Air conditioning device

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In air-conditioning systems with multiple heat source units, the need for high-capacity heat source units to maintain heating capacity during defrosting operations leads to increased size, restricting installation space and requiring large heat source units to supplement defrosting capacity.

Innovation Solution

The air-conditioning apparatus performs sequential defrosting operations with heating and heat storage operations in between, reducing the necessary defrosting capacity and compressor size by alternating the defrosting of heat source units, allowing for reduced heat source unit capacity and size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If high-capacity heat source units are used to maintain heating capacity during defrosting operations, then heating capacity is maintained, but device size increases and installation space is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating capacityVSAvoidheat source unit size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the heat source units into multiple independent modules (first heat source unit and second heat source unit), allowing them to operate independently. During defrosting of one unit, the other unit can continue providing heating, eliminating the need for oversized individual units while maintaining total heating capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic defrosting operations where heat source units alternate between defrosting and normal heating operations. This periodic switching allows one unit to defrost while another provides heating, maintaining continuous heating capacity without requiring permanently high-capacity units.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If large heat source units are used to supplement defrosting capacity, then heating capacity during defrosting is maintained, but installation space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating capacity during defrostingVSAvoidinstallation space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system is segmented into multiple independent heat source units that can be distributed across different locations. This segmentation allows the system to maintain heating capacity during defrosting without concentrating all capacity in a single large unit, thereby reducing the installation space required at any one location.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges the heating outputs of multiple heat source units to achieve the required total heating capacity. During defrosting operations, the units work in coordination where one unit defrosts while others provide heating, combining their outputs to maintain overall heating performance without requiring oversized individual units.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 reduces the necessary heat transfer amount and compressor capacity, enabling smaller heat source units and heat storage tanks while maintaining effective heating and defrosting performance.

Implementation Method 1

a heat source side heat exchanger (5A, 5B)... heating an air-conditioned room

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Convection

Implementation Method 2

compressors (1A, 1B)... discharge pressures thereof can be prevented from increasing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 3

four-way valves (3A, 3B)... switching between a heating and heat storage condition

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow control: Valve

Data Source

PatentEP3093586B1Air conditioning device
Publication Date: 2021.08.25 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP3093586B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3093586B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3093586B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An air-conditioning apparatus can perform a heating and heat storage operation in which an indoor heat exchanger 12 and a heat storage heat exchanger 10 are each caused to function as a condenser, and heat source side heat exchangers 5A and 5B are each caused to function as an evaporator, and in which heat is stored in a heat storage material while a heating operation is being performed, a first heating and defrosting operation in which the heat source side heat exchanger 5A and the indoor heat exchanger 12 are each caused to function as a condenser, and the heat source side heat exchanger 5B and the heat storage heat exchanger 10 are each caused to function as an evaporator, and in which heat is transferred from the heat storage material and a defrosting operation of a heat source unit 100 is performed while a heating operation is being performed, and a second heating and defrosting operation in which the heat source side heat exchanger 5B and the indoor heat exchanger 12 are each caused to function as a condenser, and the heat source side heat exchanger 5A and the heat storage heat exchanger 10 are each caused to function as an evaporator, and in which heat is transferred from the heat storage material and a defrosting operation of a heat source unit 200 is performed while a heating operation is being performed. The first heating and defrosting operation and the second heating and defrosting operation are sequentially performed with the heating and heat storage operation in between.