is applied to the water system, in the cooling mode, it controls the water system to flow from the sunny side to the shaded side, and in the heating mode, it controls the water system to flow from the shaded side to the sunny side, solving the problem of uneven utilization of cold and heat sources existing in the single flow direction and improving the comfort of the entire air conditioning system. Description of the Drawings

[0025] The following will describe the present utility model in detail with reference to the embodiments and the drawings, where:

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the pipeline connection of an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0027] Figure 2 is a control flow chart of the prior art.

[0028] Figure 3 is a control flow chart of an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0029] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the default flow direction in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0030] Figure 5 is relative to Figure 4 a schematic diagram of the opposite flow direction.

[0031] Description of the Reference Numerals:

[0032] 1. Main unit; 2. Terminal.

[0033] 11. First pipeline; 12. Second pipeline; 13. First branch pipeline; 14. Second branch pipeline; 15. First valve; 16. Second valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention.

[0035] Thus, a feature indicated in this specification will be used to illustrate one of the features of an embodiment of the utility model, rather than implying that each embodiment of the utility model must have the described feature. In addition, it should be noted that this specification describes many features. Although some features can be combined together to illustrate possible system designs, these features can also be used in other combinations that are not explicitly described. Thus, unless otherwise stated, the described combinations are not intended to be limiting.

[0036] In air conditioning systems, whether commercial or other types of air conditioning, similar problems may occur, such as household central air conditioning, multi-split air conditioning systems, etc.

[0037] A household central air conditioner is an air conditioning system used in homes or small buildings, usually installed in villas, duplexes or larger residential buildings. Similar to commercial air conditioners, household central air conditioners also have a set of pipe systems connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit for transporting refrigerant. Although the structure of household central air conditioners is relatively simple, if a water system (such as an air-cooled or ground source heat pump system) is used, the fixed water system will also bring similar problems.

[0038] A multi-split air conditioning system, often referred to as a VRV (variable refrigerant flow) or VRF (variable refrigerant flow) system, is an air conditioning system widely used in small and medium-sized commercial buildings and high-end residences. This system allows one outdoor unit to be connected to multiple indoor units, each of which can control the temperature independently. The multi-split system is more flexible, but if the system involves water circuits, such as a partially mixed water system (hot water, cold water and refrigerant work together), it may still encounter problems caused by fixed water circuits.

[0039] It can be seen that whether it is commercial air conditioning, household central air conditioning, or multi-split system, as long as fixed water lines are involved, similar problems will be faced.

[0040] The utility model will be further described below by taking a commercial air conditioner as an example.

[0041] Large commercial air conditioners generally use one main unit to provide cooling / heating sources for an entire building. However, due to factors such as sunlight, there are significant differences in the temperatures of various rooms within the building. Especially in summer and winter, the temperature difference between sunny-side rooms and shady-side rooms becomes more prominent, and the demand for cooling / heating sources also varies. When the air conditioner unit is in the cooling or heating state, the water temperature at the outlet is the lowest or highest. If not controlled, it will cause cold water to pass through shady-side rooms first or hot water to pass through sunny-side rooms first. This not only easily leads to energy waste but also fails to achieve the ideal overall cooling and heating effects.

[0042] Therefore, for the air conditioning system of the present utility model, in addition to the main unit, the terminal, and the first pipeline and the second pipeline serving as the liquid supply pipe and the liquid return pipe respectively connected between the main unit and the terminal, the present utility model arranges one of the first and second pipelines in the sunny area and the other pipeline in the shady area. Moreover, a first branch pipeline for switching the first pipeline into the liquid return pipe and a second branch pipeline for switching the second pipeline into the liquid supply pipe are provided between the first pipeline and the second pipeline.

[0043] By respectively arranging the first pipeline and the second pipeline connecting the main unit and the terminal in the sunny area and the shady area, and then changing the flow direction of the water flow through the first branch pipeline and the second branch pipeline, the air conditioning system can dynamically adjust the position of the pipeline passing through it under the corresponding working conditions. This enables the cooled cooling water to pass through the shady area first, and after heat exchange at the terminal, then pass through the sunny area; it also enables the heated hot water to pass through the sunny area first, and after heat exchange at the terminal, then pass through the shady area, thereby effectively utilizing the position of the pipeline and reducing the system energy consumption.

