Air Conditioner Leak Sensor Activation for Non-Operation Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air conditioners using flammable refrigerants like R32 face challenges in detecting refrigerant leakage during non-operation periods without depleting storage batteries, leading to user inconvenience and potential misinterpretation of system failure.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner design with an indoor unit, outdoor unit, and remote controller that includes a leak sensor activated during non-operation periods to detect refrigerant leakage, using power supplied by the control unit to prevent battery depletion, allowing for continuous detection without compromising user convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the refrigerant leakage detection device is operated with a storage battery during non-operation periods, then refrigerant leakage can be detected continuously, but the storage battery depletes requiring replacement and causing user inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit activates the refrigerant leakage detection device periodically based on operational patterns. During operation periods, detection is performed continuously. During non-operation periods, detection is performed at predetermined intervals rather than continuously, reducing power consumption while maintaining detection capability. This periodic activation resolves the contradiction by balancing reliability with battery conservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection system dynamically adjusts its operation mode based on the air conditioner's operational state. When the air conditioner is operating, the detection device runs continuously for maximum reliability. When the air conditioner is not operating, the detection device switches to a lower-power mode with reduced detection frequency. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain necessary detection capability while minimizing power consumption and extending battery life.
2Reliability
If the storage battery is depleted, then refrigerant leakage detection can be maintained, but normal air conditioning control operation cannot be performed
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic detection during non-operation periods rather than continuous operation, significantly reducing power consumption. This allows the storage battery to last much longer, ensuring that both refrigerant leakage detection and air conditioning control operations can function for extended periods without battery replacement, thereby resolving the productivity loss when batteries deplete.
3Loss of energy
If the air conditioner does not provide air conditioning control during non-operation periods, then power consumption is reduced, but refrigerant leakage cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
During non-operation periods when air conditioning control is not provided, the refrigerant leakage detection device is activated at predetermined intervals rather than continuously. This periodic activation maintains the ability to detect anomalies while consuming minimal power, thus resolving the contradiction between energy conservation and detection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection at scheduled intervals during non-operation periods, ensuring that refrigerant leakage can be detected even when the air conditioner is not actively running. This preliminary periodic checking maintains safety without requiring continuous power consumption, balancing energy loss with detection capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
An air conditioner (4) including an indoor unit (1), an outdoor unit (2), and a remote controller (3) that instructs the indoor unit (1) to control air conditioning includes a leak sensor (13) to detect a first anomaly, which is an anomaly relating to leakage of a refrigerant, in the indoor unit (1); a sensor (14, 23) to detects a second anomaly, which is an anomaly other than the first anomaly; and a control unit (12) to activate the leak sensor (13) and the sensor (14, 23) during an operation period in which the air conditioner (4) provides air conditioning control and to activate the leak sensor (13) during a non-operation period in which the air conditioner (4) does not provide air conditioning control.