Air-conditioning apparatus using heat pipe
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air-conditioning systems using indirect heat exchangers with synthetic resin, paper, or non-woven fabrics suffer from low heat exchange efficiency, leading to increased energy consumption for heating or cooling, as thermal conductivity is low, and energy efficiency is not optimized for controlling indoor air conditions.
Innovation Solution
An air-conditioning apparatus utilizing a heat pipe for heat exchange, where outside air is cooled through mist spray and evaporative latent heat, allowing for efficient mixing and control of ventilation and outside air to create supply air, reducing energy needs by leveraging evaporation latent heat and improving heat exchange efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional indirect heat exchangers with synthetic resin, paper, or non-woven fabrics are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but heat exchange efficiency is low due to low thermal conductivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from conventional low-conductivity materials (synthetic resin, paper, non-woven fabric) to high-conductivity heat pipe materials, fundamentally altering the thermal conductivity parameter to resolve the contradiction between ease of manufacture and energy efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite heat pipe structures that combine different materials with complementary properties - the heat pipe core provides high thermal conductivity while the outer shell and fins provide structural integrity and heat dissipation surface area, achieving both manufacturability and energy efficiency
2Loss of energy
If outside air is cooled by spraying mist to utilize latent heat, then energy efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional mist spray components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the mist spray cooling function with the existing heat exchange structure by integrating spray nozzles directly onto the heat pipe fins, combining two separate functions (heat exchange and evaporative cooling) into a single integrated component, thereby improving energy efficiency while minimizing the increase in device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the latent heat of evaporation of sprayed mist to cool the outside air, leveraging a natural physical phenomenon (evaporation) to provide cooling without requiring additional active cooling components, thus improving energy efficiency with minimal added 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
The system achieves reduced energy consumption and operational costs by utilizing outside air as cooling energy, enhancing energy efficiency through effective heat exchange and evaporation processes, and providing controlled temperature and humidity conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchange block (500) including a condensation unit of a heat pipe, connected to the outside air block and the air exhaust block, changing outside air introduced through the outside air block into exhaust air through the heat pipe
Implementation Method 2
changing outside air introduced through the outside air block into exhaust air through the heat pipe
Implementation Method 3
a second heat exchange block (600) including an evaporation unit of the heat pipe, connected to the ventilation block and the air supply block, changing ventilation air introduced through the ventilation block into supply air through the heat pipe
Implementation Method 4
cooling the outside air by latent heat by spraying mist
Implementation Method 5
cooling the outside air by latent heat by spraying mist
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an air-conditioning apparatus using a heat pipe. The state of the outside air is compared with the state of set supply air. The heat exchange and mixed supply of outside air and ventilation air are effectively performed by changing the passage of the ventilation air and the outside air through the selective opening/shutting of dampers, cooling the outside air through latent heat by spraying mist, and by controlling supply air in a set state through the cooling and humidification of the supply air. Accordingly, energy efficiency can be improved and the energy necessary for the air-conditioning apparatus can be reduced using the evaporation latent heat of water. Furthermore, operation costs can be reduced and financial gains can be obtained because an efficient operation can be performed in response to the state of a measured outside air.