[0044] In one embodiment, the liquid inlet end of the first branch pipeline is connected to the end of the first pipeline far from the terminal through a first valve; the liquid outlet end of the first branch pipeline is connected to the end of the second pipeline close to the terminal.

[0045] This embodiment is just a relatively ideal situation. Since the first pipeline and the second pipeline are respectively arranged on the sunny side and the shady side, in order to make the best use of the characteristics of the position, it is best to connect the liquid inlet end of the first branch pipeline to the end of the first pipeline close to the main unit and connect the liquid outlet end of the first branch pipeline to the end of the second pipeline close to the terminal. In the actual operation process, the setting of the first branch pipeline may also be affected by the building structure, and those skilled in the art can adjust it according to needs.

[0046] In another embodiment, the liquid outlet end of the second branch pipeline is connected to the end of the second pipeline far from the terminal through a second valve; the liquid inlet end of the second branch pipeline is connected to the end of the first pipeline close to the terminal.

[0047] This embodiment, like the previous one, is also an ideal situation. It is also to make the best use of the characteristics of the position. Therefore, it is best to connect the liquid outlet end of the second branch pipeline to the end of the second pipeline close to the main unit. The liquid inlet end of the second branch pipeline is connected to the end of the first pipeline close to the end. In the actual operation process, the setting of the second branch pipeline may also be affected by the building structure, and those skilled in the art can adjust it according to needs.

[0048] In a preferred embodiment, the above two embodiments can be combined so that both the first branch pipeline and the second branch pipeline reach an ideal state.

[0049] In one embodiment, the first valve is a three-way valve and / or the second valve is a three-way valve. Compared with other valves, the three-way valve can just form three passages, thus facilitating the control of the water flow direction and the system structure is relatively simple.

[0050] In one embodiment, the air-conditioning system further includes a weather information acquisition module, and the control module of the air-conditioning system controls the switching of the first pipeline and the second pipeline according to the weather information collected by the weather information acquisition module and the current working mode.

[0051] For example, the weather information acquisition module can collect the sunny time as weather information. The air-conditioning system can pre-set the positions of the first pipeline and the second pipeline in the morning and afternoon. For example, the first pipeline is on the sunny side in the morning on a sunny day, and the second pipeline is on the shady side. And the first pipeline is on the shady side in the afternoon on a sunny day, and the second pipeline is on the sunny side in the afternoon on a sunny day. Then the control module of the air-conditioning system can determine whether to switch the first pipeline to be used as the liquid supply pipe or the liquid return pipe according to the weather information, and the same is true for the second pipeline.

[0052] In one embodiment, the air-conditioning system further includes a light intensity sensor disposed at the first pipeline and / or the second pipeline, and the control module of the air-conditioning system controls the switching of the first pipeline and the second pipeline according to the light intensity information collected by the light intensity sensor and the current working mode.

[0053] The light intensity sensor can also detect whether the first pipeline and the second pipeline are located on the sunny side or the shady side. Since the first pipeline and the second pipeline are arranged at different positions by default when arranging them in advance, the light intensity sensor can be set only at the first pipeline, or only at the second pipeline. Of course, the light intensity sensor can also be set at both the first pipeline and the second pipeline.

[0054] When the light intensity detected by the light intensity sensor of the first pipeline exceeds the threshold value, the air conditioning system can determine that the first pipeline is located in the sunny area at this time, and then it can switch the first pipeline to be used as a liquid supply pipe or a liquid return pipe according to needs. The same applies to the second pipeline.

[0055] In one embodiment, the air conditioning system of the present invention is a water-cooled air conditioning system.

[0056] The present invention is not limited to water-cooled air conditioning systems and is also applicable to pure refrigerant air conditioning systems (fluorine systems). For the sake of convenience of description, the present invention takes a water-cooled air conditioning system as an example to illustrate the switching control.

[0057] In one embodiment, the control module of the air conditioning system determines that the first pipeline is located in the sunny area and the second pipeline is located in the shaded area. At this time, the working mode of the air conditioning system is the cooling mode, then the control module controls the first pipeline to be switched to the liquid return pipe and the second pipeline to be switched to the liquid supply pipe. At this time, the cooling water cooled by the unit preferentially passes through the second pipeline (or most of the second pipeline), then through the terminal, and then through the first pipeline (or most of the first pipeline), effectively utilizing the solar radiation energy at the positions of the first pipeline and the second pipeline and reducing the energy consumption of the system.

