Air Conditioner Compressor Heating Control to Reduce Standby Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-conditioning systems face challenges in reducing power consumption during compressor standby mode, as they continue to consume power even in low outdoor temperatures, leading to increased standby power consumption and delayed heating due to refrigerant liquefaction within the compressor.
Innovation Solution
The system employs an outdoor controller that determines the heating necessity of the compressor based on predicted outdoor air temperature changes, turning off power feeding to the outdoor unit when heating is unnecessary, and only reactivating it when a power ON signal is received from the indoor controller, thereby optimizing energy saving performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the heater is always energized during compressor suspension to prevent refrigerant liquefaction, then refrigerant liquefaction is suppressed, but standby power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is energized periodically rather than continuously during compressor suspension. The control device determines whether to energize the heater based on outdoor temperature conditions, creating an on-off cycling pattern that reduces overall power consumption while maintaining refrigerant liquefaction prevention when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The control device changes the operational parameters of the heater based on outdoor temperature. When outdoor temperature is above a predetermined threshold, the heater is not energized. When temperature drops below the threshold, the heater is energized. This parameter-based control optimizes the balance between preventing refrigerant liquefaction and reducing standby power consumption
2Speed
If power feeding to outdoor unit is maintained during compressor suspension, then controller can respond quickly to heating requests, but energy saving performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs preliminary assessment of heating necessity based on outdoor temperature before actual heating requests. By pre-determining that heating is unnecessary when outdoor temperature is above the threshold, the system can safely cut power feeding without compromising response capability, as the conditions don't warrant heating anyway
Solution Approach 2:
The power feeding state is made dynamic rather than static. The system transitions between powered and unpowered states based on real-time outdoor temperature conditions. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize energy consumption while maintaining readiness to power up when actual heating需求的出现且室外温度低于阈值
3Use of energy by stationary object
If compressor temperature is maintained close to outdoor temperature, then energy consumption is reduced, but heating performance deteriorates due to delayed refrigerant temperature rise
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary heating action to the compressor when outdoor temperature drops below the threshold, counteracting the natural cooling effect before actual heating operation is needed. This preliminary anti-cooling action ensures the compressor is already warm when heating requests occur, eliminating startup delays without requiring continuous heating
Solution Approach 2:
The compressor heating is applied periodically based on outdoor temperature conditions rather than continuously. By cycling the heating on when temperature drops below threshold and off when above threshold, the system maintains compressor temperature in an optimal range that balances energy consumption with heating readiness
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 power consumption by minimizing unnecessary power feeding to the outdoor unit, improving energy saving performance and preventing refrigerant liquefaction within the compressor.
Implementation Method 1
a heater is provided to the compressor and the heater is always energized... to heat the compressor
Data Source
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AI summary
An air-conditioning apparatus includes: an outdoor unit including a compressor and an outdoor air temperature detector detecting an outdoor air temperature; an outdoor controller performing rotation-locked energization in accordance with the outdoor air temperature; and an indoor controller transmitting a power feeding ON signal to the outdoor controller, wherein, under operation stop of the compressor, the outdoor controller includes a storage unit storing the outdoor air temperature detected by the outdoor air temperature detector every certain period of time, turns on, upon receiving the power feeding ON signal from the indoor controller, power feeding to the outdoor unit, and performs heating necessity determination to determine whether or not heating of the compressor is necessary in accordance with a current outdoor air temperature and an outdoor air temperature stored in the storage unit, and when it is determined that heating of the compressor is necessary, performs the rotation-locked energization, and, when it is determined that heating of the compressor is unnecessary, stops power feeding to the outdoor unit.