Air conditioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air conditioners face challenges in reducing ventilation hole requirements, enhancing defrost performance, and easy installation in small and narrow spaces, particularly due to limitations in heat exchange efficiency and frost generation during low outdoor temperatures.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioner design includes an indoor device, an outdoor device connected via a refrigerant pipe, a ventilation unit for heat exchange, and a guidance duct system that communicates with the outdoor device to guide indoor air for improved ventilation and defrost performance, reducing the need for external ventilation holes and facilitating installation in confined spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a ventilation unit is installed in an outdoor device installation room, then ventilation function is provided, but the number of ventilation holes increases and construction cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ventilation unit with the outdoor device installation room by guiding exhaust air from the ventilation unit to the air inhalation portion of the outdoor device. This integration allows the outdoor device to serve dual purposes: its original cooling/heating function and the ventilation function, thereby reducing the need for separate ventilation holes and lowering construction costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The outdoor device is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the cooling/heating device and the air outlet for the ventilation system. By making the outdoor device universal, the patent eliminates the need for dedicated ventilation exhaust holes, thus reducing construction complexity and cost while maintaining effective ventilation.
2Volume of moving object
If the outdoor device installation room is small and narrow, then space utilization is improved, but the connection operation of the ventilation exhaust duct becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible exhaust duct that can dynamically adapt to the spatial constraints of small and narrow installation rooms. The flexible nature of the duct allows it to be easily routed and connected in confined spaces, making installation and connection operations straightforward despite limited space availability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If outdoor air is used for ventilation during heating operation, then ventilation is provided, but heating performance is lowered due to temperature difference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of cold outdoor air (which lowers heating performance) into a beneficial effect by using the exhaust air from the ventilation unit, which has been warmed by the outdoor device's heat exchanger. This approach utilizes the waste heat from the outdoor device to preheat the ventilation air, thereby maintaining heating performance while providing ventilation during heating operations.
4Temperature
If a heat exchanger is installed in the ventilation unit for heat exchange, then heating performance deterioration is minimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of installing a separate heat exchanger in the ventilation unit, the patent merges the heat exchange function with the outdoor device's existing heat exchanger. The exhaust air from the ventilation unit passes through the outdoor device's heat exchanger, utilizing its thermal exchange capability. This approach maintains heating performance without increasing the complexity of the ventilation unit itself.
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 minimizes construction costs, enhances defrost performance, and allows for easier installation in tight spaces by reducing the number of ventilation holes and improving heat exchange efficiency, while maintaining effective heating and cooling performance.
Implementation Method 1
When a heat exchanger for exchanging heat of indoor air and outdoor air is installed in the ventilation unit, a temperature of outdoor air rises or falls by exchanging heat with indoor air while passing through the heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
indoor air exhausted from a ventilation unit is inhaled into an air inhalation portion of an outdoor device... upon performing a heating operation, indoor air... can minimize generation of frost on an outdoor heat exchanger
Data Source
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AI summary
An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes: an indoor device (2) installed at indoor; an outdoor device (4) connected to the indoor device (2) using a refrigerant pipe (3); a ventilation unit (6) for exchanging heat of outdoor air and indoor air while ventilating indoor air and outdoor air; and a guidance duct (14) for communicating the ventilation unit (6) and an air inhalation portion (24) of the outdoor device (4) in order to guide indoor air exhausted from the ventilation unit (6) to an air inhalation portion formed in the outdoor device (4). Therefore, the number of ventilation holes to form in an outer wall of a building can be minimized, a construction cost can be reduced, and performance of the air conditioner can be improved.