Air Conditioning Control Using Absolute Humidity and Split Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning systems face inefficiencies in energy conservation due to the vapor-pressure control method, which fails to accurately control the amount of energy required for cooling and dehumidification, leading to excessive energy consumption and high costs, especially when dealing with varying atmospheric pressures and humidity levels.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning method and system that measures flow rates, pressures, temperatures, and relative humidities to calculate absolute humidity and adjust the flow ratio between main and side streams, allowing for precise regulation of temperature and humidity, and incorporating flow-rate and heating energy calculations to optimize energy use, reducing the size and cost of cooling and humidifying components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the vapor-pressure control method is used for cooling and dehumidification, then the control process is simple, but the energy consumption is excessive and cannot be accurately controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameter from vapor pressure (relative humidity) to absolute humidity. This parameter change enables accurate measurement and control of the actual water vapor content in air, allowing precise control of cooling and dehumidification energy consumption while maintaining system operability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback control system using absolute humidity sensors to continuously monitor the actual water vapor content. The control device adjusts the cooling and dehumidification process based on this feedback, ensuring accurate energy control and preventing excessive energy consumption while maintaining system simplicity through automated regulation.
2Reliability
If the flow ratio between main stream and side stream is fixed at 1:1 to obtain condensed water with reliability, then the dehumidification reliability is improved, but the energy consumption cannot be optimized for varying conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the flow ratio between main stream and side stream dynamic rather than fixed. The control device adjusts the flow ratio in real-time based on absolute humidity measurements and varying atmospheric conditions, enabling both reliable dehumidification (when needed) and energy optimization (when conditions permit), thus achieving adaptability while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from relative humidity to absolute humidity, which directly reflects the actual water vapor content. This parameter change enables the system to accurately determine when dehumidification is needed and adjust the flow ratio accordingly, providing adaptability to varying atmospheric pressures and humidity levels while maintaining dehumidification reliability when required.
3Manufacturing precision
If all process air is cooled and dehumidified to regulate temperature and humidity, then the temperature and humidity control accuracy is improved, but the energy consumption and system size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the process air into two streams: main stream (cooled and dehumidified) and side stream (bypassing cooling/dehumidification). The control device regulates the flow ratio between these segments based on absolute humidity measurements, allowing accurate temperature and humidity control while reducing energy consumption by processing only the necessary portion of air through the energy-intensive cooling and dehumidification processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by cooling and dehumidifying only a portion (main stream) of the process air rather than all of it. The control device determines the optimal proportion based on absolute humidity measurements, achieving the required temperature and humidity control accuracy while avoiding the excessive energy consumption that would result from processing 100% of the air through cooling and dehumidification.
4Productivity
If the amount of air cooled and dehumidified is increased to ensure adequate supply air, then the supply air adequacy is improved, but the energy consumption and system cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameter to absolute humidity, which directly indicates the actual water vapor content and dehumidification needs. This enables the control device to precisely determine the minimum amount of air that must be cooled and dehumidified to ensure adequate supply air, avoiding unnecessary energy consumption from over-processing air while maintaining supply air adequacy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control using absolute humidity sensors to monitor the actual state of process air. The control device uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the flow ratio and the amount of air processed through cooling and dehumidification, ensuring that sufficient supply air is provided while minimizing energy consumption by processing only the necessary amount of air.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces energy consumption by optimizing the amount of air cooled and dehumidified, leading to a compact and cost-effective air conditioning system that adapts to varying conditions, ensuring efficient energy use and minimizing waste.
Implementation Method 1
the refrigeration cycle is made up of a compressor 14, an oil separator 16, a condenser 17, an electronic expansion valve 18, cooling dehumidifying means 1, an accumulator 20 and the like that are interconnected by pipes to circulate the refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
the process air is heated to a predetermined temperature with accuracy and humidified to a predetermined humidity with accuracy
Implementation Method 3
humidifying means 3 and a supply-air fan 11 are placed downstream of the confluence
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioning method that reduces the amount of cooling energy and the amount of dehumidification energy to approximately a limiting amount, and also reduces the amount of humidifying energy to approximately a limiting amount. If an absolute humidity of the process air is calculated by use of measurements of changes in work conditions and variations in atmospheric pressure, the required amount of air to be cooled and dehumidified flowing downstream through the main-stream duct and the required amount of humidification can be determined. Therefore, by outputting a signal indicative of the required amount of cooled-dehumidified air to actuate a controller of flow-rate regulating means, and outputting a signal indicative of the required amount of humidification to actuate a controller of humidifying means, the amount of air to be cooled and dehumidified can be reduced to the required amount of cooled-dehumidified air close to the limiting amount.