Air conditioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioners require separate outdoor units for heat pump and heat recovery cycles, leading to increased size and complexity, and refrigerant loss during cooling operations due to insufficient indoor space for heat recovery cycle components.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner design with a single outdoor unit equipped with a compressor, outdoor heat exchanger, and a flowpath switching valve, along with a mode controller that uses a bypass valve to redirect refrigerant flow between pipes, allowing for both heat pump and heat recovery cycles with reduced outdoor unit size and refrigerant loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a heat recovery cycle outdoor unit is manufactured separately from a heat pump cycle outdoor unit, then both cycles can be performed, but the device complexity and manufacturing burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The outdoor unit is designed to perform both heat pump cycle and heat recovery cycle functions through a single multi-functional device. The system uses a flowpath switching valve and mode controller to enable the same outdoor unit to operate in different cycles based on operational mode requirements, eliminating the need for separate dedicated units for each cycle type.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant flowpath is made dynamically switchable between different configurations. The flowpath switching valve allows the system to dynamically reconfigure refrigerant flow directions and paths depending on whether heat pump mode or heat recovery mode is active, enabling one outdoor unit to adapt to multiple operational requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If heat recovery cycle components are disposed in the outdoor unit, then both cycles can be performed, but the outdoor unit size increases when space is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The outdoor unit incorporates heat recovery cycle components that allow it to perform both heat pump and heat recovery functions within the same physical space. The mode controller and flowpath switching valve enable the existing outdoor unit structure to accommodate dual functionality without requiring a completely separate dedicated unit for heat recovery operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant flowpath configuration is made dynamic through the flowpath switching valve, allowing the system to switch between different operational modes (heat pump vs. heat recovery) without requiring permanent physical expansion of the outdoor unit. The same physical components serve different functional purposes based on flowpath configuration.
3Productivity
If refrigerant flow is managed during cooling operation, then cooling efficiency is improved, but refrigerant loss occurs when supercooling is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The mode controller monitors refrigerant conditions (such as supercooling degree) and provides feedback control by adjusting the bypass valve position. When insufficient supercooling is detected, the controller opens the bypass valve to redirect refrigerant flow through the bypass flowpath, preventing refrigerant loss while maintaining optimal cooling efficiency. This closed-loop control ensures refrigerant is only directed to indoor units when proper cooling conditions are met.
Solution Approach 2:
The bypass valve and bypass flowpath act as intermediary elements that mediate between the main refrigerant flow and the indoor units. When cooling conditions are not optimal, the bypass provides an alternative path for refrigerant circulation, preventing direct delivery of inadequately cooled refrigerant to indoor units and thereby preventing refrigerant loss while maintaining system efficiency.
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 efficient operation of both heat pump and heat recovery cycles with a simpler configuration and reduces refrigerant loss by utilizing the indoor space for refrigerant management, thereby minimizing the size of the outdoor unit and enhancing operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the bypass valve opens the bypass flowpath so that the second refrigerant pipe communicates with the third refrigerant pipe
Implementation Method 2
an outdoor unit having a compressor
Implementation Method 3
an outdoor heat exchanger
Implementation Method 4
a flowpath switching valve disposed on a refrigerant flowpath between the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Disclosed herein is an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes an outdoor unit having a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and a flowpath switching valve disposed on a refrigerant flowpath between the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger, a plurality of indoor units configured to operate in a cooling mode or in a heating mode, a mode controller configured to selectively guide refrigerant received from the outdoor unit to the plurality of indoor units. The mode controller guiding the refrigerant through one or more of: a first refrigerant pipe extending from the flowpath switching valve to the mode control unit, a second refrigerant pipe extending from the flowpath switching valve and diverging to the outdoor heat exchanger, and to the mode control unit, and a third refrigerant pipe extending from the outdoor heat exchanger to the mode controller.