Air-conditioning device
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-conditioning systems unnecessarily perform compressor protection control even after short power failures, leading to prolonged restoration times for the air-conditioned space, as they do not differentiate between short and long power outages, thereby reducing compressor capacity and extending recovery times.
Innovation Solution
An air-conditioning apparatus that determines the duration of a power failure by comparing discharge temperatures before and after power restoration, omitting compressor protection control if the temperature difference is within a set threshold, allowing the compressor to operate at pre-failure capacity and rapidly restore the air-conditioned state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If compressor protection control is performed after power failure, then the compressor is protected from damage, but the restoration time of air-conditioned space is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The control method dynamically adjusts the compressor operation strategy based on the power failure duration. For short power failures (where discharge temperature remains above threshold), the compressor starts immediately without protection control. For long power failures (where discharge temperature drops below threshold), the compressor protection control is activated. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by applying protection only when necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses discharge temperature as a critical parameter to determine the control strategy. By monitoring whether the discharge temperature is above or below a predetermined threshold, the system changes its operational parameters (immediate start vs. protection control first), thereby optimizing both compressor safety and restoration speed based on the actual thermal state.
2Reliability
If compressor protection control is performed, then the compressor is protected from refrigerant accumulation damage, but the compressor cannot operate at 100% capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The compressor operates at full capacity dynamically when the discharge temperature indicates short power failure, while protection control with reduced capacity is applied only when temperature indicates long power failure. This dynamic capacity adjustment maintains productivity while ensuring protection when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the unnecessary protection control step from the startup sequence when conditions indicate it is not needed (short power failure with adequate discharge temperature). By removing this intermediate step only when appropriate, the system maintains full compressor capacity without compromising safety.
3Reliability
If compressor protection control is necessarily executed regardless of power failure duration, then the compressor is protected, but the air-conditioned space cannot be rapidly restored
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically selects between two operational modes: immediate restart mode for short power failures and protection control mode for long power failures. This dynamic selection based on discharge temperature enables rapid restoration when safe, while maintaining protection when necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The discharge temperature parameter serves as the decision criterion for changing the control strategy. When temperature exceeds the threshold, the system changes from protection control mode to immediate restart mode, thereby optimizing restoration speed without sacrificing compressor safety.
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
Enables rapid restoration of the air-conditioned space to its pre-power failure state by avoiding unnecessary compressor protection control during short power outages, ensuring the compressor operates at full capacity and preventing damage, thus improving system reliability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a discharge temperature detection device that detects a discharge temperature
Implementation Method 2
a heating unit such as a heater heats the compressor to evaporate refrigerant accumulating in the compressor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An air-conditioning apparatus includes: a controller which controls a refrigerant circuit; and a temperature detection device which detects a temperature related to the refrigerant circuit as temperature information. The controller calculates a difference between time which is detected as the temperature information when a power recovery is made from a power-failure state and time which is detected as the temperature information when a power-failure detection unit detects a power failure. When the calculated difference is greater than a power-failure reference threshold value, the controller performs compressor protection control of heating a compressor for a fixed period of time, and then rotationally drives the compressor. On the other hand, when the obtained difference is smaller than or equal to the power-failure reference threshold value, the controller rotationally drives the compressor without performing the compressor protection control.