Air conditioning system for transferring air in an air-conditioned room

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air conditioning systems in super-insulated houses maintain identical temperature control for all rooms regardless of occupancy, leading to inefficiencies in energy usage, as they do not differentiate between occupied and unoccupied rooms.

Innovation Solution

An air conditioning system that utilizes transfer fans, motion sensors, and system controllers to adjust temperature settings based on room occupancy, using target and quasi-target environments to optimize energy efficiency by controlling air volume and temperature in each room independently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If equal temperature control is applied to all rooms regardless of occupancy, then uniform air conditioning performance is achieved, but energy efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair conditioning performanceVSAvoidenergy efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different temperature control strategies to different rooms based on their occupancy status. Occupied rooms receive standard temperature control while unoccupied rooms receive reduced temperature control (quasi-target temperature), creating localized quality differences that optimize energy efficiency while maintaining comfort where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts temperature control parameters based on real-time occupancy detection. The controller switches between target temperature control (for occupied rooms) and quasi-target temperature control (for unoccupied rooms), making the air conditioning system adaptive and dynamic rather than static and uniform.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If independent air conditioners are installed in multiple rooms, then individual room control is achieved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindividual room controlVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple air conditioning functions into a single centralized unit. One air conditioner in the air-conditioned room serves multiple rooms through transfer fans, eliminating the need for multiple independent air conditioners while maintaining individual room control capabilities through the controller's ability to manage different rooms independently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single air conditioner system performs multiple functions: it cools/conditions the air-conditioned room itself and simultaneously transfers conditioned air to multiple other rooms. The controller also performs multiple functions by managing both occupied and unoccupied rooms with different control strategies, making the system universal and multi-functional.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If target temperature control is applied to unoccupied rooms, then comfort is maintained, but energy burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomfort maintenanceVSAvoidenergy burden

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

For unoccupied rooms, the system applies partial temperature control rather than full target temperature control. The quasi-target temperature provides some conditioning (partial action) to maintain basic comfort while avoiding the full energy expenditure of maintaining exact target temperatures, representing a deliberate reduction in control intensity appropriate to the occupancy level.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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

The system achieves energy-efficient air conditioning by dynamically adjusting temperature and air volume in response to occupancy, reducing energy burden in unoccupied rooms and maintaining comfort in occupied spaces, thereby enhancing overall energy efficiency and user comfort.

Implementation Method 1

motion sensors for detecting whether the room is occupied or unoccupied

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMotion detection:

Implementation Method 2

transfer fans for transferring air into the rooms constituting the house from the air-conditioned room

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAir transfer: Fan

Data Source

PatentUS11940166B2Air conditioning system for transferring air in an air-conditioned room

Publication Date: 2024.03.26 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

An air conditioning system is provided, which includes a transfer fan for transferring air to a room as a space in a house from an air-conditioned room, a motion sensor for detecting whether the room is occupied or unoccupied and an air conditioning system controller for controlling the transfer fan. In the air conditioning system, a target air conditioning environment obtaining section obtains at least a target air conditioning environment of the room, an occupied-room air conditioning environment section controls the transfer fan that transfers air to the occupied room to approximate the occupied room to the target air conditioning environment according to information from the motion sensor and an unoccupied-room air conditioning environment section controls the transfer fan that transfers air to the unoccupied room to approximate the unoccupied room to a quasi-target air conditioning environment where an energy burden is lower than that of the occupied room according to information from the motion sensor.