Air conditioning apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning apparatuses face inefficiencies in refrigerant flow path configurations, which affect heat exchange performance during cooling and heating operations, particularly in plate-type heat exchangers where the fixed refrigerant flow path deteriorates performance and leads to pressure losses.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioning apparatus dynamically adjusts refrigerant flow paths by branching refrigerant into multiple heat exchangers in parallel during cooling to prevent pressure reduction and serially connecting heat exchangers during heating to enhance condensation performance, using a heat exchange device with expansion valves and bypass pipes to manage refrigerant flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the refrigerant flow path is fixed in the plate-type heat exchanger, then the structure is simple, but the heat exchange performance deteriorates due to pressure losses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the refrigerant flow path variable rather than fixed. The flow path configuration changes dynamically based on operating conditions (cooling or heating mode), allowing the system to optimize heat exchange performance for each mode while maintaining structural simplicity through a unified heat exchanger design.
2Productivity
If the refrigerant flow path length is increased for condensation, then condensation performance improves, but pressure loss increases during evaporation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the refrigerant flow path length based on the operating mode. During heating operation, the flow path is configured to be longer to enhance condensation performance. During cooling operation, the flow path is configured to be shorter to prevent excessive pressure losses and maintain adequate evaporation pressure. This dynamic reconfiguration resolves the contradiction between condensation performance and evaporation pressure.
3Stress or pressure
If the number of refrigerant flow paths is increased for evaporation, then pressure loss is reduced, but condensation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically changes the number of parallel refrigerant flow paths according to the operating mode. During cooling operation, multiple parallel flow paths are activated to reduce pressure losses and maintain evaporation pressure. During heating operation, the flow paths are reconfigured to prioritize condensation performance. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between evaporation pressure maintenance and condensation performance.
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 configuration improves heat exchange efficiency by preventing pressure losses during cooling and enhancing condensation performance during heating, leading to better overall performance and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchange device that connects the indoor unit to the outdoor unit and that is configured to perform heat exchange between the refrigerant and the water
Implementation Method 2
a first expansion valve disposed at the second refrigerant pipe, a second expansion valve disposed at the fourth refrigerant pipe
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioning apparatus includes an outdoor unit configured to circulate refrigerant, an indoor unit configured to circulate water, and a heat exchange device that connects the indoor unit to the outdoor unit and that is configured to perform heat exchange between the refrigerant and the water. The heat exchange device includes a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, a first refrigerant pipe and a second refrigerant pipe that are connected to the first heat exchanger, a third refrigerant pipe and a fourth refrigerant pipe that are connected to the second heat exchanger, a first expansion valve disposed at the second refrigerant pipe, a second expansion valve disposed at the fourth refrigerant pipe, a bypass pipe that connects the second refrigerant pipe to the third refrigerant pipe, and a bypass valve disposed at the bypass pipe.