Ventilation-Suppressed Air Conditioning for Faster Heating

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air conditioning systems face inefficiencies during heating operations due to increased loads when ventilation occurs during non-temperature control operations, leading to delayed heating and excessive energy consumption.

Innovation Solution

An air conditioning system that includes an air conditioner and a ventilator, where the ventilator adjusts its ventilation mode based on the air conditioner's operations, using a ventilation suppressed mode with a greater exhaust fan rotation than air supply fan to reduce heat exhaustion and implement negative pressure, and includes a carbon dioxide sensor to increase ventilation when concentrations are high, thereby managing heating loads and indoor air quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If ventilation is performed during operations not intended for temperature control (defrosting, oil recovering, thermostat off), then indoor air quality is maintained, but heating load on the air conditioner increases and temperature control efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindoor air qualityVSAvoidheating efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilator dynamically adjusts its operation mode based on the air conditioner's operational state. During temperature control operations, normal ventilation is performed. During non-temperature control operations (defrosting, oil recovering, thermostat off), the system switches to ventilation suppressed mode, dynamically adapting ventilation intensity to match heating efficiency requirements while maintaining acceptable air quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the ventilation parameter (amount of ventilation) based on the operational phase of the air conditioner. By reducing ventilation amount during non-temperature control operations, the system prevents excessive heat loss and maintains heating efficiency, while still providing minimal ventilation to preserve basic air quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If ventilation amount is increased during operations not intended for temperature control, then indoor air quality improves, but the heating load increases further causing delayed temperature stabilization

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindoor air qualityVSAvoidtemperature stabilization time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of completely stopping ventilation during non-temperature control operations, the system performs partial ventilation at a reduced amount. This partial action is sufficient to maintain basic indoor air quality and prevent excessive CO2 accumulation, while being small enough to avoid significantly increasing heating load or delaying temperature stabilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If the ventilator stops ventilation completely during non-temperature control operations, then heating load is minimized, but insufficient ventilation occurs in indoor space

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating efficiencyVSAvoidventilation sufficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an intermediate ventilation suppressed mode that acts as a mediator between complete ventilation and no ventilation. This intermediate state provides minimal ventilation sufficient for air quality maintenance during non-temperature control operations, avoiding the harmful effects of both complete ventilation (excessive heating load) and no ventilation (insufficient air quality).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 system effectively reduces the heating load on the air conditioner during non-temperature control operations, suppresses excessive carbon dioxide concentrations, and ensures efficient heating by optimizing ventilation amounts and modes, allowing for prompt temperature stabilization.

Implementation Method 1

a total heat exchanger to exchange heat between the indoor air and the outdoor air

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 2

the number of rotations of the exhaust fan is made greater than that of the air supply fan to place indoor space in a negative pressure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP2944890B1Air conditioning system
Publication Date: 2017.07.05 DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP2944890B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2944890B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2944890B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

When the air conditioner implements the temperature controlling operation, the ventilator performs ventilation in a normal ventilation mode where a ventilation amount is set at a certain ventilation amount or more. When the air conditioner implements the operation not intended for temperature control, the ventilator performs ventilation in a ventilation suppressed mode where the number of rotations of an exhaust fan is made greater than that of an air supply fan to place indoor space in a negative pressure and ventilation is performed at an amount smaller than the certain ventilation amount or ventilation is stopped. In the ventilation suppressed mode, a ventilation amount is set to be smaller in response to a greater heating load that is increased by ventilation performed during the operation not intended for temperature control.