Humidity-Based Compressor Control in Multi-Split Air Conditioners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioners do not consider humidity levels when controlling operations, leading to inefficient cooling in low-humidity environments and discomfort in high-humidity conditions, and the installation of multiple humidity sensors on indoor units increases costs.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner system that includes an outdoor unit with a temperature sensor and humidity recognition part, which adjusts the compressor operation based on outdoor temperature and humidity data to determine a target evaporation temperature, improving cooling efficiency by varying the compressor operation frequency and fan rotation in response to humidity levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air conditioners are designed with sufficient cooling capacity for high-humidity environments by maintaining evaporation temperature at or below set temperature, then cooling capacity is sufficient in high-humidity conditions, but operation efficiency decreases and discharge temperature becomes excessively low in low-humidity environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of evaporation temperature based on real-time humidity detection. The control unit varies the evaporation temperature within a range from the set temperature down to a lower limit temperature, rather than maintaining a fixed temperature. This dynamic control allows the system to adapt to changing humidity conditions, maintaining sufficient cooling capacity when needed while improving efficiency when humidity is low.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the refrigeration cycle by adjusting the evaporation temperature based on humidity levels. When humidity is high, the evaporation temperature is lowered to increase cooling capacity for dehumidification. When humidity is low, the evaporation temperature is raised to improve operation efficiency and prevent excessively low discharge temperatures.
2Productivity
If humidity sensors are installed on each indoor unit to enable humidity-based control, then cooling efficiency can be improved by considering humidity values, but costs excessively increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the outdoor unit's humidity sensor serve multiple functions: it provides humidity data for controlling all indoor units in the system, rather than requiring separate sensors at each indoor location. This universal sensing approach allows the central control unit to optimize the refrigeration cycle for the entire system based on outdoor humidity conditions, improving cooling efficiency without the cost of multiple sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the humidity sensing function from the indoor units and relocates it to the outdoor unit. By placing the humidity sensor in the outdoor unit, the system obtains humidity information centrally, which is then used by the control unit to adjust the operation of all indoor units. This eliminates the need for redundant humidity sensors at each indoor location, reducing costs while maintaining control efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If air conditioners control compressor and fan operations based only on indoor temperature, then control is simple, but user discomfort occurs in high-humidity conditions where humidity is not considered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces humidity feedback into the control system. The control unit continuously monitors outdoor humidity levels and uses this feedback to adjust the evaporation temperature and compressor/fan operations. This humidity-based feedback loop allows the system to respond to actual environmental conditions, preventing user discomfort in high-humidity situations while maintaining relatively simple control logic through automated adjustments.
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
The system enhances cooling efficiency by adapting to humidity conditions, reducing energy consumption and user discomfort across varying humidity levels without the need for multiple indoor humidity sensors, thus optimizing cooling capacity and operational efficiency.
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
AI summary
An air conditioner having an outdoor unit provided with a compressor, an outdoor temperature sensor, an outdoor humidity recognition part, and a control part, wherein the outdoor temperature sensor is installed on the outdoor unit to sense outdoor temperature, wherein the outdoor humidity recognition part is installed on the outdoor unit to recognize outdoor humidity information, and wherein the control part controls an operation of the compressor based information sensed from the outdoor temperature sensor and the outdoor humidity recognition part, whereby when the outdoor temperature has a preset value, the control part determines target evaporation temperature such that the target evaporation temperature is decreased as outdoor humidity increases, and the control part drives the compressor at an operation frequency corresponding to the determined target evaporation temperature.