HVAC Pipe Correspondence Detection for Closed-Path Setting Errors

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air-conditioning apparatuses fail to accurately determine the correspondence between connected pipes and setting pipes, leading to closed path setting errors, which can cause operation disruptions and customer complaints due to incorrect connection information.

Innovation Solution

The air-conditioning apparatus includes a control unit that detects the presence of closed path setting errors by determining whether a closed path pipe is included in the connection information, allowing for early detection and correction of discrepancies between connected and setting pipes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If connection information is set manually by workers during construction, then the setting process is simple and flexible, but correspondence errors between connected pipes and setting pipes occur frequently

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of setting connection informationVSAvoidaccuracy of pipe correspondence

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of closed path setting errors by automatically analyzing connection information before actual operation begins. The control unit checks whether connection information corresponding to closed paths (pipes not connected to any second unit) is included in the stored data, and if so, excludes this information from subsequent correspondence detection processes, thereby preventing operation disruptions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit provides automatic feedback by detecting and identifying closed path setting errors in the connection information. This feedback mechanism allows the system to recognize when manually set connection information contains errors and corrects the detection process accordingly, improving reliability without adding complexity to the manual setting process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If conventional detection methods are used that do not consider closed path errors, then the detection process is simple, but operation disruptions occur due to incorrect correspondence determination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of detection processVSAvoidstability of operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit performs preliminary detection of closed path setting errors by automatically analyzing connection information before actual operation begins. The system checks whether connection information corresponding to closed paths (pipes not connected to any second unit) is included in the stored data, and if so, excludes this information from subsequent correspondence detection processes, thereby preventing operation disruptions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit provides automatic feedback by detecting and identifying closed path setting errors in the connection information. This feedback mechanism allows the system to recognize when manually set connection information contains errors and corrects the detection process accordingly, improving reliability without adding complexity to the manual setting process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If the system does not detect closed path setting errors, then the control logic remains simple, but the number of functional second units becomes extremely small causing operation stoppage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol logic complexityVSAvoidnumber of functional second units

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit performs preliminary detection of closed path setting errors by automatically analyzing connection information before actual operation begins. The system checks whether connection information corresponding to closed paths (pipes not connected to any second unit) is included in the stored data, and if so, excludes this information from subsequent correspondence detection processes, thereby preventing operation disruptions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit provides automatic feedback by detecting and identifying closed path setting errors in the connection information. This feedback mechanism allows the system to recognize when manually set connection information contains errors and corrects the detection process accordingly, improving reliability without adding complexity to the manual setting process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10077930B2Air-conditioning apparatus and air-conditioning system

Publication Date: 2018.09.18 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

An air-conditioning apparatus and an air-conditioning system including a first unit including a compressor and a first heat exchanger, and a plurality of second units that each include a second heat exchanger. Each of the plurality of second units connect to the first unit via a plurality of branched pipes and a plurality of valves. The air-conditioning apparatus and air-conditioning system also include a storage unit that stores connection information indicating a relationship of connection between the plurality of second units and the plurality of branched pipes, and a control unit that detects whether the connection information includes a closed path pipe.