Heat-Medium Air Conditioning for Leak-Free Indoor Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air-conditioning apparatuses face energy inefficiencies due to long circulation paths of water and anti-freezing liquids, leading to increased energy consumption, and the risk of refrigerant leakage into indoor spaces.
Innovation Solution
The air-conditioning apparatus employs a refrigeration cycle with a refrigerant flow path switching apparatus, intermediate heat exchangers, and a heat medium circulation circuit, which includes pumps and flow path switching valves to manage heat medium flow, preventing refrigerant circulation indoors and optimizing energy use by controlling the temperature difference across heat exchangers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If refrigerant circulates into the indoor unit, then cooling or heating can be performed directly, but refrigerant leakage into indoor space occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat medium (water or anti-freezing liquid) as an intermediary substance that carries heat between the outdoor heat source apparatus and indoor heat exchangers. This heat medium circulates through a closed loop system with pumps and control valves, eliminating direct refrigerant circulation to indoor spaces while maintaining effective heat transfer. The heat medium acts as a safe mediator that prevents refrigerant leakage risks.
2Reliability
If water or anti-freezing liquid is heated or cooled in the heat source apparatus and carried to the indoor unit, then no refrigerant passes through the indoor unit, but the circulation path becomes longer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic control of the heat medium circulation system through variable speed pumps and electronic expansion valves that adjust flow rates based on actual heating or cooling demands. The system optimizes circulation in real-time, increasing flow when temperature differences are large and reducing flow when demands are low, thereby minimizing energy consumption of the circulation pumps while maintaining effective heat delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates temperature sensors at various points in the circulation loop that provide feedback to the control apparatus. This feedback enables the control system to monitor temperature differences across heat exchangers and adjust pump speeds and valve positions accordingly, optimizing the balance between heat delivery efficiency and energy consumption of the circulation system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the circulation path of water or anti-freezing liquid is made longer, then heat can be delivered to multiple indoor units, but energy consumption by carrying power becomes extremely large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the heat medium circulation system into multiple independent circulation loops, each serving specific indoor units. Each loop has its own pump and control valves, allowing independent optimization of flow rates for each zone. This segmentation enables the system to serve multiple indoor units while minimizing the circulation path length for each loop, thereby reducing overall energy consumption compared to a single long circulation path.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operation of individual circulation loops based on actual demand at each zone. When only certain indoor units require heating or cooling, only the corresponding circulation loops are activated, and flow rates are optimized for the active zones. This dynamic zoned control significantly reduces energy consumption compared to circulating heat medium through all possible paths regardless of demand.
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 by minimizing indoor refrigerant circulation, preventing refrigerant leakage, and enhancing energy efficiency by adjusting heat medium flow to achieve set temperature differences, thereby ensuring safe and cost-effective air-conditioning.
Implementation Method 1
a heat source side heat exchanger that makes the refrigerant exchange heat
Implementation Method 2
intermediate heat exchangers that exchange heat between the refrigerant and a heat medium different from the refrigerant
Implementation Method 3
a pump that makes the heat medium related to the heat exchange of each intermediate heat exchanger circulate
Implementation Method 4
a throttle apparatus that adjusts the pressure of the refrigerant
Implementation Method 5
a compressor that pressurizes a refrigerant
Implementation Method 6
a plurality of flow path switching valves that select either of heated heat medium or cooled heat medium and make the selected one pass through pipelines
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
To obtain an air-conditioning apparatus that makes no refrigerant circulate into an indoor unit and can achieve energy-saving. A refrigeration cycle is configured by connecting a compressor 10 that compresses the refrigerant, a four-way valve 11 that switches the circulation path of the refrigerant, a heat source side heat exchanger 12 that exchanges heat, expansion valves 16a to 16d that adjust the pressure of the refrigerant, and two or more intermediate heat exchangers 15a and 15b that exchange heat between the refrigerant and the heat medium to heat and cool the heat medium, by piping. A heat medium circulation circuit is configured by connecting two or more intermediate heat exchangers 15a and 15b, pumps 21a and 21b that pressurize the heat medium, two or more use side heat exchangers 26a to 26d that exchange heat between the heat medium and the air in the indoor space 7, and flow path switching valves 22a to 22d and 23a to 23d that switch pass of the heated heat medium or the cooled heat medium to the use side heat exchangers 26a to 26d, by piping.