Cleanroom Air Conditioning with Absolute Humidity Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning systems face inefficiencies in energy conservation due to the vapor-pressure control method, which fails to accurately control the amount of energy required for cooling and dehumidification, leading to excessive energy consumption and high costs, and are hindered by the need for large equipment and increased footprint.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning method and system that measures and calculates absolute humidity to dynamically adjust the flow rates and energy usage by separating process air into main and side streams, using measuring means and arithmetic means to determine the required amounts of cooled-dehumidified air, cooling-dehumidification-byproduct water, and humidification, allowing for precise regulation of temperature and humidity while reducing equipment size and energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the vapor-pressure control method is used for cooling and dehumidification, then the system can operate with a fixed flow ratio (1:1) between main and side streams, but the amount of energy consumed for cooling and dehumidification cannot be accurately controlled, leading to excessive energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the flow ratio between main stream and side stream adjustable rather than fixed. The control unit dynamically changes the flow ratio based on actual cooling and dehumidification requirements, allowing the system to optimize energy consumption for different operating conditions. This resolves the contradiction by enabling both ease of operation through automated control and reduced energy consumption through adaptive flow regulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of flow ratio from a fixed value to a variable parameter that can be adjusted according to actual needs. By allowing the flow ratio to change based on temperature and humidity requirements, the system can accurately control energy consumption while maintaining ease of operation through automated parameter adjustment.
2Temperature
If a refrigeration cycle with compressor, condenser, and expansion valve is used for cooling and dehumidification, then the system can provide effective cooling, but the equipment size and footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the refrigeration cycle components (compressor, condenser, expansion valve) from the air conditioning system. Instead of using these traditional cooling components, the system divides process air into main and side streams and mixes them to achieve cooling without requiring large refrigeration equipment. This resolves the contradiction by providing effective cooling through a compact alternative system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces side stream air as an intermediary medium to transfer thermal energy from the main stream air. By using the side stream air (which is at a higher temperature) to absorb heat from the main stream air (which needs cooling), the system achieves cooling without requiring traditional refrigeration cycle equipment, thereby reducing equipment footprint while maintaining cooling capability.
3Loss of substance
If the cooling dehumidifying means processes all process air, then complete dehumidification is achieved, but the equipment size and energy consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by processing only a portion of the process air through the cooling dehumidifying means (the main stream), while the remaining air (side stream) is used for mixing and temperature regulation. This partial processing approach achieves sufficient dehumidification completeness while significantly reducing energy consumption and equipment size compared to processing all air through the dehumidifier.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the process air into two separate streams: main stream (cooled and dehumidified) and side stream (used for temperature regulation and mixing). This segmentation allows the system to achieve dehumidification completeness through the main stream while using the side stream to minimize energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary cooling of air that doesn't require full dehumidification.
4Manufacturing precision
If the main stream and side stream are merged after cooling dehumidification, then the air can be regulated to predetermined temperature and humidity, but the system requires large equipment and has increased footprint
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the main stream (cooled and dehumidified air) with the side stream (warmer air) in a mixing chamber to achieve precise temperature and humidity regulation. This merging approach allows the system to reach predetermined environmental conditions without requiring large equipment, as the mixing process itself serves as an efficient temperature regulation mechanism that reduces the need for additional heating or cooling equipment.
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 approach significantly reduces energy consumption, enables a compact and cost-effective air conditioning system, and ensures that air is not excessively cooled or dehumidified, thereby achieving substantial energy savings and reducing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
the refrigeration cycle is made up of a compressor 14, an oil separator 16, a condenser 17, an electronic expansion valve 18, cooling dehumidifying means 1, an accumulator 20 and the like that are interconnected by pipes to circulate the refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
The process air flowing through the main-stream duct 37 is cooled to its dew point or lower during the passage through the cooling dehumidifying means 1, so that the water is separated as condensed water
Data Source
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AI summary
An air conditioning method achieves not only a reduction in the amount of cooling energy and the amount of dehumidification energy to approximately a limiting amount, but also a reduction in the amount of humidifying energy to approximately a limiting amount so as to provide substantial energy conservation, and enables to manufacture a compact air conditioning system at low cost. If an absolute humidity of the process air is calculated by use of measurements of changes in work conditions in cleanrooms and variations in atmospheric pressure, the required amount of air to be cooled and dehumidified flowing downstream through the main-stream duct and the required amount of humidification can be determined. Therefore, by outputting a signal indicative of the required amount of cooled-dehumidified air from the arithmetic means to actuate a controller of flow-rate regulating means, and outputting a signal indicative of the required amount of humidification from the arithmetic means to actuate a controller of humidifying means, the amount of air to be cooled and dehumidified can be reduced to the required amount of cooled-dehumidified air close to the limiting amount, thus achieving significant reductions in the amount of cooling energy, the amount of dehumidification energy, the amount of heating energy and the amount of humidifying energy.