Air Conditioning Apparatus Flow Control for Multi-Room Load Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In hot water heaters with multiple indoor radiators, adjusting outward temperatures according to individual heat radiation loads is not possible, leading to inconsistent air temperatures and reduced comfort in rooms.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning apparatus with a pump, multiple indoor heat exchangers, flow regulating valves, and a control unit that adjusts the flow rate of a heat medium to each heat exchanger based on load and temperature measurements, ensuring balanced temperature distribution across multiple units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple indoor radiators are provided in parallel in a water circuit, then the air conditioning apparatus can serve multiple rooms, but outward temperature adjustment according to individual heat radiation loads becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single water circuit into multiple independent water circuits, each serving a specific indoor radiator. This segmentation allows each circuit to be controlled independently with its own flow regulating valve and pump, enabling individual outward temperature adjustment for each room while maintaining the ability to serve multiple rooms simultaneously.
2Device complexity
If a single water circuit is used for multiple indoor radiators, then the system structure is simple, but blowout air temperatures demanded of respective radiators cannot be obtained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality control by providing each indoor radiator with its own flow regulating valve and temperature sensor. This allows each radiator to receive heat medium at the specific flow rate and temperature required for its room's heat radiation load, achieving precise blowout air temperature control while maintaining relatively simple system structure through modular design.
3Productivity
If outward temperature is controlled for one radiator, then that radiator achieves adequate flow rate, but other radiators cannot achieve their demanded temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic control by equipping each water circuit with an independent pump and flow regulating valve that can adjust operational parameters in real-time based on room temperature feedback. This dynamic adjustment capability allows each radiator to achieve its required flow rate and temperature independently, satisfying temperature demands across multiple radiators simultaneously while maintaining adequate productivity.
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
The apparatus improves comfort by ensuring consistent air temperatures and efficient operation across multiple rooms, optimizing the flow rate and temperature control of each indoor unit.
Implementation Method 1
a heat source device that adjusts a temperature of the heat medium
Implementation Method 2
a pump that circulates a heat medium in a heat medium circuit
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioning apparatus includes a pump flow regulating valves that are respectively provided for indoor heat exchangers, heat medium temperature detection units, and a control unit that controls the pump such that a heat medium at a predetermined flow rate circulates through a heat medium circuit, and controls the flow regulating valves such that a flow rate of a heat medium flowing through a largest load indoor heat exchanger becomes equal to a largest heat load target flow rate calculated based on a heat load on the largest heat load indoor heat exchanger and a flow rate of a heat medium flowing through a residual heat load indoor heat exchanger becomes equal to a residual heat load target flow rate calculated based on a heat load on the residual heat load indoor heat exchanger and a temperature of a heat medium flowing into the largest load indoor heat exchanger.