Heat Medium Switching in Air Conditioning for Continuous Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air-conditioning systems fail to continuously supply cooling energy to spaces like computer rooms, especially when the compressor is stopped, due to limitations in heat emission and absorption capabilities.
Innovation Solution
An air-conditioning apparatus with a heat medium circulation circuit and a control device that prioritizes heat exchange in specific use side heat exchangers, allowing for continuous heat supply by circulating heat medium between absorbing and emitting heat exchangers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the compressor is stopped to save energy, then energy consumption is reduced, but the cooling energy supply to the computer room cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses itself to maintain cooling by circulating heat medium between indoor units, where one unit absorbs heat from the computer room and another unit emits the heat, allowing the system to sustain cooling without external compressor operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the functions of cooling and heating units into a unified heat medium circulation system, where indoor units can alternatively serve as heat sources or heat sinks, merging previously separate cooling and heating systems into a cooperative network
2Reliability
If water circulation is used to cool the computer room when the compressor is stopped, then cooling can be maintained, but the cooling duration is limited due to heat emission constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables continuous cooling by establishing a closed-loop heat medium circulation between indoor units, where heat absorption and heat emission occur simultaneously and continuously, eliminating the duration limitation of conventional water circulation methods
Solution Approach 2:
The heat medium (water) acts as an intermediary carrier that transports thermal energy between indoor units, enabling heat transfer without direct thermal contact and allowing flexible heat management across different locations
3Reliability
If heat medium circulation between indoor units is implemented, then continuous cooling supply is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Indoor units are designed with multi-functionality, capable of operating as either heat sources or heat sinks depending on system needs, eliminating the requirement for separate dedicated cooling and heating systems and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the roles of different indoor units based on real-time conditions, with the control device selecting which units absorb heat and which units emit heat, allowing flexible adaptation to changing cooling demands
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 enables the maintenance of air temperature for an extended period by prioritizing heat exchange in designated use side heat exchangers, ensuring continuous cooling or heating energy supply even when the compressor is stopped.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of use side heat exchangers exchanging heat between air which is heat exchange target and the heat medium by piping to constitute a heat medium circulation circuit
Data Source
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AI summary
It is possible to obtain an air-conditioning apparatus that is capable of consecutively supplying a required amount of heat to the indoor unit requiring the amount of heat over a long time as effectively as possible in the invention. The air-conditioning apparatus includes a heat medium side device in which plural pumps 21 for circulating the heat medium related to the heating or the cooling of plural intermediate heat exchangers 15 heating or cooling the circulating heat medium in each system, plural use side heat exchangers 26 performing the heat exchange between the heat medium and air subjected to heat exchange target, and plural flow path switching valves 22 and 23 performing the switching of the flow path for supplying the heat medium related to the selected system among the heating media circulating in plural systems to each use side heat exchanger 26 are connected to each other by piping to constitute a heat medium circulation circuit, and further includes a relay unit side control device 300 which performs the switching control of the flow path switching valves 22 and 23 so as to circulate the heat medium between the use side heat exchanger 26 causing the heat medium to absorb the heat and the use side heat exchanger 26 causing the heat medium 26 to emit the preferentially set heat, when it is determined that it is impossible to perform the heating or the cooling of the heat medium by the intermediate heat exchanger 15.