Electric Control Box Refrigerant Cooling for High-Temperature AC Operation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Air conditioners face poor heat dissipation at high temperatures, affecting the service life and reliability of electric control boxes and limiting the operating frequencies of variable frequency air conditioners.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a heat dissipation coolant pipe within the electric control box, connected to both the outdoor condenser and indoor evaporator, which uses electronic expansion valves and throttle valves to manage coolant flow, ensuring timely heat removal and preventing condensation, thereby enhancing reliability and allowing high operating frequencies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If air cooling is used for the electric control box, then the structure is simple, but the heat dissipation effect is poor at high temperatures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature of electric control boxVSAvoidservice life and reliability of air conditioner
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A heat dissipation coolant pipe is introduced as an intermediary substance (refrigerant) to transfer heat from the electric control box to the outdoor condenser. The coolant pipe acts as a thermal conduit, allowing efficient heat removal without direct air contact, thereby solving the poor heat dissipation problem at high temperatures while maintaining system reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the refrigerant circulation system (pneumatic/hydraulic principle) to achieve heat dissipation. The refrigerant flows through the heat dissipation coolant pipe, absorbing heat from the electric control box components and transporting it to the outdoor condenser, where it is released to the environment, providing effective cooling at high temperatures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Productivity

If variable frequency air conditioner operates at high frequencies, then cooling capacity increases, but heat dissipation becomes insufficient at high temperatures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperating frequency and cooling capacityVSAvoidtemperature of electric control box
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The heat dissipation coolant pipe is pre-installed within the electric control box, with the refrigerant circulation path established before high-frequency operation begins. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when the air conditioner operates at high frequencies, the cooling system is already in place to immediately remove heat, preventing temperature buildup that would limit operating frequency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Temperature

If heat dissipation is improved using refrigerant cooling, then temperature control improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature of electric control boxVSAvoidstructure of heat dissipation system
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the heat dissipation function with the existing refrigerant circulation system of the air conditioner. The heat dissipation coolant pipe is integrated into the refrigerant circuit, utilizing the same refrigerant that already circulates through the compressor and condenser. This consolidation avoids adding a separate cooling system, thereby improving temperature control without significantly increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 solution effectively lowers the temperature of electric control boxes, improves the service life and reliability of air conditioners, and enables variable frequency air conditioners to operate at high frequencies and power outputs even at high temperatures, meeting user requirements.

Implementation Method 1

a heat dissipation coolant pipe 14 arranged in an electric control box 13... timely removing heat generated by the electric control box

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

which uses electronic expansion valves and throttle valves to manage coolant flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThrottling: Valve

Data Source

PatentEP3929500B1Air conditioner control method and device, and air conditioner
Publication Date: 2023.05.17 GD MIDEA AIR CONDITIONING EQUIP CO LTD
  • EP3929500B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3929500B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Provided are an air conditioner control method and device, and an air conditioner. The air conditioner comprises an outdoor condenser, an indoor evaporator, a first electronic expansion valve, a throttle valve and a heat dissipation coolant pipe provided in an electric control box. The outdoor condenser is connected with a first end of the heat dissipation coolant pipe via the first electronic expansion valve. The indoor evaporator is connected with a second end of the heat dissipation coolant pipe via the throttle valve. The first electronic expansion valve is used to throttle a coolant in a heating mode. The throttle valve is used to throttle the coolant in a cooling mode. The air conditioner control method and device, and the air conditioner of the present invention employ a heat dissipation coolant pipe to dissipate heat from an electric control box of an air conditioner, thereby timely removing heat generated by the electric control box, lowering element temperatures, and improving the reliability and service life of the air conditioner. The invention enables a variable frequency air conditioner to operate at a high operating frequency and reach high output power efficiency under high temperatures, thereby maximizing advantages of the variable frequency air conditioner, and meeting user requirements.