HVAC Refrigerant Charge Judgment Using Auto-Detected Indoor Unit Data
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for judging the adequacy of refrigerant quantity in air conditioner refrigerant circuits are labor-intensive and prone to input errors, requiring manual input of information on utilization units, which complicates accurate refrigerant quantity assessment.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner system that includes a refrigerant circuit, transmission line, information obtaining means, operation controlling means, refrigerant quantity judging means, and condition setting means, which automatically obtains information from utilization units, calculates refrigerant quantity using relational expressions, and sets conditions for judging refrigerant adequacy, reducing manual input labor and enhancing accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual input of information on utilization unit is performed, then accurate refrigerant quantity judgment can be achieved, but labor time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The utilization unit automatically transmits its own information (model, serial number, capacity) to the heat source unit without requiring manual input. The heat source unit automatically receives and stores this information in its memory, eliminating the need for service personnel to manually input data while maintaining accurate refrigerant quantity judgment.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical input process is replaced by an automatic electronic information transmission system. The utilization unit's controller automatically transmits information through a transmission line to the heat source unit's controller, which stores it in memory, replacing the manual input mechanism with an automated electronic system.
2Measurement precision
If manual input of information on utilization unit is performed, then refrigerant quantity can be assessed, but input errors frequently occur
Solution Approach 1:
The utilization unit automatically transmits its own information (model, serial number, capacity) to the heat source unit without requiring manual input. This eliminates human error in data entry while maintaining accurate refrigerant quantity judgment based on the transmitted unit information.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical input process is replaced by an automatic electronic information transmission system. The controller in the utilization unit automatically transmits information through a transmission line to the heat source unit's controller, which stores it in memory, replacing the manual input mechanism with an automated electronic system that eliminates human error.
3Ease of operation
If automatic information obtaining is implemented, then labor is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat source unit's controller serves multiple functions: it controls the refrigerant circuit operations and also stores information about connected utilization units in its memory. The transmission line serves both control signal transmission and information data transmission purposes, reducing the need for separate dedicated information transmission components.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmission line acts as an intermediary that carries both control signals and information data between the heat source unit and utilization units. This existing communication infrastructure is utilized for information transmission, avoiding the need to add separate dedicated information transmission hardware and minimizing system complexity increase.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An air conditioner is provided in which the labor of inputting information on a utilization unit before operating a separate type air conditioner is reduced, and at the same time, the adequacy of the refrigerant quantity in a refrigerant circuit can be judged with high accuracy. An air conditioner (1) includes a refrigerant circuit (10) configured by the interconnection of a heat source unit (2) and a utilization unit (4, 5), a transmission line (8a) that exchanges a signal between the heat source unit (2) and the utilization unit (4, 5), information obtaining means, operation controlling means capable of performing a refrigerant quantity judging operation, refrigerant quantity judging means, and condition setting means. The information obtaining means obtains information on the utilization unit (4, 5) connected to the heat source unit (2) via the transmission line (8a). The refrigerant quantity judging means judges the adequacy of the refrigerant quantity in the refrigerant circuit (10) by using the operation state quantity of constituent equipment or refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit (10) in the refrigerant quantity judging operation. The condition setting means sets a condition for the refrigerant quantity judging operation according to the information on the utilization unit (4, 5) obtained by the information obtaining means.