Electric valve control device and electric valve device including the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
In refrigeration cycle systems, the initialization process of electric valves controlled by stepping motors leads to a start delay due to the need for a prolonged waiting period for the system to complete the initialization operation, during which the system cannot adjust the refrigerant flow rate, and attempts to control the electric valve opening degree are hindered until the initialization ends.
Innovation Solution
An electric valve control device that outputs a signal indicating the end or interruption of the initialization operation, allowing the system control device to check the status and initiate the electric valve opening degree control immediately after the initialization is complete or interrupted, thereby reducing the waiting period and preventing start delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the initialization process is performed by rotating the stepping motor by a large number of pulses (e.g., 700 pulses or more) to ensure accurate positioning, then the positioning accuracy is improved, but the initialization time becomes excessively long (e.g., 8.75 seconds or more)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing a first initialization process that rotates the stepping motor by a predetermined number of pulses (e.g., 500 pulses) to bring the valve body close to the initial position, before the system actually needs to operate. This preliminary positioning reduces the burden on the second initialization process, allowing the system to achieve accurate positioning without requiring excessively long initialization times during actual operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the initialization process into two distinct phases: a first initialization process that performs coarse positioning by rotating the motor by a predetermined number of pulses, and a second initialization process that performs fine positioning by detecting the stopper position. This segmentation allows the system to balance positioning accuracy with initialization time efficiency.
2Measurement precision
If the system waits for the initialization process to complete before starting the opening degree control, then the positioning accuracy is ensured, but the system control starts with a delay
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary initialization actions (first initialization process) in advance to bring the valve body close to the initial position. This allows the main control system to start earlier without compromising final positioning accuracy, as the remaining fine positioning can be completed during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the opening degree control to start during the initialization process rather than waiting for it to complete. The system continuously performs useful actions by overlapping the initialization process with the opening degree control, ensuring that the valve positioning is finalized during normal operation while maintaining system productivity.
3Measurement precision
If the compressor operation is stopped during the initialization process to perform the initialization, then the initialization can be completed accurately, but the refrigeration cycle system cannot adjust the refrigerant flow rate during this period
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the initialization process and the refrigeration cycle operation to proceed simultaneously rather than sequentially. The opening degree control starts during the initialization process, allowing the system to maintain refrigerant flow rate adjustment capability throughout the initialization period while still achieving accurate valve positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The first initialization process performs preliminary positioning actions in advance that do not interfere with normal system operation. This allows the system to maintain productivity during initialization by performing coarse positioning before the compressor needs to operate, while fine positioning occurs during normal operation.
Data Source
AI summary
[Object] An electric valve control device capable of preventing a start delay of an electric valve control (an opening degree control) by shortening a waiting period of a system control device and an electric valve device including the same are provided.[Solving Means] An electric valve control device 11 outputs a signal indicating an end or an interruption of an initialization operation to an air conditioner ECU 16 after the initialization operation of the electric valve 9 ends or is interrupted.