Comfort units and systems, methods, and devices for use thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing environmental control systems fail to provide a customizable and comfortable microenvironment for individuals in uncomfortable macro-environments, such as poorly conditioned buildings or outdoor locations, leading to inefficient energy use and user discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A comfort unit equipped with a thermal regulation module and air delivery module, utilizing a heat exchanger and thermal storage material, creates a customizable thermal microenvironment by heating, cooling, or dehumidifying air, and includes a sensing module to detect user comfort levels and adjust conditions accordingly, allowing for spatial shifting of thermal loads and independent operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a traditional HVAC system conditions the entire macro-environment, then the overall environmental conditions are improved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a personalized thermal microenvironment around each user rather than conditioning the entire macro-environment. The comfort unit generates a localized zone of comfortable temperature and humidity conditions that follows the user's position, allowing the rest of the space to remain unconditioned or minimally conditioned, thus dramatically reducing energy consumption while maintaining user comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the environmental control function from a centralized macro-environment approach into distributed micro-environment zones. Each comfort unit creates an independent thermal zone around a user, enabling spatial segmentation of conditioned spaces. This allows only the necessary volume around each user to be conditioned, reducing overall energy requirements compared to conditioning the entire space.
2Ease of operation
If the comfort unit follows the user to maintain comfortable conditions, then user comfort is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The comfort unit employs self-service through autonomous operation. The system automatically tracks the user's position and adjusts the thermal microenvironment without requiring manual intervention. Sensors detect user presence and movement, and the control system autonomously regulates temperature and humidity conditions, eliminating the need for complex manual control interfaces while maintaining ease of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring user position and environmental conditions, then adjusting the thermal output accordingly. Sensors provide real-time data about user location and comfort zone parameters, and the control system processes this feedback to maintain optimal conditions dynamically as the user moves through the space.
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 comfort unit effectively maintains a comfortable temperature and humidity level for users, reducing energy consumption by up to 34% and improving user comfort, while also allowing for autonomous operation and movement within the environment.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal storage material (TSM) thermally coupled to the heat exchanger. The TSM can be constructed to store heat therein
Implementation Method 2
The thermal regulation module can include a heat exchanger and a thermal storage material (TSM) thermally coupled to the heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
The TSM can be a single phase material or a phase change material (PCM) constructed to change phase based on application of a signal thereto and/or transfer of heat
Data Source
AI summary
Despite otherwise uncomfortable conditions in a surrounding environment, a customizable microenvironment can be created around a user to maintain a comfortable temperature and/or humidity level using a comfort unit. For example, the environment may be an office building where conditions are out of the comfortable range to save on energy or for other reasons, a factory/shop environment that is poorly conditioned, or an outdoor location with little to no conditioning. A sensing unit can monitor biometric and environmental data and can determine a comfort level of the user. The comfort unit can then dynamically respond to the determined comfort level and adjust the microenvironment to improve the user's comfort level. The comfort unit can follow the user as the user moves within the macro-environment, or can otherwise move within the macro-environment to achieve certain functions, such as recharging or spatial shifting of thermal load within the overall macro-environment.