Air Conditioner Relay Unit Segmentation for Multi-Indoor Unit Capacity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air-conditioning apparatuses for buildings face limitations in the number of indoor units that can be connected to a relay unit due to the size and weight constraints of the relay unit's casing, which restricts the number of branch lines for heat medium distribution.
Innovation Solution
The air-conditioning apparatus separates the relay heat exchanger and heat medium flow switching devices into different casings, allowing for an increase in the number of heat medium flow control devices connected to the relay unit, thereby expanding the number of indoor units that can be connected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the relay heat exchanger and heat medium flow switching devices are enclosed in a single casing, then the structure is compact and simple, but the number of indoor units that can be connected is limited due to size and weight constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The relay unit is divided into two separate casings: a first casing containing the relay heat exchanger that exchanges heat between refrigerant and heat medium, and a second casing containing the heat medium flow switching devices and flow control devices. This segmentation allows the system to support more indoor units by distributing components across multiple units, effectively resolving the contradiction between adaptability and weight.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more heat medium flow control devices are added to increase the number of connected indoor units, then the system capacity increases, but the size and weight of the relay unit casing increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the relay unit into two separate casings, the system can accommodate more heat medium flow control devices and switching devices in the second casing without increasing the volume of the first casing. This allows the number of branch lines to be increased while maintaining compact dimensions of individual casing units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single-casing three-dimensional constraint to a multi-casing distributed architecture, effectively adding a dimensional aspect to the system design. This allows the number of connected indoor units to be increased by distributing components across multiple spatial units rather than being constrained by the volume of a single casing.
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 enables a greater number of indoor units to be connected to the relay unit without increasing the size or weight of the relay unit, efficiently distributing heat medium and enhancing the system's capacity for heating and cooling operations.
Implementation Method 1
a relay heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the heat medium
Data Source
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AI summary
An air-conditioning apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit, a heat medium circuit, and a relay unit that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the heat medium. The relay unit includes a heat exchange unit that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the heat medium, and a plurality of heat medium flow switching units that supply the heat medium subjected to heat exchange in the heat exchange unit to plurality of indoor units through branched lines, and the heat exchange unit and the heat medium flow switching units are located in different casings.