Compressor Evaporation Control Using Outdoor Humidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioners do not consider humidity levels when controlling operations, leading to inefficient cooling in high humidity environments and excessive compressor operation in low humidity conditions, which affects user comfort and increases costs with multiple humidity sensors required for multi-unit systems.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner system with an outdoor unit equipped with a temperature sensor and humidity recognition part, using outdoor humidity information to determine target evaporation temperatures and adjust compressor operation frequency, reducing evaporation temperature as humidity increases, and maintaining a preset temperature at low humidity levels, thereby optimizing cooling capacity and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air conditioners are designed with sufficient cooling capacity for high humidity environments (evaporation temperature ≤ set temperature), then cooling capacity is adequate in high humidity conditions, but compressor operation becomes excessive and efficiency decreases in low humidity conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the evaporation temperature adjustable based on outdoor humidity conditions. The controller dynamically sets the evaporation temperature to be lower than the set temperature when outdoor humidity is high (to ensure sufficient cooling capacity), and raises it closer to the set temperature when outdoor humidity is low (to reduce compressor operation and improve efficiency). This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining adequate cooling capacity and improving compressor efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the evaporation temperature parameter based on outdoor humidity levels. When outdoor relative humidity exceeds a predetermined threshold, the controller sets the evaporation temperature to be lower than the set temperature; when humidity is below the threshold, the evaporation temperature is raised. This parameter change strategy allows the system to adapt to different humidity conditions, resolving the contradiction between sufficient cooling capacity and compressor efficiency.
2Productivity
If humidity sensors are installed on multiple indoor units to enable humidity-based control, then cooling efficiency can be optimized for each zone, but system cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the humidity sensing function from multiple indoor units into a single outdoor unit. The outdoor unit is equipped with a humidity sensor that detects outdoor humidity conditions, and the controller uses this information to adjust the evaporation temperature for the entire system. This consolidation eliminates the need for multiple humidity sensors in different indoor units, reducing system cost while maintaining the ability to optimize cooling efficiency based on humidity conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The outdoor unit's controller is given a multi-function: it not only controls the compressor based on temperature but also adjusts evaporation temperature based on humidity detection. This universal controller handles both temperature and humidity-based control decisions, eliminating the need for separate humidity sensing and control systems in each indoor unit, thereby reducing overall system complexity and cost.
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 improves cooling efficiency by adjusting evaporation temperature based on outdoor humidity, ensuring sufficient cooling capacity in high humidity conditions and reducing energy consumption in low humidity environments, while minimizing the need for multiple humidity sensors across indoor units.
Implementation Method 1
an outdoor temperature sensor installed on the outdoor unit to sense outdoor temperature
Implementation Method 2
an outdoor humidity recognition part installed on the outdoor unit to recognize outdoor humidity information
Implementation Method 3
an outdoor unit provided with a compressor
Implementation Method 4
an indoor heat exchanger installed in an indoor unit functions as an evaporator
Implementation Method 5
an outdoor heat exchanger installed in an outdoor unit functions as a condenser
Data Source
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AI summary
An air conditioner and a method of controlling the same are provided. The air conditioner includes an outdoor unit provided with a compressor, an outdoor temperature sensor, an outdoor humidity recognition part, and a controller. The outdoor temperature sensor is installed on the outdoor unit to sense outdoor temperature. The outdoor humidity recognition part is installed on the outdoor unit to recognize outdoor humidity information. The controller controls an operation of the compressor, based information sensed from the outdoor temperature sensor and the outdoor humidity recognition part. When the outdoor temperature has a preset value, the controller determines target evaporation temperature such that the target evaporation temperature is decreased as outdoor humidity increases, and the controller drives the compressor at an operation frequency corresponding to the determined target evaporation temperature.