[0058] In one embodiment, the control module of the air conditioning system determines that the first pipeline is located in the shaded area and the second pipeline is located in the sunny area. At this time, the working mode of the air conditioning system is the cooling mode, then it controls the first pipeline to be switched to the liquid supply pipe and the second pipeline to be switched to the liquid return pipe. At this time, the cooling water cooled by the unit preferentially passes through the first pipeline (or most of the first pipeline), then through the terminal, and then through the second pipeline (or most of the second pipeline), effectively utilizing the solar radiation energy at the positions of the first pipeline and the second pipeline and reducing the energy consumption of the system.

[0059] In one embodiment, the control module of the air conditioning system determines that the first pipeline is located in the sunny area and the second pipeline is located in the shaded area. At this time, the working mode of the air conditioning system is the heating mode, then it controls the first pipeline to be switched to the liquid supply pipe and the second pipeline to be switched to the liquid return pipe. At this time, the hot water heated by the unit preferentially passes through the first pipeline (or most of the first pipeline), then through the terminal, and then through the second pipeline (or most of the second pipeline), effectively utilizing the solar radiation energy at the positions of the first pipeline and the second pipeline and reducing the energy consumption of the system.

[0060] In one embodiment, the control module of the air conditioning system determines that the first pipeline is in the shaded area and the second pipeline is in the sunny area. At this time, the operating mode of the air conditioner is the heating mode, so it controls the first pipeline to switch to the liquid return pipe and the second pipeline to switch to the liquid supply pipe. At this time, the hot water heated by the unit first passes through the second pipeline (or most of the second pipeline), then through the terminal, and then through the first pipeline (or most of the first pipeline), effectively utilizing the solar radiation energy at the positions of the first pipeline and the second pipeline and reducing the energy consumption of the system.

[0061] Although the fixed pipeline system in the prior art simplifies the design and maintenance, in actual applications, it cannot effectively utilize the solar radiation at its location and avoid the influence brought by the solar radiation. In comparison, the present utility model can change the flow direction of the refrigerant or the water circuit through the first branch pipeline and the second branch pipeline, thereby effectively utilizing the location advantages of the pipeline and avoiding the location disadvantages of the pipeline.

[0062] When the commercial air conditioning water system adopts the above technical solution of the present utility model, it can effectively ensure the effective utilization of the cold source or the heat source and improve the comfort of the entire air conditioning system.

[0063] Moreover, the air conditioning system only needs to add two control water valves and related pipelines compared with the existing system, without changing the design methods of the original host and terminal.

[0064] Reference Figure 1 。 Figure 1 In [reference], the host 1 is connected to the terminal 2 through the first pipeline 11 and the second pipeline 12. The first pipeline 11 can be switched through the first branch pipeline 13, and the second pipeline 12 can be switched through the second branch pipeline 14. A first valve 15 is provided at the liquid inlet end of the first branch pipeline 13, and a second valve 16 is provided at the liquid outlet end of the second branch pipeline 14.

[0065] Figure 2 Shows the control flow of the air conditioning system in the prior art. In the prior art, when the air conditioning system meets the startup condition, the water system flows in the default direction. If it does not meet the startup condition, it continues to wait until the startup condition is met.

[0066] Figure 3 Shows the control flow chart of an embodiment of the present utility model. When the air conditioning system meets the startup condition, the air conditioning system obtains the current time, the set mode, and the weather information.

[0067] The weather information refers to the time period from which point to which point is sunny.

[0068] The set mode refers to the specific positions of the first pipeline and the second pipeline, such as whether they are on the sunny side or the shady side specifically on a sunny morning. Then, based on the weather information, it is determined whether it is a sunny day. If not, it follows the normal startup process. If it is a sunny day, the following control logic is required for control.

[0069] When the air-conditioning system is cooling in summer, the water system contains cold water at this time. The control module of the air-conditioning system gives priority to judging the current time and weather conditions when starting up. If it is a sunny day and in the morning time, that is, from 8 o'clock to 12 o'clock, and at this time the sunny side and the shady side are in the same default direction as the air-conditioning water system, then the first valve 15 and the second valve 16 remain in the default state, the first pipeline 11 serves as the liquid supply pipe, and the second pipeline 12 serves as the liquid return pipe, as Figure 4 shown.

