Air conditioning apparatus and air conditioning method and neutralizing virus and bacteria in a room
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning systems spread pathogens like viruses and bacteria due to their design, which pressurizes rooms and disperses airborne droplets, making it difficult to avoid closed spaces, crowded conditions, and close-contact settings without compromising comfort, especially during extreme weather.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning apparatus that uses an air vacuum unit to create negative pressure in a room, with dual reservoirs and adjustable flow rates, combined with a heating and cooling device and hypochlorous acid spray to manage air circulation and temperature, while maintaining the room under reduced pressure to prevent pathogen dispersion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If air conditioning systems blow hot or cool air from ceiling outlets to condition the room, then the room temperature is controlled, but the room is pressurized and pathogens disperse into the air flow and spread throughout the room
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional air conditioning approach by using a vacuum pump to create negative pressure and draw air through the room, rather than forcing air into the room with positive pressure. This reversal of pressure differential prevents pathogen dispersion while achieving temperature control through the same air circulation mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of air flow (which normally disperses pathogens) into a beneficial effect by using the vacuum-induced air flow to carry pathogens to collection points. The air flow that would normally spread contamination is redirected to capture and remove pathogens from the environment
2Object-generated harmful factors
If windows and doors are opened to create air flow and remove pathogens from a room, then pathogen removal is achieved, but comfortable temperature cannot be maintained during mid-summer and mid-winter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (vacuum pump with controlled air flow) that mediates between the conflicting requirements of pathogen removal and temperature maintenance. This intermediary creates a controlled air exchange that removes pathogens while minimizing thermal loss, avoiding the need to open windows or doors
3Temperature
If air is continuously circulated through the room to maintain temperature, then temperature comfort is maintained, but pathogens are dispersed throughout the room
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts pathogens from the air circulation system by using the vacuum-induced air flow to draw pathogens out of the room environment and toward collection points. Rather than allowing pathogens to circulate with the temperature control air flow, the system actively removes them from the circulation path
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
Effectively reduces pathogen spread by maintaining negative pressure and evenly distributing temperature, ensuring comfort and safety from infection in enclosed spaces.
Implementation Method 1
an air vacuum unit that sucks in air from a prescribed space to place the prescribed space under negative pressure
Implementation Method 2
a heating and cooling device that manages a temperature of at least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir
Implementation Method 3
a heating and cooling device that manages a temperature of at least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioning apparatus includes an air vacuum pump that sucks in air from a prescribed space to place the space under negative pressure, a first hot and cool air tank that contains the sucked air, first valves that adjust the flow rate of air supplied to or discharged from the first hot and cool air tank, a second hot and cool air tank that contains the sucked air while an air flow from the air vacuum pump to the first hot and cool air tank is restricted, second valves that adjust the flow rate of air supplied to or discharged from the second hot and cool air tank, and a heating and cooling device that manages the temperature of at least one of the first and second hot and cool air tanks to which an air flow from the air vacuum pump is restricted.