Air conditioning device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional regenerative air-conditioners require a thermal storage vessel for maintaining heating during defrosting operations, which is not feasible in environments where such a vessel cannot be installed, leading to inadequate heating due to insufficient stored heat from warm water in pipes and heat exchangers.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning device with a refrigerant circuit and a heat-transfer medium circuit, controlled by a device that adjusts the heating capability of the heat exchanger based on the amount of heat storage in the heat-transfer medium, reducing heating capability during defrosting if heat storage is insufficient to prevent cooling of the heat-transfer medium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thermal storage vessel is installed to maintain heating during defrosting operation, then heating capability is maintained, but device complexity and installation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the thermal storage function from a dedicated thermal storage vessel and relocates it to the heat-transfer medium circulating within the heat exchanger pipes. By utilizing the heat-transfer medium itself as the storage medium, the system eliminates the need for a separate thermal storage vessel while maintaining the ability to store and release heat during defrosting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat-transfer medium serves multiple functions: it acts as both the working fluid for heat transfer during normal operation and as the thermal storage medium during defrosting operations. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated thermal storage equipment while maintaining heating capability.
2Reliability
If heating capability is maintained at full capacity during defrosting operation, then comfortable conditions are ensured, but heat-transfer medium temperature drops causing cool air discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The control device continuously monitors the temperature of the heat-transfer medium and adjusts the heating capability of the third heat exchanger based on real-time temperature feedback. When the temperature drops below a predetermined threshold during defrosting operation, the control device automatically reduces heating capability to prevent further temperature decline and cool air discharge.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating capability of the third heat exchanger is made dynamic rather than fixed. The control device adjusts the heating capability in real-time based on the heat-transfer medium temperature and the defrosting operation status, optimizing the balance between maintaining heating and preventing temperature drop.
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
Maintains heating capability during defrosting operations without a thermal storage vessel, preventing cool air discharge and ensuring comfortable conditions by adjusting heating capacity according to available heat storage.
Implementation Method 1
the heating capability of the third heat exchanger during the defrosting operation set to a capability that is determined based on an amount of heat storage of the heat-transfer medium within the heat-transfer medium circuit
Implementation Method 2
a third heat exchanger connected to one another by a second pipe and allows a heat-transfer medium to flow through the heat-transfer medium circuit
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioning device has: a refrigerant circuit that includes a compressor, a switching valve, a cascade heat exchanger, an expansion valve and an outdoor heat exchanger connected to one another by a first pipe through which a refrigerant flows, and that performs a defrosting operation in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is introduced into the outdoor heat exchanger; a heat-transfer medium circuit that includes a pump, the cascade heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger connected to one another by a second pipe through which a heat-transfer medium flows; and a control device that controls the compressor and the pump. When an amount of heat storage of the heat-transfer medium is less than a threshold, the control device reduces the heating capability of the indoor heat exchanger when the air conditioning device transitions from a heating operation to the defrosting operation.