[0070] If the startup time is in the afternoon, that is, from 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock, at this time the sunny and shady sides change, then the states of the first valve 15 and the second valve 16 are automatically controlled to reverse the water flow direction, that is, most of the first pipeline 11 serves as the liquid return pipe, and most of the second pipeline 12 serves as the liquid supply pipe, as Figure 5 shown.

[0071] If it is not a sunny day or in the evening state, just keep the default water flow direction.

[0072] When the air-conditioning system is heating in winter, the water system contains hot water at this time. When the air-conditioning starts up, it also needs to judge the current time and weather conditions. If it is a sunny day and in the morning time, that is, from 8 o'clock to 12 o'clock, then the states of the first valve 15 and the second valve 16 need to be automatically controlled to reverse the water flow direction, that is, most of the first pipeline 11 serves as the liquid return pipe, and most of the second pipeline 12 serves as the liquid supply pipe.

[0073] If the startup time is in the afternoon, that is, from 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock, at this time the sunny and shady sides change, then the states of the first valve 15 and the second valve 16 need to be automatically controlled to reverse the water flow direction, that is, the first pipeline 11 serves as the liquid supply pipe, and the second pipeline 12 serves as the liquid return pipe.

[0074] If it is not a sunny day or in the evening state, just keep the default water flow direction.

[0075] Through the above control method, it can effectively ensure that when cooling, the rooms with higher room temperatures will be preferentially cooled with cold water at lower temperatures, and when heating, the rooms with lower room temperatures will be preferentially heated with hot water at higher temperatures. Improve the energy utilization efficiency and the comfort of the overall air-conditioning system.

[0076] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present utility model shall be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system, comprising a main unit, a terminal, and a first pipeline and a second pipeline that are connected between the main unit and the terminal and serve as a liquid supply pipe and a liquid return pipe, characterized in that, One of the first and second pipelines is arranged in the sunny area, and the other pipeline is arranged in the shady area. A first branch pipeline for switching the first pipeline into a liquid return pipeline and a second branch pipeline for switching the second pipeline into a liquid supply pipeline are provided between the first and second pipelines.

2. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid inlet end of the first branch pipeline is connected to one end of the first pipeline far from the end through a first valve; the liquid outlet end of the first branch pipeline is connected to one end of the second pipeline close to the end.

3. The air conditioning system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The liquid outlet end of the second branch pipeline is connected to one end of the second pipeline far from the end through a second valve; the liquid inlet end of the second branch pipeline is connected to one end of the first pipeline close to the end.

4. The air conditioning system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first valve is a three-way valve and / or the second valve is a three-way valve.

5. The air-conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The air-conditioning system further includes a weather information acquisition module, and the control module of the air-conditioning system controls the switching of the first pipeline and the second pipeline according to the weather information acquired by the weather information acquisition module and the current working mode.

6. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The air-conditioning system further includes a light intensity sensor provided at the first pipeline and / or the second pipeline, and the control module of the air-conditioning system controls the switching of the first pipeline and the second pipeline according to the light intensity information acquired by the light intensity sensor and the current working mode.

7. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The air-conditioning system is a water-cooled air-conditioning system.

8. The air conditioning system according to claim 7, characterized in that, When the control module of the air-conditioning system determines that the first pipeline is located in the sunny area and the second pipeline is located in the shady area, and the current working mode is the refrigeration mode, it controls the first pipeline to be switched to the liquid return pipeline and the second pipeline to be switched to the liquid supply pipeline.

9. The air-conditioning system according to claim 7, characterized in that, When the control module of the air-conditioning system determines that the first pipeline is located in the shady area and the second pipeline is located in the sunny area, and the current working mode is the refrigeration mode, it controls the first pipeline to be switched to the liquid supply pipeline and the second pipeline to be switched to the liquid return pipeline.

10. The air-conditioning system according to claim 7, characterized in that, When the control module of the air-conditioning system determines that the first pipeline is located in the sunny area and the second pipeline is located in the shady area, and the current working mode is the heating mode, it controls the first pipeline to be switched to the liquid supply pipeline and the second pipeline to be switched to the liquid return pipeline.

11. The air conditioning system according to claim 7, characterized in that, When the control module of the air-conditioning system determines that the first pipeline is located in the shady area and the second pipeline is located in the sunny area, and the current working mode is the heating mode, it controls the first pipeline to be switched to the liquid return pipeline and the second pipeline to be switched to the liquid supply pipeline.

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