Refrigerant Shutoff Control for Air Conditioner Leak Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioners with relay units and refrigerant connection pipes are insufficient in reducing refrigerant leakage, as closing the relay shutoff valves allows leakage to occur between specific sections of the indoor units, leading to inefficient containment of refrigerant.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner system with a controller that performs first and second shutoff controls, opening the liquid relay shutoff valve and closing indoor expansion and gas relay shutoff valves to isolate the leaking portion, and utilizing temperature sensors to determine continued leakage, thereby minimizing refrigerant flow and leakage area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the liquid relay shutoff valve and gas relay shutoff valve are closed to prevent refrigerant flow from outdoor unit to indoor unit, then refrigerant leakage from indoor unit is suppressed, but refrigerant leakage still occurs between the shutoff valves including the indoor unit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the refrigerant circuit into multiple isolated segments by introducing additional shutoff valves (indoor unit shutoff valves) at strategic locations. When refrigerant leakage is detected, only the specific segment containing the leak (between the indoor unit shutoff valves) is isolated by closing those valves, while other segments remain operational. This segmentation approach transforms the problem from isolating the entire indoor unit to isolating only the specific leaking portion, thereby reducing overall refrigerant loss while maintaining system reliability.
2Reliability
If the liquid relay shutoff valve is closed to isolate the indoor unit, then refrigerant flow into the indoor unit is prevented, but the leakage area includes the entire portion between the shutoff valves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces indoor unit shutoff valves that create finer segmentation within the indoor unit section. This allows the leakage area to be confined to a small specific portion rather than the entire area between the relay unit shutoff valves. The segmentation enables precise isolation of the leaking component while maintaining the rest of the system operational.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by placing shutoff valves at specific locations around the indoor unit (liquid connection pipe side and gas connection pipe side). This creates localized control zones that can be independently isolated. When leakage occurs, only the local area between these valves is affected, while the rest of the system continues to function normally.
3Reliability
If both liquid relay shutoff valve and gas relay shutoff valve are closed to stop refrigerant flow, then refrigerant leakage is contained, but refrigerant flow through the relay unit is completely blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the refrigerant circuit so that the indoor unit section can be isolated independently from the relay unit section. This allows the relay unit shutoff valves to remain open and maintain refrigerant flow through the relay unit, while only the specific leaking portion within the indoor unit is isolated by closing the indoor unit shutoff valves. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling localized containment without blocking overall system productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
When refrigerant leakage occurs, a controller in an air conditioner performs first shutoff control to open a liquid relay shutoff valve and close an indoor expansion valve and a gas relay shutoff valve on the basis of information from a refrigerant leakage detector.