Air-Conditioning Heat Medium Feedback for Separated Flow Circuits

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Solution Overview

Problem

In air-conditioning devices with separate indoor and outdoor unit flow systems, the outdoor unit cannot detect the temperature and pressure of the heat medium flowing through the indoor unit, leading to inefficient operation and reduced air-conditioning efficiency.

Innovation Solution

An air-conditioning device with a master-side heat source device and load devices that exchange heat medium information, allowing the master-side load device to generate instruction information based on detected operation states and transmit it to the heat source devices to optimize the temperature of the heat medium flowing through the system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the flow system of the indoor unit is separated from the flow system including the compressor of the outdoor unit, then the refrigerant amount can be reduced and combustion risk is lowered, but the outdoor unit cannot detect the temperature and pressure of the heat medium flowing through the indoor unit, leading to inefficient operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion riskVSAvoidair-conditioning efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a feedback mechanism where the indoor unit detects the temperature and pressure of the heat medium and transmits this information to the outdoor unit. The outdoor unit then adjusts its operation based on this feedback, enabling efficient control despite the separated flow systems. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining operational efficiency through information feedback while keeping the systems physically separated for safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If the outdoor unit operates without detecting the actual operation state of the indoor unit, then the system structure remains simple and separate, but the outdoor unit performs wasteful operation causing deteriorated air-conditioning efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem structure complexityVSAvoidwasteful energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an information transmission mechanism that acts as an intermediary between the indoor and outdoor units. The indoor unit's operation state information is transmitted to the outdoor unit, enabling the outdoor unit to adjust its operation accordingly. This intermediary information flow enables efficient coordination without requiring a complex integrated flow system, thus reducing wasteful energy consumption while maintaining relatively simple system structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 heat source devices to perform operations aligned with the load devices' states, improving air-conditioning efficiency by ensuring appropriate temperature adjustments and reducing wasteful energy consumption.

Implementation Method 1

each including a second heat medium circuit through which a second heat medium circulates, and each configured to heat or cool the first heat medium by internally exchanging heat between the first heat medium and the second heat medium

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 2

each configured to perform air-conditioning operation of an air-conditioned space by exchanging heat between the first heat medium and air of the air-conditioned space

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentEP3943828B1Air conditioning device
Publication Date: 2024.05.29 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP3943828B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3943828B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3943828B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

An air-conditioning device includes, in a first heat medium circuit through which a first heat medium flows, one or more heat source devices cooling or heating the first heat medium, a plurality of load devices performing air-conditioning operation by exchanging heat between the first heat medium and air in an air-conditioned space, and circulation generation means causing the first heat medium to circulate through the first heat medium circuit. One of the one or more heat source devices is a master-side heat source device, and one of the plurality of load devices is a master-side load device. The master-side load device acquires detection information representing an operation state of each of the load devices, generates instruction information to control at least any of all or a part of the one or more heat source devices and the circulation generation means, based on the detection information, and transmits the instruction information to the master-side heat source device. The master-side heat source device controls at least any of all or a part of the one or more heat source devices and the circulation generation means, based on the received instruction information.