Air conditioning system

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a growing need to reduce power consumption in air-conditioning systems, as existing technologies have not effectively addressed this challenge.

Innovation Solution

An air-conditioning system that includes an outside air processing device and indoor units, with a control unit that adjusts the airflow rate to each target space based on the operating state of the indoor units, prioritizing increased airflow to spaces with higher load factors during total airflow rate increments, thereby reducing power consumption and load factor variations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the total airflow rate of the outside air processing device is increased to meet higher cooling or heating demands, then the system can serve more spaces or higher loads, but the power consumption of the outside air processing device increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetotal airflow rateVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the total airflow rate control into individual target space-level controls. The controller adjusts the flow rate of outside air supplied to each target space independently based on the operating state of indoor units in that space, rather than uniformly increasing total airflow. This segmentation allows the system to meet cooling/heating demands while minimizing unnecessary airflow and associated power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies local quality by differentiating airflow rate adjustments across different target spaces based on their specific needs. The controller identifies which target spaces have indoor units operating at high load factors and preferentially increases airflow to those specific spaces, rather than uniformly distributing airflow increases. This localized approach ensures power is consumed only where necessary to meet actual demands.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If the outside air processing device supplies equal airflow to all target spaces, then the system is simple to control, but indoor units in different spaces operate at widely varying load factors reducing overall efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol simplicityVSAvoidenergy efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the operating state of indoor units in each target space and using this information to dynamically adjust the outside air flow rate distribution. The controller receives feedback on load factors from individual indoor units and automatically redistributes airflow to optimize efficiency, maintaining simple operation from the user perspective while achieving sophisticated energy management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3978820B1Air conditioning system
Publication Date: 2023.08.09 DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP3978820B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3978820B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3978820B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An air-conditioning system (100) includes an outside air processing device (10), an air-conditioning device (20), and a control unit (30). The outside air processing device (10) adjusts the temperature of outside air taken thereinto, and supplies the outside air to a plurality of indoor spaces. The air-conditioning device (20) includes a plurality of indoor units (22) at least one of which is installed in each of a plurality of target spaces (SP1, SP2) that are some or all of the indoor spaces. The air-conditioning device (20) adjusts the temperatures of air in the target spaces (SP1, SP2). The control unit (30) adjusts the flow rate of air blown into each target space (SP1, SP2) by the outside air processing device (10) in accordance with an operating state of the at least one of the indoor units (22) to reduce power consumption of the air-conditioning system (100).