Air Conditioner Dew Point Control to Reduce Excessive Dehumidification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air conditioners often run at high compressor frequencies during cooling, leading to low indoor heat exchanger coil temperatures, which cause excessive dehumidification, increasing discomfort in dry climates by not maintaining a comfortable humidity level.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling air conditioners that involves maintaining the indoor heat exchanger coil temperature at the initial dew point temperature and adjusting fan speeds based on moisture content and dew point temperature to perform humidification or dehumidification, without the need for additional humidity sensors, using basic air conditioner parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the compressor runs at highest frequency for cooling, then the cooling effect is improved, but the indoor heat exchanger coil temperature becomes too low causing excessive dehumidification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameter from simple temperature-based control to dew point temperature-based control. By calculating and maintaining the heat exchanger coil temperature at the dew point temperature derived from indoor ambient conditions, the system adjusts the cooling intensity to prevent excessive dehumidification while still achieving effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring indoor ambient temperature and humidity, calculating the corresponding dew point temperature, and using this information to adjust the compressor frequency and heat exchanger coil temperature. This closed-loop control ensures that cooling is provided without causing harmful excessive dehumidification.
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 effectively maintains a comfortable humidity level, reducing user discomfort and operational costs by utilizing existing air conditioner components to control temperature and humidity.
Implementation Method 1
temperature of an indoor heat exchanger coil
Implementation Method 2
compressor of the air conditioner
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling an air conditioner includes obtaining initial indoor ambient temperature and humidity, obtaining an initial dew point temperature according to the initial indoor ambient temperature and humidity, controlling a temperature of an indoor heat exchanger coil to be equal to the initial dew point temperature and maintaining a current operating frequency of a compressor unchanged, obtaining a current indoor ambient temperature, judging whether the current indoor ambient temperature is lower than or equal to a set temperature, if so, obtaining a current indoor ambient humidity and obtaining a current moisture content and a current dew point temperature according to the current indoor ambient temperature and the current indoor ambient humidity, and controlling the air conditioner to perform humidification or dehumidification according to the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger coil, the current moisture content, and the current dew point temperature.