Heat Pump Sealed Container Design for Flammable Refrigerant Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of safely installing heat pumps using flammable refrigerants in small indoor spaces without complex ventilation systems, as flammable refrigerants can accumulate and pose a fire risk due to their higher density than air, is unresolved by existing systems.
Innovation Solution
A heat pump configuration with a sealed container that accommodates key components and has a release opening positioned high enough to exhaust leaking refrigerant externally, ensuring sufficient dispersion and reducing the risk of inflammation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If flammable refrigerants are used to improve heat pump efficiency, then heat pump efficiency is improved, but the risk of refrigerant accumulation and fire hazard increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful flammable refrigerant from the indoor environment by providing a sealed container with a release opening that exhausts leaking refrigerant to the exterior of the building, thereby maintaining the use of efficient flammable refrigerants while removing the fire hazard from indoor spaces
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a sealed container as an intermediary element between the heat pump system and the indoor environment. This container captures and directs leaking refrigerant through a release opening to the exterior, acting as a mediator that allows efficient flammable refrigerant use while preventing indoor accumulation
2Reliability
If complex ventilation systems with sensors and fans are installed to detect and disperse leaking refrigerant, then refrigerant dispersion is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the refrigerant dispersion function from complex active systems (sensors and fans) and implements it through a simple passive sealed container with a release opening, eliminating the need for permanent monitoring and active ventilation while ensuring refrigerant is directed outside
Solution Approach 2:
The sealed container with release opening provides self-service refrigerant dispersion by automatically directing leaking refrigerant to the exterior without requiring external control systems, sensors, or active fan operation, thereby simplifying the system while maintaining reliability
3Reliability
If sealed conduits are used to exhaust refrigerant to the exterior, then refrigerant exhaustion is improved, but the risk of conduit clogging increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the refrigerant exhaust function from enclosed sealed conduits that are vulnerable to clogging and implements it through a release opening that discharges refrigerant directly to the exterior environment, maintaining effective refrigerant exhaustion while eliminating clogging risks
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using enclosed conduits that protect refrigerant flow but are susceptible to clogging, the patent inverts the approach by using an open release opening that exposes the discharge to the exterior environment, thereby prioritizing flow reliability over protection from environmental contaminants
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 provides a simple and safe operation by securely gathering and exhausting flammable refrigerant externally, eliminating the need for additional ventilation systems and minimizing the risk of flammable concentrations in small indoor spaces.
Implementation Method 1
flammable refrigerant oftentimes has a density greater than air under atmospheric pressure, such that the leaking flammable refrigerant accumulates in the bottom part of the indoor space
Data Source
AI summary
A heat pump including a refrigerant circuit configured to circulate flammable refrigerant, and an indoor unit configured to be arranged in an indoor space. The refrigerant circuit has a compressor, a utilisation-side heat exchanger, an expansion device and a heat-source-side heat exchanger connected by piping. The an indoor unit includes an outer casing having a top, and a sealed container accommodated in the outer casing. The sealed container has a bottom and a top and accommodates at least one of the compressor, the utilisation-side heat exchanger, the expansion device, and the heat-source-side heat exchanger. The sealed container has a release opening to exhaust leaking refrigerant to an exterior of the outer casing of the indoor unit.