Air conditioning device and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional air conditioning systems in hot and humid climates face high electricity consumption and mold growth issues due to inefficient moisture and heat transfer, leading to reduced building durability and lifetime.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioning device employs a rotating energy exchanger with aluminum disc-type honeycomb structures in both supply and exhaust channels, where exhaust air is cooled before the exchanger to reduce absolute humidity, and a cooler is placed downstream in the supply channel to lower the supply air below the dew point, along with air filters and a water recovery system to minimize energy consumption and prevent mold growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional coolers are used to cool supply air in hot and humid climates, then the air temperature is reduced to desired levels, but the relative humidity increases significantly causing mold problems
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust air is cooled before entering the rotating energy exchanger, which pre-cools the supply air downstream. This preliminary cooling action allows the supply air to be cooled below dew point more efficiently, causing moisture condensation and removal before the air is supplied to the indoor space, thus preventing mold growth while achieving desired temperature levels
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating energy exchanger utilizes phase transition of moisture from vapor to liquid condensate. By cooling the supply air below its dew point temperature, water vapor condenses on the cooled surfaces of the rotating exchanger, effectively removing humidity from the supply air while maintaining comfortable temperature levels
2Quantity of substance
If exhaust air is cooled before the energy exchanger, then moisture is removed from supply air more effectively, but additional energy is required for cooling exhaust air
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling of exhaust air and the cooling of supply air are merged through the rotating energy exchanger system. The cooled exhaust air serves as a cooling medium for the supply air downstream, creating a coupled system where the energy invested in cooling exhaust air is utilized to cool supply air, achieving moisture removal with reduced net energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own exhaust air as the cooling medium for the supply air. By cooling the exhaust air before the energy exchanger, the system creates a cold source that automatically cools the supply air downstream without requiring external energy input, making the system self-sufficient in its cooling operation
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
This approach significantly reduces energy consumption by up to 80% and extends building lifetime by maintaining low humidity, providing substantial water savings and financial benefits through water recovery.
Implementation Method 1
between the supply channel and the exhaust channel there is a rotating energy exchanger... they alternately warm up in the warmer air stream and cool down in the cooler air stream, transferring heat between the supply channel and the exhaust channel air streams
Implementation Method 2
when cooling the hot and humid air below the dew point, the water condenses on the surface of the discs, and as the discs rotate the water is transferred into the drier and colder air stream
Implementation Method 3
the exhaust channel comprises, before the energy exchanger, an additional cooler for lowering the temperature of the exhaust air stream before the energy exchanger
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The air conditioning device according to the invention is intended for controlling humidity and temperature of supply air drawn from an outdoor space into an indoor space. The air conditioning device comprises a supply channel (2) having a first blower (1) for conducting supply air from an outdoor space (3) into an indoor space (4), and an exhaust channel (6) having a second blower (5) for conducting exhaust air from the indoor space (4) into the outdoor space (3). Further, between the supply channel and the exhaust channel there is a rotating energy exchanger (7), and in the supply channel there is a cooler (9) downstream of the energy exchanger for lowering the temperature of the supplied supply air below the dew point. According to the invention, the exhaust channel comprises, before the energy exchanger, an additional cooler (11) for lowering the temperature of the exhaust air stream before the energy exchanger.