Air-Conditioner Imaging Timing for Stable Drain Pan Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air-conditioning devices face power supply issues when components like fans and heat exchangers are operational, leading to insufficient power for imaging devices, which can result in blurred images due to unstable water surfaces and increased power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The air-conditioning device captures images when predetermined components such as fans, heat exchangers, and drain pumps are at rest, reducing power consumption and stabilizing water surfaces, allowing for reliable image acquisition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If components such as fans and heat exchangers are operated to perform cooling functions, then cooling performance is improved, but power consumption increases and sufficient power cannot be supplied to the imaging device
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging device captures images of the drain pan before the cooling operation begins or after it ends, when power consumption is low. This preliminary action allows the imaging device to acquire necessary data during periods when sufficient power is available, resolving the contradiction between cooling performance and power supply to the imaging device.
2Productivity
If the fan is operated to transfer air, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the water surface in the drain pan becomes unstable causing blurred images
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging device captures images of the drain pan at specific timing when the fan is not operating, before air transfer begins or after it ends. This timing selection ensures the water surface is stable and not disturbed by air flow, producing clear images while still allowing cooling operations to proceed efficiently.
3Reliability
If the imaging device operates continuously to monitor the drain pan, then monitoring reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous operation, the imaging device performs periodic imaging at strategically selected moments when the cooling system is not actively running. This periodic action maintains monitoring capability while significantly reducing power consumption, as the imaging device only activates during low-power periods.
Data Source
AI summary
An air-conditioning device that allows sufficient power to be reliably supplied to an imaging device is provided. The air-conditioning device includes a control unit that makes an imaging device capture an image while at least one predetermined component of the air-conditioning device is at rest.