Air-conditioning device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-conditioning devices with heat pump systems struggle to sense erroneous installation of components during defrosting, leading to compromised heating performance and comfort.
Innovation Solution
An air-conditioning device equipped with a main circuit, a flow channel-switching unit, a bypass pipe, temperature-detecting units, an operation control unit, and an erroneous installation-sensing unit, which allows for the detection of temperature differences between parallel heat exchangers to sense erroneous installations and maintain continuous heating during defrosting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flow channel-switching unit is used to perform defrosting on a selected heat exchanger, then defrosting can be performed without stopping indoor heating, but the system cannot sense erroneous installation of the flow channel-switching unit or temperature-detecting units
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses temperature detection feedback from all parallel heat exchangers to verify proper installation. The control unit compares detected temperatures with expected temperature relationships during defrosting operation, and generates error signals when discrepancies indicate incorrect installation of the flow channel-switching unit or temperature-detecting units.
Solution Approach 2:
Temperature-detecting units serve as intermediaries to monitor the state of each heat exchanger. By detecting temperatures in all parallel heat exchangers and comparing them against expected patterns during defrosting, the system can indirectly verify correct installation of the flow channel-switching unit without requiring direct mechanical sensors on the switching mechanism.
2Ease of manufacture
If the flow channel-switching unit is erroneously connected to a heat exchanger other than the intended target, then defrosting cannot be performed normally, but the existing system cannot detect this erroneous installation
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives temperature feedback from all parallel heat exchangers and verifies that the temperature relationships match expected patterns during defrosting operation. If the flow channel-switching unit is incorrectly connected, the temperature feedback will show anomalies (such as the wrong heat exchanger showing defrosting temperatures), triggering error detection and alerting the user to incorrect installation.
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 effectively senses and corrects erroneous component installations, ensuring normal defrosting operations without stopping indoor heating, thus maintaining comfort and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a flow channel-switching unit connected to the plurality of parallel heat exchangers and configured to select a certain parallel heat exchanger out of the plurality of parallel heat exchangers as a defrosting target
Implementation Method 2
a bypass pipe configured to cause part of a refrigerant emitted from the compressor to flow into the parallel heat exchanger selected as the defrosting target
Implementation Method 3
a temperature-detecting unit configured to detect temperatures of the refrigerant in the plurality of parallel heat exchangers
Implementation Method 4
an operation control unit configured to operate the flow channel-switching unit such that an operation mode is switched between a normal heating operation mode and a defrosting heating operation mode
Implementation Method 5
an erroneous installation-sensing unit configured to sense erroneous installation of an installed component associated with the defrosting based on a magnitude relationship between the detected temperatures in the plurality of parallel heat exchangers
Data Source
AI summary
An air-conditioning device includes a main circuit in which a refrigerant circulates; a flow channel-switching unit that selects a certain parallel heat exchanger as a defrosting target; a bypass pipe; a temperature-detecting unit; and one or more processors. The processor(s) operates the flow channel-switching unit such that an operation mode is switched between a normal heating operation mode in which the parallel heat exchangers serve as evaporators and a defrosting heating operation mode in which one parallel heat exchanger is selected as the defrosting target to cause part of the refrigerant to flow thereinto via the bypass pipe and the other parallel heat exchangers serves as an evaporator. The processor(s) senses erroneous installation of an installed component based on a magnitude relationship between the detected temperatures in the parallel heat exchangers detected by the temperature-detecting unit.