Refrigerant Injection Module for Air Conditioner Cooling Flow Balance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioners experience a reduction in cooling ability due to the bypassing of high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant during cooling operations, leading to a decrease in evaporation flow rate and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner design that includes a compressor, outdoor and indoor heat exchangers, a switching valve, and an injection module, where the injection module performs heat exchange between refrigerant discharged from the indoor heat exchanger and refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger, injecting the heat-exchanged refrigerant back into the compressor to enhance efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a portion of high-temperature and high-pressure liquid-phase refrigerant is bypassed during cooling operation, then the refrigerant can be injected into the compressor to improve system performance, but the cooling ability of the indoor unit deteriorates due to reduction in evaporation flow rate
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerant flow is divided into multiple paths: one path sends refrigerant to the indoor heat exchanger for evaporation and cooling, while another path bypasses a portion of refrigerant through the injection module to be injected into the compressor. This segmentation allows simultaneous achievement of cooling function and compressor performance improvement without compromising the main cooling flow rate
Solution Approach 2:
The injection module acts as an intermediary device that selectively bypasses a controlled portion of refrigerant from the liquid line and injects it into the compressor suction port. This intermediary mechanism enables precise control of the bypassed refrigerant quantity, ensuring that the main evaporation flow rate to the indoor unit is maintained while still providing beneficial refrigerant injection to the compressor
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 configuration increases the efficiency of the air conditioner by improving the cooling ability and reducing power consumption during cooling operations, while also optimizing refrigerant flow and temperature management during both cooling and heating operations.
Implementation Method 1
the injection module performs heat exchange between the portion of the refrigerant discharged from the indoor heat exchanger and refrigerant, which moves from the outdoor heat exchanger to the indoor heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
an outdoor heat exchanger installed in an outdoor space for performing heat exchange between the refrigerant and outdoor air
Implementation Method 3
an indoor heat exchanger installed in an indoor space for performing heat exchange between the refrigerant and indoor air
Implementation Method 4
a compressor for compressing refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioner including a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, a switching valve for guiding refrigerant discharged from the compressor to the outdoor heat exchanger during a cooling operation and to the indoor heat exchanger during a heating operation, and an injection module for injecting a portion of the refrigerant discharged from the indoor heat exchanger to the compressor, performing heat exchange between a portion of the refrigerant discharged from the indoor heat exchanger and the refrigerant that moves from the outdoor heat exchanger to the indoor heat exchanger during the cooling operation, and injecting the refrigerant into the compressor.