Heat-Medium Air Conditioning Bypass Defrosting Layout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air-conditioning apparatuses for buildings face issues such as refrigerant leakage, high energy consumption due to long heat medium circulation paths, complex and costly configurations, and inefficient defrosting operations, which affect energy efficiency and safety.
Innovation Solution
An air-conditioning apparatus with a refrigerant circuit and a heat medium circuit, featuring a bypass piping system that allows for efficient defrosting and reduced piping connections, enabling shorter heat medium circulation paths and improved safety by preventing refrigerant circulation near indoor units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the refrigerant is circulated to an indoor unit, then heating or cooling can be performed, but refrigerant leakage to indoor space may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into a refrigerant circuit (outdoor unit only) and a heat medium circuit (indoor units). The refrigerant remains confined to the outdoor unit while heat medium circulates through indoor units, separating the harmful refrigerant from indoor spaces while maintaining heating/cooling functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
A heat medium (water or antifreeze) acts as an intermediary between the refrigerant and the indoor units. The refrigerant heats or cools the heat medium in the outdoor unit, and the heat medium then carries thermal energy to indoor units without direct refrigerant contact, eliminating leakage risks while preserving thermal transfer function.
2Ease of operation
If the heat medium circulation path is made long to reach indoor units, then heating or cooling can be provided, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-heats or pre-cools the heat medium in the outdoor unit before circulation. By establishing thermal energy in the heat medium at the source, the system reduces the energy required during circulation and at indoor units, compensating for the energy loss in long circulation paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat medium circulates continuously between the outdoor unit and indoor units, maintaining thermal energy transfer. This continuous circulation ensures that thermal energy is consistently delivered to indoor units despite long path lengths, optimizing energy utilization throughout the system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If four water pipings are arranged to allow simultaneous cooling and heating, then operational flexibility is improved, but construction complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat medium circulation system is designed to serve both heating and cooling functions through the same piping infrastructure. By making the heat medium circuit multi-functional, the system achieves operational flexibility comparable to four-piping systems while using fewer pipes, reducing construction complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a pump is provided to each indoor unit for secondary medium circulation, then local heat control is improved, but system cost and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple pump functions are merged into a single pump located in the outdoor unit. This centralized pump circulates heat medium through all indoor units, eliminating the need for individual pumps at each indoor unit while maintaining the ability to control heat distribution to different zones through valve regulation.
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 solution reduces energy consumption, enhances safety, and facilitates efficient defrosting operations, improving overall energy efficiency and ease of construction.
Implementation Method 1
a heat source side heat exchanger, an expansion device, and a refrigerant side passage of a heat exchanger related to heat medium connected by piping in series, the refrigerant circuit circulating a heat source side refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
a heat medium circuit including at least a heat medium side passage of the heat exchanger related to heat medium, a pump, and a use side heat exchanger connected by piping in series, the heat medium circuit circulating a heat medium
Implementation Method 3
a use side heat exchanger connected by piping in series, the heat medium circuit circulating a heat medium
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus including a refrigerant circuit having a compressor, a heat source side heat exchanger and two or more heat exchangers related to heat medium. A heat medium circuit includes two heat medium loops each including a pump. A bypass piping is provided at the refrigerant circuit for bypassing the heart exchanger related to heat medium. A controller is configured to perform a defrosting operation, a heating operation, a heat recovery defrosting operation mode, and a bypass defrosting operation that melts frost attached to the heat source side heat exchanger during the heating operation mode by passing a portion or all of the heat source side refrigerant through the bypass piping.