Air Conditioner Parallel Coil Design for Partial Load Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioners operate inefficiently in partial load cycles and consume excessive power for reheating due to separate heaters, failing to meet energy efficiency standards like SEER and HSPF.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioner employs a separate type configuration with an outdoor and indoor unit, utilizing a refrigerant cycle that includes a compressor, muffler, flow control valve, outdoor and indoor heat exchangers, and expansion devices, allowing for full and partial load operations with optimized refrigerant paths to minimize pressure loss and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a separate heater is used for reheating during dehumidification operation, then the air temperature can be increased, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the reheating function into the heat pump system by enabling the heat exchanger to operate in heating mode, eliminating the need for a separate heater. The compressor and heat pump components work together to provide both cooling and reheating functions through refrigerant cycle control, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining temperature control during dehumidification operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat pump system is designed to perform multiple functions: cooling, heating, and dehumidification. By controlling the refrigerant flow paths and valve configurations, the same heat exchanger can serve as both a cooling coil and a heating coil, allowing the system to reheat air without requiring additional dedicated heating equipment, thus improving energy efficiency.
2Productivity
If the cycle is configured to focus on full load operation, then full load performance is optimized, but partial load efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic control of refrigerant flow paths using multiple valves (first and second expansion valves, first and second three-way valves) that can be adjusted based on operating conditions. This allows the heat pump cycle to adapt its configuration for optimal performance whether operating at full load or partial load, maintaining energy efficiency across varying demand conditions by dynamically switching between different refrigerant circulation patterns.
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 enhances energy efficiency by minimizing power consumption and maintaining optimal indoor temperatures without separate heaters, achieving improved SEER and HSPF ratings.
Implementation Method 1
a compressor (100) and an outdoor heat exchanger (120)
Implementation Method 2
phase-changing a high-temperature and high-pressure gas-phase refrigerant compressed by a compressor (100) of an outdoor unit into a medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid-refrigerant in an outdoor heat exchanger (120)
Implementation Method 3
expanding the refrigerant passing through the first expansion valve (211) and the second expansion valve (212)
Implementation Method 4
evaporating the refrigerant flowing through the first coil (241) and the second coil (242) to phase-change into a low-temperature, low-pressure gas-phase refrigerant
Implementation Method 5
an indoor heat exchanger (240) including a first coil (241) and a second coil (242) which are branched from the gas pipe and connected in parallel
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioner comprises an outdoor unit including a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger; and an indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit by a gas pipe and a liquid pipe and having an indoor heat exchanger including a first coil and a second coil branched from the gas pipe and connected in parallel, a first manifold and a second manifold connected by refrigerant pipes to enable refrigerant to flow to the indoor heat exchanger, a first expansion valve and a second expansion valve connected in parallel to the liquid pipe and that block or expand the refrigerant, refrigerant flow pipes connecting a gas pipe side of the first manifold and an outlet side of the second expansion valve, a third expansion valve installed on the refrigerant flow pipe to block or expand the refrigerant, and a control valve installed on the gas pipe to block the refrigerant.