Indoor unit for air conditioning device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing indoor heat exchangers in air conditioning devices face challenges in achieving a balance between heating and cooling capacities, with cooling performance being compromised due to low air velocity regions where heat transfer between refrigerant and air is insufficient.
Innovation Solution
The indoor unit features a heat exchanger with distinct regions: a high-velocity first region for full counter flow during heating and partial counter/partial parallel flows, and a low-velocity second region with partial counter flows during cooling, optimizing refrigerant paths to enhance temperature differences and reduce pressure loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the refrigerant flows in parallel flow during cooling operation, then the system simplifies flow control, but temperature difference between refrigerant and air decreases leading to insufficient heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The tube lines are segmented into different flow configuration groups. The first tube line is configured for parallel flow during cooling, while the second and third tube lines are configured for counter flow during cooling. This segmentation ensures that not all tube lines operate in parallel flow, maintaining temperature difference and heat transfer effectiveness in the second and third tube lines during cooling operation
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 ensures high heating capacity and improved cooling performance by maintaining effective heat transfer even at low air velocities, while minimizing pressure loss and power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
heat transfer tubes running through the fins
Implementation Method 2
air carried by the indoor fan passes through the indoor heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
the refrigerant absorbs heat from the indoor air, and then is evaporated
Implementation Method 4
the refrigerant dissipates heat into indoor air and then is condensed
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An indoor heat exchanger has a first region including a first refrigerant path and a second region including a second refrigerant path. The first refrigerant path forms a full counter flow portion during a heating operation, and forms a full parallel flow portion during a cooling operation. The second region is configured so that air has a lower flow velocity in the second region than in the first region. During both the cooling and heating operations, the second refrigerant path forms both a partial parallel flow portion and a partial counter flow portion.