Outdoor unit of air conditioner, air conditioner, and air-conditioning management method

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air conditioner technologies fail to provide timely notification for maintenance needs of outdoor heat exchange units due to varying fan motor load caused by changes in air conditioning load, leading to potential early or late maintenance notifications.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves determining the need for maintenance based on airflow resistance during an outdoor air-sending operation where the outdoor fan is driven without the compressor, allowing for a more accurate assessment of airflow resistance and clogging without the influence of refrigerant flow and temperature changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If fan motor load is used to detect clogging during air conditioning operation, then clogging detection can be performed, but the detection accuracy deteriorates due to varying air conditioning load affecting refrigerant temperature and air density

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclogging detection accuracyVSAvoiddetection reliability under varying loads

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs airflow resistance measurement during an outdoor air-sending operation (preliminary operation) before the actual air conditioning operation. This preliminary action allows measurement of airflow resistance under controlled conditions without the interference of refrigerant flow and heat exchange, thereby improving detection accuracy while maintaining adaptability to varying air conditioning loads.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of time

If outdoor fan motor load is monitored during air conditioning operation, then maintenance notification can be provided, but the timing of notification becomes inaccurate due to load-dependent variations in fan motor load

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance notification timing accuracyVSAvoidfan motor load variability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces direct monitoring of fan motor load during air conditioning operation with airflow resistance measurement during outdoor air-sending operation. This substitution eliminates the influence of varying air conditioning loads on the measurement, providing more accurate maintenance timing notification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If airflow resistance is measured during outdoor air-sending operation with compressor stopped, then accurate clogging detection is achieved, but the operation complexity increases due to additional operational modes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveairflow resistance measurement accuracyVSAvoidoperational mode complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The outdoor air-sending operation serves multiple functions: it enables accurate airflow resistance measurement for clogging detection, provides a controlled environment for measurement without refrigerant flow interference, and can be integrated into the existing air conditioner operational sequence. This multi-functionality justifies the addition of the operational mode by providing significant measurement accuracy improvements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 enables timely and accurate notification of maintenance needs for outdoor heat exchange units, improving heat exchange efficiency and reducing electricity costs by ensuring appropriate maintenance timing.

Implementation Method 1

the airflow resistance is increased to cause decrease of the heat exchange efficiency

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAirflow resistance: Drag

Data Source

PatentEP3578896B1Outdoor unit of air conditioner, air conditioner, and air-conditioning management method

Publication Date: 2023.01.18 HITACHI JOHNSON CONTROLS AIR CONDITIONING INC

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AI summary

Provided is an outdoor unit for an air conditioner and the like that provide notification of whether maintenance is needed for an outdoor heat exchange unit in appropriate timing. The outdoor unit for the air conditioner includes : a compressor; an outdoor heat exchange unit through which a refrigerant flows by driving of the compressor; an outdoor fan that includes an outdoor fan motor and is installed near the outdoor heat exchange unit; and a control unit that provides notification of whether maintenance is needed for the outdoor heat exchange unit based on an airflow resistance during an outdoor air-sending operation in which the outdoor fan is driven to send outdoor air into the outdoor heat exchange unit while the compressor is stopped. This makes it possible to provide the notification of whether the maintenance is needed for the outdoor heat exchange unit in appropriate timing.