Wall-Mounted Indoor Unit Leak Sensor Placement for Flammable Refrigerant
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioners using flammable refrigerants face challenges in reliably detecting refrigerant leaks within indoor units, which can pose safety risks due to the flammability of these refrigerants.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioner incorporates a leak detection sensor positioned on the exterior bottom part of the indoor unit, leveraging the Coanda effect to enhance the detection of refrigerant leaks by guiding the leaking refrigerant along the surface where the sensor can effectively detect it, thereby improving the reliability of leak detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the leak detection sensor is positioned inside the indoor unit, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of refrigerant leak detection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The leak detection sensor is extracted from the interior of the indoor unit and repositioned on the exterior bottom surface. This extraction allows the sensor to be positioned where refrigerant naturally accumulates during a leak, improving detection precision without adding internal complexity to the unit structure
Solution Approach 2:
The exterior bottom surface of the indoor unit serves as an intermediary positioning platform for the leak detection sensor. This location acts as an optimal detection point where refrigerant accumulates during leaks, enabling effective monitoring without requiring the sensor to be embedded within the unit's internal structure
2Reliability
If the leak detection sensor is positioned on the exterior bottom part of the indoor unit, then the reliability of refrigerant leak detection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is extracted from conventional internal positions and relocated to the exterior bottom surface, leveraging the natural accumulation behavior of refrigerant during leaks. This simple repositioning significantly improves detection reliability by placing the sensor where refrigerant concentration is highest during a leak event
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the natural physical behavior of refrigerant (accumulation on bottom surfaces due to gravity and density) to guide sensor placement. The refrigerant essentially 'services' the detection process by naturally directing itself to the sensor location, eliminating the need for complex active transport or detection mechanisms
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 significantly enhances the reliability of refrigerant leak detection, ensuring timely and accurate identification of leaks, even for flammable refrigerants like R290, which are prone to flowing along the unit's exterior surfaces due to their specific gravity, thus preventing the formation of high-concentration areas within the room.
Implementation Method 1
leveraging the Coanda effect to enhance the detection of refrigerant leaks by guiding the leaking refrigerant along the surface where the sensor can effectively detect it
Data Source
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AI summary
An air conditioner according to the present disclosure includes: an outdoor unit; indoor unit (30) of a wall-mounted type attached to a wall surface in a room; and a refrigeration cycle circuit filled with a flammable refrigerant, indoor unit (30) including leak detection sensor (39) that detects a leak of the flammable refrigerant, leak detection sensor (39) being provided on exterior bottom part (35b) of indoor unit (30).