Air Conditioner Airflow-Adaptive Algorithm for Consistent User Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioners, relying on the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) algorithm since 1982, fail to accurately reflect airflow influence, leading to suboptimal user comfort as they do not account for airflow dynamics, resulting in inconsistent user experiences.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner system that utilizes sensors to collect indoor and outdoor environmental data, generates a new algorithm combining this data with pre-stored reference information to control temperature, humidity, and air volume, minimizing differences between measured and algorithmic parameters to enhance user comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the PMV algorithm is used to control air conditioner operation, then the control method is simple and has been established since 1982, but it does not reflect airflow influence and fails to provide optimal user comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the traditional PMV algorithm by introducing airflow speed as an additional parameter. The control system calculates a corrected comfort index by combining the original PMV value with airflow speed measurements, thereby adapting the algorithm to better reflect actual user comfort conditions while maintaining the simplicity of the underlying control approach
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously measuring airflow speed using sensors and using this information to dynamically adjust the comfort assessment. The controller compares the calculated comfort index with target values and adjusts operating parameters accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that responds to real-time conditions
2Ease of operation
If the air conditioner operates based on user set conditions using traditional algorithms, then the operation is straightforward, but the user experience varies and comfort is not consistently optimal
Solution Approach 1:
The system enhances the traditional control approach by incorporating airflow speed measurements into the comfort calculation. This parameter addition allows the system to adapt to varying airflow conditions while maintaining straightforward operation through automated calculations and controller-based adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The control system transitions from static user-set conditions to dynamic adjustment based on real-time airflow measurements. The controller continuously monitors airflow speed and adjusts operating parameters to maintain optimal comfort, enabling the system to adapt to changing conditions while keeping the user interface simple
3Reliability
If a new algorithm incorporating airflow data is implemented, then user comfort is significantly improved, but the system complexity increases compared to traditional PMV-based systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces airflow speed measurements as an intermediary parameter that bridges the gap between traditional PMV calculations and actual user comfort. This intermediate measurement allows the system to maintain the simplicity of the original algorithm while incorporating additional information through a structured calculation framework
Solution Approach 2:
The control algorithm is segmented into distinct calculation steps: first calculating the base PMV value, then measuring airflow speed, and finally combining these parameters to determine the corrected comfort index. This segmentation makes the enhanced algorithm more manageable and easier to implement despite the increased complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are an air conditioner and a control method thereof. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an air conditioner includes a sensor portion including at least one sensor, a controller including at least one control portion to control a function of the air conditioner, and at least one processor operatively connected to the sensor and the controller, and the at least one processor is configured to obtain an airflow speed and indoor environmental data by the sensor portion while the air conditioner is operating, generate a second algorithm by applying the obtained airflow speed, the indoor environmental data, and pre-stored reference data to a first algorithm, and control operation of the air conditioner based on the generated second algorithm.