Air-conditioning apparatus and air-conditioning system determining valve setting error
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air-conditioning apparatuses fail to accurately determine the correspondence between connected pipes and setting pipes, leading to closed path setting errors, which can cause operation stoppages due to extreme refrigerant pressure issues and prevent proper temperature conditioning, resulting in customer complaints.
Innovation Solution
The air-conditioning apparatus includes a control unit that detects the presence of closed path setting errors by identifying closed path pipes in the connection information and uses a flowchart-based detection operation to correct discrepancies between connected and setting pipes, ensuring accurate pipe correspondence without mid-operation stops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If connection information is set manually by workers during construction, then the air-conditioning apparatus can be installed with basic functionality, but correspondence errors between connected pipes and setting pipes occur leading to operation failures
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of pipe correspondence errors by comparing connection information stored in the storage unit with actual refrigerant flow patterns detected during system operation. This preliminary check identifies mismatches between setting pipes and connected pipes before they cause operational failures, allowing for early correction of installation errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback loop where the detection unit continuously monitors refrigerant flow patterns and compares them against the connection information in the storage unit. When discrepancies are detected, the system provides feedback to identify specific erroneous connections, enabling workers to correct pipe correspondences based on objective data rather than manual verification alone.
2Productivity
If conventional detection methods are used that do not consider closed path settings, then the system can operate normally under ideal conditions, but closed path setting errors cause operation stoppages due to extreme refrigerant pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The detection unit performs preliminary identification of closed path setting errors by analyzing refrigerant flow patterns before they lead to extreme pressure conditions. The system detects when a pipe designated as connected in the connection information does not actually have a second unit attached, allowing for early intervention before operation stoppages occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential closed path errors by continuously monitoring refrigerant pressure and flow patterns. When anomalies indicative of closed path settings are detected, the system can alert operators to correct the connection information before extreme pressure conditions develop that would force operation stoppages for safety.
3Measurement precision
If the opening/closing valve is forcibly switched in the presence of closed path errors, then pipe correspondence might be corrected, but the number of functional evaporators or condensers becomes extremely small causing operation stoppage
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback on the operational status of evaporators and condensers when pipe correspondence errors are detected. By monitoring which second units remain functional after valve switching, the system can identify when correction actions would leave insufficient functional units, preventing operation stoppages caused by over-correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection unit identifies specific pipes with correspondence errors and recommends targeted corrections rather than forcing all valves to switch positions. This partial action approach corrects only the necessary connections while maintaining sufficient functional evaporators and condensers to keep the system operating.
4Loss of time
If manual connection setting is performed without automated verification, then installation is simpler and faster, but correspondence errors go undetected requiring customer complaints to reveal problems
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-verification of pipe connections by automatically comparing connection information in the storage unit with actual refrigerant flow patterns detected by the detection unit. This self-service capability provides immediate feedback on connection accuracy without requiring extended manual verification procedures, maintaining installation speed while improving detection of correspondence errors.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a first unit including a first unit including a compressor and a first heat exchanger; a plurality of second units each including a second heat exchanger and each being connected to the first unit via a plurality of branched pipes; a plurality of valves configured to open to permit refrigerant flows and close to not permit the refrigerant flows; a storage unit configured to store connection information indicating a relationship of connection between the plurality of second units and the plurality of pipes; a closed path pipe that is any of the plurality of branched pipes to which no second unit is connected, and a control unit configured to detect whether the closed path pipe is included in the connection information.