Heat Medium Flow Control Between Air Handling and Indoor Coils
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing air-conditioning apparatuses lack cooperation between indoor units and air handling units, leading to an imbalance in heat supply, resulting in inefficient energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
An air-conditioning apparatus with a heat medium cycle circuit that connects a heat source side unit, an air handling side heat exchanger, and an indoor side heat exchanger, allowing the heat medium to flow through the air handling side heat exchanger first, then the indoor side heat exchanger, with flow rate control devices to optimize heat exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the indoor unit and air handling unit operate independently without cooperative configuration, then each unit can function autonomously, but heat supply imbalance occurs and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the indoor unit and air handling unit into a cooperative system where the heat medium cycle circuit connects both units. The heat source side unit heats or cools the heat medium, which then flows through the air handling side heat exchanger first and subsequently through the indoor side heat exchanger, creating a unified thermal management system that eliminates energy waste from independent operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more heat is supplied to the heat medium than to the heat load, then the heat medium can satisfy multiple heat loads, but heat supply imbalance results in wasted energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the heat medium flow through the air handling side heat exchanger first, where it exchanges heat with outside air, before flowing to the indoor side heat exchanger. The air handling side flow rate control device pre-adjusts the heat medium flow rate to optimize heat exchange efficiency, ensuring that the heat medium is properly conditioned before reaching the indoor unit, thereby eliminating energy waste from heat supply imbalance.
3Productivity
If the heat medium flows through both air handling side and indoor side heat exchangers, then heat supply efficiency improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the heat medium cycle circuit to serve multiple functions: the same heat medium flow path provides heating or cooling to both the air handling unit and the indoor unit. The heat source side unit, air handling side heat exchanger, and indoor side heat exchanger work together in a unified circuit, allowing the system to efficiently meet the thermal demands of multiple zones without requiring separate independent systems.
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 enables efficient heat supply by minimizing heat exchange in the air handling side heat exchanger and maximizing it in the indoor side heat exchanger, reducing energy consumption and improving temperature stability.
Implementation Method 1
a heat source side unit configured to heat or cool a heat medium used as a heat-conveying medium
Implementation Method 2
an air handling side heat exchanger that exchanges heat between outside air that is sent into a building and the heat medium
Implementation Method 3
an indoor side heat exchanger that exchanges heat between indoor air and the heat medium
Data Source
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AI summary
An air-conditioning apparatus includes a heat source side unit configured to heat or cool a heat medium used as a heat-conveying medium, an air handling side heat exchanger that exchanges heat between outside air that is sent into a building and the heat medium, and an indoor side heat exchanger that exchanges heat between indoor air and the heat medium. The heat source side unit, the air handling side heat exchanger, and the indoor side heat exchanger are connected by piping to each other to form a heat medium cycle circuit through which the heat medium circulates. In the heat medium cycle circuit, a portion of the heat medium heated or cooled by the heat source side unit flows into the indoor side heat exchanger after having passed through the air handling side heat exchanger. The heat medium cycle circuit is provided with an air handling side flow rate control device configured to adjust a flow rate of the heat medium that passes through the air handling side heat exchanger.