Air-conditioner system

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air conditioner systems face inefficiencies in heating and refrigeration cycles due to high pressure loss and energy consumption, as well as reduced refrigeration capacity during mode switching, primarily due to uneven refrigerant distribution and heat exchange inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

The integration of a heat exchanger connected to two pipelines within the air conditioner system allows for enhanced supercooling and evaporation of refrigerant, along with a bypass pipeline to reduce pressure loss and the use of a third throttle device for mode switching to maintain capacity, thereby improving heating and refrigeration performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the low-temperature high-pressure liquid refrigerant continues to release heat to increase supercooling degree, then the refrigerating and heating capacities are increased, but the system requires larger heat exchange area and longer pipeline

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverefrigerating and heating capacitiesVSAvoidheat exchange area
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the subcooling heat exchange function with the existing condenser by having the subcooled refrigerant flow through the condenser again, utilizing the same heat exchange area for dual purposes: initial heat rejection and subsequent subcooling, thereby avoiding additional heat exchange area while increasing refrigerating and heating capacities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Productivity

If the refrigerant flows through long pipelines for heat exchange, then the heat exchange quantity is increased, but the pressure drop of the gaseous refrigerant is great, increasing the cycle work amount and energy consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat exchange quantityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the subcooling process with the condenser location, allowing the refrigerant to be subcooled at the condenser rather than requiring separate long pipelines. This reduces the total pipeline length, minimizes pressure drop, and decreases the cycle work amount while still achieving the required heat exchange quantity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a subcooling heat exchanger as an intermediary component that enables efficient heat exchange in a compact form, allowing the refrigerant to release additional heat without requiring long pipeline extensions, thereby reducing pressure drop and energy consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If a heat exchanger is added to increase supercooling degree, then the heating capacity is improved, but the device complexity is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating capacityVSAvoidsystem structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the subcooling heat exchange function with the existing condenser by routing the subcooled refrigerant through the condenser again, utilizing the same heat exchange area for dual purposes. This approach improves heating capacity while avoiding the addition of separate heat exchange equipment, thereby not increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the condenser serve multiple functions: initial heat rejection and subsequent subcooling. By giving the condenser this multi-functionality, the system achieves improved heating capacity without adding new components, thus avoiding increased device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Productivity

If the refrigerant distribution in the heat exchanger is uneven, then the heat exchange performance is reduced, but the system requires additional distribution components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat exchange performanceVSAvoiddistribution components
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates a distributor at the inlet of the heat exchanger that pre-distributes the refrigerant into multiple pipelines before they enter the heat exchange coils. This preliminary distribution action ensures uniform refrigerant flow throughout the heat exchanger, improving heat exchange performance without requiring complex control systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the refrigerant flow into multiple parallel pipelines within the heat exchanger, with each pipeline receiving evenly distributed refrigerant through the distributor. This segmentation of the flow path ensures uniform heat exchange performance across all sections of the heat exchanger

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 increases heating capacity, reduces energy consumption, and maintains refrigeration capacity during mode switching by optimizing heat exchange and pressure management within the system.

Implementation Method 1

the refrigerant in the first pipeline and the refrigerant in the second pipeline exchange heat in the heat exchanger

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 2

the evaporation of the refrigerant in the second pipeline can be promoted

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 3

a high-temperature high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged by the compressor is condensed into low-temperature high-pressure liquid in the condenser

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Implementation Method 4

enters the evaporator to absorb heat and evaporate to finish a refrigeration/heating cycle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 5

the pressure loss of this part of the gaseous refrigerant in a heating cycle is reduced

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure loss reduction: Pressure Drop

Data Source

PatentEP3734199B1Air-conditioner system
Publication Date: 2022.07.27 CHONGQING HAIER AIR CONDITIONER CO LTD
  • EP3734199B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3734199B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is an air-conditioner system, comprising a compressor (1), an indoor heat-exchanger (2), a first throttling device (3) and an outdoor heat-exchanger (4) connected in series to a main circuit, with a heat exchange device (5) being further provided in the main circuit. A pipe between the first throttling device (3) and the indoor heat-exchanger (2) serves as a first pipe M, a pipe between the first throttling device (3) and the outdoor heat-exchanger (4) serves as a second pipe N, one side of the heat exchange device (5) is connected to the first pipe M, and the other side of the heat exchange device (5) is connected to the second pipe N. The first pipe M passes through one side of the heat exchange device (5), and the second pipe N passes through the other side of the heat exchange device (5). A refrigerant passing through the first pipe M and a refrigerant passing through the second pipe N can exchange heat in the heat exchange device (5). A first gas-liquid separator (6) is further provided in the main circuit, wherein the first gas-liquid separator (6) is located in a section of the second pipe N between the heat exchange device (5) and the outdoor heat-exchanger (4), and a bypass pipe L is provided between the first gas-liquid separator (6) and the compressor (1).