Heat-Medium Air Conditioning Layout to Limit Refrigerant Leakage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-conditioning apparatuses for buildings face challenges such as high energy consumption due to long heat medium circulation paths, poor construction ease, high costs, noise, and risks of refrigerant leakage, especially when using multiple indoor units and complex piping configurations.
Innovation Solution
The air-conditioning apparatus incorporates a refrigerant circuit with a heat source side compressor, heat exchanger, and expansion devices connected by refrigerant pipes, along with a heat medium circuit featuring a pump, heat exchanger, and flow control devices, allowing for efficient heat transfer between refrigerants and heat media without direct refrigerant circulation to indoor units, using a reduced number of pipes for improved construction and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If refrigerant is circulated directly to indoor units, then cooling/heating efficiency is improved, but refrigerant leakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat medium (water or antifreeze solution) as an intermediary substance that carries thermal energy between the outdoor heat source unit and indoor heat exchangers. This heat medium circulates through a closed loop system, allowing heat transfer without direct refrigerant contact in indoor spaces, thereby eliminating refrigerant leakage risks while maintaining thermal efficiency through proper heat exchanger design
2Adaptability or versatility
If heat medium circulation path is lengthened to connect outdoor unit to multiple indoor units, then system versatility is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple heat medium circulation paths into a single integrated closed-loop system where the heat medium serves all indoor units sequentially. By combining the circulation functions and using a unified pump system, the patent reduces the total length of piping required compared to separate circulation systems for each indoor unit, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining the ability to serve multiple zones
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pipes are used to connect outdoor unit to indoor units for heat medium circulation, then heating and cooling functions are improved, but construction complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal heat medium circulation system where a single set of pipes serves dual purposes for both heating and cooling operations. The heat medium (water or antifreeze solution) can flow in either direction through the same piping infrastructure, and the system can switch between heating and cooling modes by reversing the flow direction or adjusting valve positions, thereby eliminating the need for separate pipe systems for each function and significantly simplifying construction
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 configuration reduces energy consumption, enhances safety by minimizing refrigerant leakage, and simplifies construction while maintaining high efficiency and flexibility for both heating and cooling operations.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger for a primary refrigerant and a secondary refrigerant is disposed near each indoor unit to convey the secondary refrigerant to the indoor unit
Implementation Method 2
a first compressor, a first refrigerant flow switching device, a heat source side heat exchanger, a plurality of first expansion devices
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of first expansion devices, and refrigerant side passages of a plurality of first heat exchangers
Data Source
AI summary
An air-conditioning apparatus once transfers energy to a heat medium other than a refrigerant and introduces the heat medium to another refrigeration cycle to achieve safety improvement and high efficiency. An air-conditioning apparatus allows first heat exchangers related to heat medium to exchange heat between a first refrigerant (heat source side refrigerant) and a first heat medium and allows a second heat exchanger related to heat medium to exchange heat between the first heat medium and a second refrigerant (hot water supply side refrigerant), such that the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant are prevented from mixing with each other.