Air Conditioner Valve Kit Design for Easy Indoor Unit Addition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-conditioning apparatuses face challenges when indoor space loads and indoor unit loads become mismatched after installation, necessitating complex construction work to enhance air-conditioning performance, as they are initially designed for equal loads.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes valve kits with inclined distal ends on refrigerant pipes to allow easy addition of new indoor units without stopping the system, using branch joints and operation valves to connect additional pipes, ensuring refrigerating machine oil flows downwards and does not soil the valve kits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the air-conditioning apparatus is designed with fixed load matching between indoor space and indoor unit, then the initial design is simple, but the adaptability to load changes after installation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the refrigerant piping system into modular components with standardized valve kits installed at strategic locations. This segmentation allows independent addition or modification of indoor units without affecting the entire system, enabling load adjustments while maintaining the original simple design structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces dynamic adaptability through easily accessible valve kits and branch joints that enable the system configuration to change after installation. The standardized connection interfaces allow the refrigerant distribution network to dynamically adapt to varying load requirements by adding or removing indoor units as needed.
2Reliability
If new indoor units are added to enhance air-conditioning performance, then the air-conditioning performance is improved, but the construction work complexity and system stoppage requirement increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary action by pre-installing valve kits and branch joints during the initial system installation. These pre-positioned components create ready-made connection points that simplify future expansions, allowing new indoor units to be added through straightforward connections without complex construction work or system stoppage.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized valve kits serve multiple functions: they act as flow control valves during initial installation, serve as connection points for future indoor unit additions, and provide isolation capabilities for maintenance. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components when enhancing air-conditioning performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If valve kits are installed horizontally on refrigerant pipes, then the installation is straightforward, but refrigerating machine oil accumulates in the valve kits causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies asymmetry by installing valve kits at inclined angles rather than horizontally. This asymmetric orientation exploits gravity to prevent refrigerating machine oil from accumulating in the valve kit body, allowing oil to naturally drain downward while maintaining easy access for operation and installation.
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
Enables easy addition of new indoor units without stopping the air-conditioning apparatus, maintaining performance and preventing refrigerating machine oil from soiling the valve kits, thus simplifying the installation process.
Implementation Method 1
the distal end portions are inclined upwards relative to a horizontal direction... ensuring refrigerating machine oil flows downwards and does not soil the valve kits
Data Source
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AI summary
In an air-conditioning apparatus, an outdoor unit installed in an outdoor space and an indoor unit installed in an indoor space are connected by refrigerant pipes to form a refrigerant circuit. One or more pairs of valve kits are provided at the refrigerant pipes by which the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected, and allow a pair of additional refrigerant pipes on an inflow side and an outflow side to be connected to one of the one or more pairs of valve kits, the pair of additional refrigerant pipes being additionally provided to enable a new indoor unit to be added after installation of the air-conditioning apparatus. The valve kits of the one or more pairs of valve kits have respective distal end portions that are inclined upwards relative to a horizontal direction. The distal end portions each allow an associated one of the additional refrigerant pipe to be connected to the distal end portion.