Air-conditioner with fluid tank
Solution Overview
Problem
The installation and maintenance of split air conditioners are difficult and often require licensed personnel due to the use of hazardous refrigerants, necessitating a safer and easier connection mechanism between indoor and outdoor units.
Innovation Solution
A fluid tank with distinct high-pressure and low-pressure chambers, equipped with inclined inlets and outlets, quick connectors, and a purge valve, facilitates easy filling and air removal from the heat transfer fluid system, allowing for the use of non-hazardous fluids and simplifying the installation process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If hazardous refrigerants are used in split air conditioners, then cooling efficiency is improved, but installation and maintenance difficulty increases and requires licensed personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a fluid tank as an intermediary component between the indoor and outdoor units. This tank is pre-filled with non-hazardous heat transfer fluid and includes a filling opening that allows easy fluid top-up without requiring licensed personnel. The fluid tank acts as a mediator that decouples the hazardous refrigerant system from user-friendly fluid handling, enabling unlicensed users to perform maintenance while the system maintains efficient cooling performance through the heat transfer fluid.
2Reliability
If hazardous refrigerants are used in split air conditioners, then cooling performance is maintained, but safety and ease of handling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the air conditioning system into distinct functional parts: the indoor unit containing the evaporator and blowers, the outdoor unit containing the compressor and condenser, and a separate fluid tank. This segmentation allows the hazardous refrigerant to be contained in specific sealed components while the fluid tank uses safe, non-hazardous heat transfer fluid. Users can safely handle, fill, and maintain the fluid tank without exposure to harmful refrigerants, thus maintaining cooling performance while improving safety.
3Reliability
If complex connection mechanisms are used between indoor and outdoor units, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid tank is designed with self-service features including a user-accessible filling opening with a cap that can be easily opened and closed by unlicensed personnel. The tank includes level indicators and simple connection interfaces that allow users to independently monitor fluid levels and perform top-ups without requiring specialized knowledge or tools. This self-service design maintains system reliability through proper fluid management while dramatically reducing installation and maintenance complexity.
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 and safe installation and maintenance of air conditioners by allowing non-licensed personnel to handle the system, using non-hazardous fluids, and ensuring efficient air removal from the circulating fluid system.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid (e.g. water or an alcohol based fluid) in which heat can be transferred from one unit to the other
Data Source
AI summary
An air-conditioner having a fluid tank configured to connect an indoor unit of the air-conditioner with an outdoor unit of the air-conditioner. The fluid tank comprises a first chamber, and a second chamber. The first chamber comprises a high-pressure inlet and a high-pressure outlet. The second chamber comprises a low-pressure inlet, a low-pressure outlet and a low-pressure filling opening.